By Eric Bradner, Evansville Courier & Press
INDIANAPOLIS - The school year would start after Labor Day and end before June 10 if a bill that passed the state Senate 31-19 Tuesday becomes law.
Senate Bill 150 is intended to open summers up for students and their families to vacation and work without worrying about the school schedule. It makes exceptions for year-round schools and schools that synchronize their start dates with area colleges and universities.
"This is about putting families first; giving them more control over their vacation time in August," said Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, the bill's author.
Others disagreed, saying the bill takes decision-making authority away from elected local school boards.
"This General Assembly has done enough to hurt schools, by things we had to do as far as cutting funding for education," said Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville.
"And I just think that now we're getting into dictating policy, and I don't think we ought to be doing that. I just think it ought to be a local decision."
Becker and Sen. Bob Deig, D-Mount Vernon, voted no. Sen. Lindel Hume, D-Princeton, and Sen. Richard Young, D-Milltown, voted yes.
The bill now moves to the House, where House Education Committee Chairman Gregory Porter, D-Indianapolis, has said he thinks the decision should be left to individual school districts.
The Senate also unanimously approved an overhaul of ethics rules governing how lobbyists and state government interact.
The Senate bill would mandate a one-year waiting period before former lawmakers become lobbyists. It would lower the minimum value of gifts that must be reported from $100 to $50.
Good-government advocates have said the bill does not go far enough, because many meals lobbyists buy in exchange for access to lawmakers could still go unreported.
"The majority of lawmakers understand that public trust is a part of public service, and this bill represents the most comprehensive ethics reform in years," said Senate Bill 114's author, Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis.
Other legislation advanced Tuesday, as lawmakers worked to beat today's deadline for bills to be passed and be sent to the other chamber, included:
Social promotion: The state Board of Education would develop a plan to end "social promotion," requiring schools to hold back third-graders who fail the language arts portion of the ISTEP exam under Senate Bill 258.
Statewide smoking ban: House Bill 1131, which bans smoking statewide in other public places, holds exemptions for casinos, bars, tobacco shops and horse-racing tracks.
Guns: Only law enforcement officials would be able to check who has and has not applied for gun permits under Senate Bill 195. The bill was filed after two Indiana newspapers used those records to find instances in which permits to carry concealed weapons were given to some with violent histories. A similar bill has already passed the House.
Texting while driving: House Bill 1279 would make sending a text message or e-mail while at the wheel a Class C infraction with a possible penalty of up to $500.
Elderly care: Advocates say House Bill 1325, which keeps aging and disabled Hoosiers in their homes and out of nursing homes by allowing area agencies on aging to grant presumptive eligibility for Medicaid long-term care dollars would save money in the long run.
Net metering: Ratepayers such as homeowners, schools and businesses would get credit for renewable energy they produce under bills that passed in both chambers. House and Senate must disagree on the amount of the credit.
Illegal immigration: Companies that win state contracts would be barred from employing illegal immigrants under Senate Bill 213. Illegal immigrants would also face increased penalties for operating a vehicle without a license.
Local government: Senate Bill 241 opens the door for counties to switch to a single county executive. It also would allow every Indiana county to decide whether to switch to vote centers, which could halve election costs.
Casino revenues: Economic development organizations that receive a portion of the profits casinos are required to hand over would be subject to greater scrutiny under Senate Bill 405.