The 2013 legislative session of the Indiana General Assembly convened today at the Statehouse at 1:30 p.m. It's a long session this year, with April 29 being the last possible day of session. During the long session, the legislature creates Indiana's biennial budget, which consumes the majority of legislators' time, but also, legislators are able to propose more legislation, which means the potential for quite a few more issues to be delved into.
MCCOY will be how children's issues fare this session with topics ranging from creating a commission to improve the status of children in Indiana to addressing early childhood learning and safety to preventing bullying and keeping children safe. Bills are now being posted on the General Assembly's website and MCCOY will be sending out it's first Voices for Indiana's Children legislative update at the end of this week to summarize the bills posted thus far. To receive the newsletter, please click here and choose the "advocacy" mailing list.
Due to redistricting and the elections, your legislator may have changed. Please visit the General Assembly's District Look-up Page to find out who represents you in the statehouse. Reach out and make contact with your legislator - they would love to hear from their constituents on the important issues that they will grapple with this year.
Stay tuned for periodic updates as the session moves forward!
Showing posts with label bullying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bullying. Show all posts
Monday, January 7, 2013
Friday, February 3, 2012
February 3 Legislative Update
This week marked the deadline for bills to crossover to the other chamber and business was concluded on Wednesday. Both houses are slated to reconvene on Tuesday and committee meeting agendas are already being posted for next week. Because of the contentious nature of the Right to Work debate, a great deal of time was devoted to debating or avoiding the debate of the issue. This resulted in less time for other bills to be heard, but still, a good number related to children made it through.
The legislature is now taking some time off due to the Super Bowl festivities. For advocates, this means some time to catch our collective breath and plan strategy for the remainder of the session. MCCOY is in the process of identifying which bills to hone in on. If you see any of interest or concern to you or your organization, please let us know and we will be more than happy to work with you to navigate the process. Below is an update of those bills that either passed or failed the first house. To view the complete information and text of the bills, click here.
Select House Education Bills
HB1134 Various education matters (Speedy, DeLaney)
This bill is related to public schools providing transportation at no cost to parents. It passed the House 92-2 and Senator Miller is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1136 Child care ministry advisory committee (Wesco)
Requires the division of family resources to establish a child care ministries advisory committee. This bill passed the House 91-1 and Senator Holdman is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
HB1150 Family Friendly school designation (Sullivan, VanDenburgh)
Establishes the Indiana family friendly school designation program. This bill passed the House 98-0 and Senators Kruse, Simpson and Rogers are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: support
HB1169 School discipline (Koch)
This bill passed the House 72-22 and Senator Kruse is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY has some serious concerns about the nature of this bill. While the bill's author, Rep. Koch, has explained that the purpose is to give schools disciplinary options for cyberbullying and cheating that occurs during off-school hours and off of school property, the language is not specific and leaves a school's discretion wide open in terms of what they can suspend or expel a studnet for. Given our already high rates of suspensions and expulsions in this state, and the disproportionate rates of minorities involved in those cases, MCCOY feels that the language should be tweaked to reflect the more specific intent of the bill. MCCOY's position: oppose as written
HB1189 Multiple ADM counts (Thompson)
Provides that ADM counts occur twice during the school year. This bill passed the House 82-14 and Senators Charbonneau and Rogers are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1219 Parental initiatives for school reorganization (Rhoads, Behning)
This bill died on the House floor - it did not make it through 2nd reading.
HB1324 School accountability and turnaround academies (Behning)
This bill died on the House floor - it did not make it through 2nd reading.
HB1326 Various education matters (Rhodes, Behning)
This bill passed the House 79-17 and Senator Yoder is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
Select House Child Welfare & Safety Bills
HB1007 Drug testing of public assistance recipients (McMillin)
This bill was brought back for 2nd reading after being withdrawn. It was amended to be a pilot program for 3 counties and does include language for random drug testing for legislators. It passed the House 73-23 and Senators Head and Banks are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY has serious concerns about the implications for children in this bill and will be working with our partners to express those concerns. MCCOY's position: oppose
HB1204 Sex offender registry (Dermody)
This bill passed the House 93-0 and Senators Steele and Arnold are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1365 Dual juvenile and criminal jurisdiction (McNamara, Steuerwald, Dermody)
This bill passed the House 93-0 and Senators Steele and Arnold are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: support
Select Senate Education, Early Childhood & Child Care Bills
SB83 Cursive writing in school curriculum (Leising)
This bill passed the Senate 45-5 and Representative Rhoads is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB89 Teaching of the origin of life (Kruse, Holdman)
This bill was amended to state that schools may teach various religious theories of the creation of life, not just the Judeo-Christian view. This bill passed the Senate 28-22 and Representative Thompson is the House sponsor. MCCOY position: monitor
SB179 Virtual instruction course requirement (Banks, Kruse)
This bill was amended to require the Department of Education to conduct an audit of a school's capability and capacity to offer on-line instruction. This bill passed the Senate 38-12 and Representative Heuer is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB198 Choice scholarship eligibility (Eckerty, Walker)
This bill was reassigned to Appropriations and did not move on to 2nd reading.
SB236 Various education matters (Delph, Kruse, Schneider)
This bill failed the Senate for lack of a constitutional majority (25-25).
SB248 Balanced school calendar (Leising)
This bill was amended to create an interim study committee to examine the use of balanced school calendars and procedures for the implementation or discontinuance of the use of balanced school calendars. This bill passed the Senate 36-13 and Representative Rhoads is the House sponsor. MCCOY position: support
SB265 School report card (Head)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative Koch is the House sponsor. MCCOY will be looking into this bill further to determine it's implications for schools and students. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB267 Education concerning child abuse (Rogers)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB268 Advisory committee on early education (Rogers)
This bill passed the Senate 42-8 and representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB283 Nonpublic alternative high schools; residential facilities (Kruse)
This bill was slightly amended to require the Department of Education to waive accreditation standards for an accredited nonpublic alternative high school that contracts with a school corporation to provide alternative education services for students who have (1) dropped out of high school; (2) been expelled; or (3) were not successful in the school corporation. This bill passed the Senate 48-2 and Representative Thompson is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB296 Certified scholarship program eligibility (Leising)
This bill passed the Senate 34-16 and Representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB312 School policies on gang activities (Hershman)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Represenative Timothy Brown is the House sponsor. While MCCOY supports the provisions of the bill pertaining to prevention, education and awareness for schools, there is some concern about the implications of the loose definition of "criminal gang" and "criminal gang activity" in Indiana's criminal code and how this bill could widen the net for more youth, particularly minority youth, to be inappropriately labeled as gang members. The bill also includes language about reporting suspected gang members that is arbitrary and subjective. MCCOY's position: support with amendments
SB331 Choice scholarship eligibility (Yoder)
This bill died in committee.
Select Senate Child Welfare & Safety Bills
SB4 Human Trafficking (Head, Banks, Walker)
This bill was signed into law by Govenor Mitch Daniels on January 30th.
SB190 Termination of parent-child relationship (Charbonneau)
This bill passed the Senate 44-6 and Representative Clere is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB286 Department of child services (C. Lawson)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative McNamara is the House sponsor.
SB287 Department of child services (C. Lawson)
This bill passed the Senate 48-0 and has been referred to the House Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs. Representative McNamara is the House sponsor.
The legislature is now taking some time off due to the Super Bowl festivities. For advocates, this means some time to catch our collective breath and plan strategy for the remainder of the session. MCCOY is in the process of identifying which bills to hone in on. If you see any of interest or concern to you or your organization, please let us know and we will be more than happy to work with you to navigate the process. Below is an update of those bills that either passed or failed the first house. To view the complete information and text of the bills, click here.
Select House Education Bills
HB1134 Various education matters (Speedy, DeLaney)
This bill is related to public schools providing transportation at no cost to parents. It passed the House 92-2 and Senator Miller is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1136 Child care ministry advisory committee (Wesco)
Requires the division of family resources to establish a child care ministries advisory committee. This bill passed the House 91-1 and Senator Holdman is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
HB1150 Family Friendly school designation (Sullivan, VanDenburgh)
Establishes the Indiana family friendly school designation program. This bill passed the House 98-0 and Senators Kruse, Simpson and Rogers are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: support
HB1169 School discipline (Koch)
This bill passed the House 72-22 and Senator Kruse is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY has some serious concerns about the nature of this bill. While the bill's author, Rep. Koch, has explained that the purpose is to give schools disciplinary options for cyberbullying and cheating that occurs during off-school hours and off of school property, the language is not specific and leaves a school's discretion wide open in terms of what they can suspend or expel a studnet for. Given our already high rates of suspensions and expulsions in this state, and the disproportionate rates of minorities involved in those cases, MCCOY feels that the language should be tweaked to reflect the more specific intent of the bill. MCCOY's position: oppose as written
HB1189 Multiple ADM counts (Thompson)
Provides that ADM counts occur twice during the school year. This bill passed the House 82-14 and Senators Charbonneau and Rogers are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1219 Parental initiatives for school reorganization (Rhoads, Behning)
This bill died on the House floor - it did not make it through 2nd reading.
HB1324 School accountability and turnaround academies (Behning)
This bill died on the House floor - it did not make it through 2nd reading.
HB1326 Various education matters (Rhodes, Behning)
This bill passed the House 79-17 and Senator Yoder is the Senate sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
Select House Child Welfare & Safety Bills
HB1007 Drug testing of public assistance recipients (McMillin)
This bill was brought back for 2nd reading after being withdrawn. It was amended to be a pilot program for 3 counties and does include language for random drug testing for legislators. It passed the House 73-23 and Senators Head and Banks are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY has serious concerns about the implications for children in this bill and will be working with our partners to express those concerns. MCCOY's position: oppose
HB1204 Sex offender registry (Dermody)
This bill passed the House 93-0 and Senators Steele and Arnold are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: monitor
HB1365 Dual juvenile and criminal jurisdiction (McNamara, Steuerwald, Dermody)
This bill passed the House 93-0 and Senators Steele and Arnold are the Senate sponsors. MCCOY's position: support
Select Senate Education, Early Childhood & Child Care Bills
SB83 Cursive writing in school curriculum (Leising)
This bill passed the Senate 45-5 and Representative Rhoads is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB89 Teaching of the origin of life (Kruse, Holdman)
This bill was amended to state that schools may teach various religious theories of the creation of life, not just the Judeo-Christian view. This bill passed the Senate 28-22 and Representative Thompson is the House sponsor. MCCOY position: monitor
SB179 Virtual instruction course requirement (Banks, Kruse)
This bill was amended to require the Department of Education to conduct an audit of a school's capability and capacity to offer on-line instruction. This bill passed the Senate 38-12 and Representative Heuer is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB198 Choice scholarship eligibility (Eckerty, Walker)
This bill was reassigned to Appropriations and did not move on to 2nd reading.
SB236 Various education matters (Delph, Kruse, Schneider)
This bill failed the Senate for lack of a constitutional majority (25-25).
SB248 Balanced school calendar (Leising)
This bill was amended to create an interim study committee to examine the use of balanced school calendars and procedures for the implementation or discontinuance of the use of balanced school calendars. This bill passed the Senate 36-13 and Representative Rhoads is the House sponsor. MCCOY position: support
SB265 School report card (Head)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative Koch is the House sponsor. MCCOY will be looking into this bill further to determine it's implications for schools and students. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB267 Education concerning child abuse (Rogers)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB268 Advisory committee on early education (Rogers)
This bill passed the Senate 42-8 and representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: support
SB283 Nonpublic alternative high schools; residential facilities (Kruse)
This bill was slightly amended to require the Department of Education to waive accreditation standards for an accredited nonpublic alternative high school that contracts with a school corporation to provide alternative education services for students who have (1) dropped out of high school; (2) been expelled; or (3) were not successful in the school corporation. This bill passed the Senate 48-2 and Representative Thompson is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB296 Certified scholarship program eligibility (Leising)
This bill passed the Senate 34-16 and Representative Behning is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB312 School policies on gang activities (Hershman)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Represenative Timothy Brown is the House sponsor. While MCCOY supports the provisions of the bill pertaining to prevention, education and awareness for schools, there is some concern about the implications of the loose definition of "criminal gang" and "criminal gang activity" in Indiana's criminal code and how this bill could widen the net for more youth, particularly minority youth, to be inappropriately labeled as gang members. The bill also includes language about reporting suspected gang members that is arbitrary and subjective. MCCOY's position: support with amendments
SB331 Choice scholarship eligibility (Yoder)
This bill died in committee.
Select Senate Child Welfare & Safety Bills
SB4 Human Trafficking (Head, Banks, Walker)
This bill was signed into law by Govenor Mitch Daniels on January 30th.
SB190 Termination of parent-child relationship (Charbonneau)
This bill passed the Senate 44-6 and Representative Clere is the House sponsor. MCCOY's position: monitor
SB286 Department of child services (C. Lawson)
This bill passed the Senate 50-0 and Representative McNamara is the House sponsor.
SB287 Department of child services (C. Lawson)
This bill passed the Senate 48-0 and has been referred to the House Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs. Representative McNamara is the House sponsor.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
2011 General Assembly Recap
The 2011 legislative session is now over and the bills have been enacted. It was an incredibly interesting session to watch, especially for me as this is my first year getting involved in advocacy in Indiana. Some of the measures passed will do great things for youth and some will need to be watched to see what their full impact will be. Here is a brief summary of some of the bills that passed that MCCOY was following.
Education Reform
SEA 1 (P.L. 90-2011) Teacher evaluations and licensing - links the effectiveness of teachers, in addition to other factors, to student performance. Also has provisions defining "attend," policies outlining excused vs. unexcused absences, parent notification and reporting of habitually absent students to Juvenile Court or the Department of Child Services.
SEA85 (P.L. 142-2011) Education issues study committee - establishes an interim study committee to look at the causes of low graduation rates, best practices to increase graduation rates and the impact of school counselors, teachers, administrators and parents on grad. rates.
SB497 Higher education scholarship - inserted into the budget bill - provides a $4,000 Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship for high school students graduating earlier than senior year for an approved post-secondary education institution within Indiana.
HEA1002 (P.L. 91-2011) Charter schools - increases the number and types of entities that can sponsor charter schools, adds accountability measures and delineates that only 90% of teachers must possess a license.
HEA1003 (P.L. 92-2011) School scholarships - provides a $1,000 tax deduction for parents who home school their children or send them to a private school and provides scholarships to help cover private school tuition to students in families meeting certain financial requirements.
Full-day kindergarten funding - provides schools access to additional full-day kindergarten grants.
Prevention
SEA4 (P.L. 93-2011) Suicide prevention training for school personnel - provides that teachers should be trained in evidence-based suicide prevention and recognition of signs that a student may be considering suicide. After June 30, 2013, any person applying for a teaching license must be trained in suicide prevention.
HEA1083 (P.L. 180-2011) Various criminal law matters - provides that schools may offer classes, instruction or programs regarding the risks and consequences of "sexting." Also mandates that schools must include provisions against cyber-bullying in their discipline policies.
HEA1107 (P.L. 183-2011) Preventative programs for at-risk children - provides that a juvenile court may create a voluntary preventative program for at-risk children.
Over the next month, MCCOY will be watching the calendar of the Interim Study Committees and will post periodic updates as they progress. Please stay tuned. As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me. Thank you for your dedication to advocacy!
Education Reform
SEA 1 (P.L. 90-2011) Teacher evaluations and licensing - links the effectiveness of teachers, in addition to other factors, to student performance. Also has provisions defining "attend," policies outlining excused vs. unexcused absences, parent notification and reporting of habitually absent students to Juvenile Court or the Department of Child Services.
SEA85 (P.L. 142-2011) Education issues study committee - establishes an interim study committee to look at the causes of low graduation rates, best practices to increase graduation rates and the impact of school counselors, teachers, administrators and parents on grad. rates.
SB497 Higher education scholarship - inserted into the budget bill - provides a $4,000 Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship for high school students graduating earlier than senior year for an approved post-secondary education institution within Indiana.
HEA1002 (P.L. 91-2011) Charter schools - increases the number and types of entities that can sponsor charter schools, adds accountability measures and delineates that only 90% of teachers must possess a license.
HEA1003 (P.L. 92-2011) School scholarships - provides a $1,000 tax deduction for parents who home school their children or send them to a private school and provides scholarships to help cover private school tuition to students in families meeting certain financial requirements.
Full-day kindergarten funding - provides schools access to additional full-day kindergarten grants.
Prevention
SEA4 (P.L. 93-2011) Suicide prevention training for school personnel - provides that teachers should be trained in evidence-based suicide prevention and recognition of signs that a student may be considering suicide. After June 30, 2013, any person applying for a teaching license must be trained in suicide prevention.
HEA1083 (P.L. 180-2011) Various criminal law matters - provides that schools may offer classes, instruction or programs regarding the risks and consequences of "sexting." Also mandates that schools must include provisions against cyber-bullying in their discipline policies.
HEA1107 (P.L. 183-2011) Preventative programs for at-risk children - provides that a juvenile court may create a voluntary preventative program for at-risk children.
Over the next month, MCCOY will be watching the calendar of the Interim Study Committees and will post periodic updates as they progress. Please stay tuned. As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me. Thank you for your dedication to advocacy!
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