Interim Study Committees Set to Meet This Week

In the May 25 meeting of the Indiana Legislative Council, council leadership and members assigned topics to study in interim study committees. Those committees are set to start meeting this week. The committee meetings on the assigned topics will continue for the next few months, and most will conclude prior to Organizational Day for the Indiana General Assembly in November.

See below for details on the first three interim study committee meetings.

August 16, 2017: Interim Study Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance

The Committee will have a general discussion and hear expert testimony concerning incorporation of National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) documents and standards in the Indiana Code by statutory reference to the documents and standards.

Testimony will be heard from the following:
1. Tom Considine, CEO, National Conference of Insurance Legislators
2. Nat Shapo, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. ET in Room 431 of the Statehouse on 200 W. Washington St.

August 16, 2017: Interim Study Committee on Courts & Judiciary

Topics covered in this session, set to meet at 1 p.m. ET in Room 431 of the Statehouse, will include the civil forfeiture law and providing indigent defense services to persons charged with a misdemeanor and parents of children who are alleged to be CHINS.

August 22, 2017: Alcohol Code Revision Commission

The Title 7.1 Alcohol Code Revision Commission meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Statehouse Senate Chamber. The meeting is expected to generate significant public interest as the Commission studies specific issues related to the alcohol code over the next couple of years.

Former State Senator Beverly Gard will chair the Alcohol Code Revision Commission. Gard retired from the Indiana Senate in 2012 after 24 years of service. After leaving the Senate, Gard was appointed by Governor Holcomb to Chair the Indiana Environmental Rules Board. In addition, she has served as a lay member on multiple legislative study committees and serves on the Lobby Registration Commission.

The Commission will meet to review the Commission charge: "The commission is charged with revising Title 7.1 of the Indiana Code. The Commission shall divide the revision process between the 2017 and 2018 legislative interims, addressing sub-parts of Title 7.1 in each interim, with one focus in 2017 concentrating on reform recommendations to the retail sector of the consumption of alcohol statutes."

Legislative Services Agency will also present the history of Indiana alcoholic beverage law.

The Commission will also discuss a summary of Indiana alcoholic beverage retailer and dealer permit classifications. The Commission will then take public testimony, which will be limited to five minutes per person, and speakers should limit their testimony to providing a list of suggested topics that they would like the Commission to study during the 2017 interim. At this time, speakers should only identify topics for study and not speak in support of or against a particular issue. If the Commission selects a topic for study, further opportunities will be given at later meetings to speak and present evidence. Speakers are encouraged to prepare written testimony and provide an electronic or hard copy of the testimony to Anne Haley or KC Norwalk of the Legislative Services Agency so that the testimony may be attached to the meeting minutes.

A complete schedule of the interim study committee meetings can be found in the table below.

State Budget Committee Meeting

In addition to Interim Study Committees, the State Budget Committee will be meeting on Friday, August 18. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. CDT at Purdue University Northwest – Westville Campus, at the Dworkin Student Government Center, Conference Room A, 1401 US-421, Westville, Indiana, 46391.

The meeting will cover a detailed agenda of project funding requests, including projects for the War Memorial Commission to fund a repair the Indiana War Memorial Roof, The Indiana State Police to fund electronic security access upgrades and installations, and the Department of Natural Resources to fund general rehabilitation for state parks.