Capitol Insider

SB19 

REQUIRED INFORMATION ON STUDENT ID CARDS (FORD J) Requires a public school that issues a student identification card to a student in grade 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 to include on the student identification card a local, state, or national: (1) suicide prevention hotline telephone number; and (2) human trafficking hotline telephone number; that provides support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Provides that the information may be printed on the student identification card or printed on a sticker that is affixed to the student identification card. Bill is on 2^nd reading in Senate.  Amendments will be considered. 

HB1040 

SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST OF STUDENTS (PRESSEL J) Provides that sudden cardiac arrest information sheets currently required to be provided by each school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school to a parent of an applicable student. This bill was heard in House Ed.  Vote next week.     

HB1073 

NONACCREDITED NONPUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS (WESCO T) Provides that a high school diploma (diploma) or credential issued by a nonaccredited nonpublic secondary school that employs less than one employee is legally sufficient to demonstrate that the recipient of the diploma or credential has met the requirements to complete high school. Provides that a state or local agency or institution of higher education in Indiana may not reject or otherwise treat a person differently based solely on the source of a diploma or credential. Provides that a person who administers a nonaccredited nonpublic secondary school has the authority to execute any document required by law, rule, regulation, or policy to provide certain evidence regarding a child's education.  This bill applies to homeschools.  It was heard and will be voted on in Committee on Wednesday. 

HB1186 

EARLY GRADUATION AND ADM COUNTS (CHERRY R) Requires that the February count of a school corporation's average daily membership (ADM) must be increased by the number of students who, during the students' expected graduation year: (1) were enrolled in the school corporation on the September ADM count day; (2) completed graduation requirements before the February ADM count day; and (3) were not enrolled in the school corporation on the February ADM count day.  Bill was heard this week.  Good bill that helps maintain tuitions support consistency throughout a school year. 

SB2 

FUNDING FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS (RAATZ J) Establishes a definition of "virtual instruction" for purposes of determining a school corporation's basic tuition support using the 2021 spring count of average daily membership (ADM).  Bill passed out of Senate Ed Committee and was re-assigned to Senate Appropriations.  

SB123 

AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY COMPACT (KRUSE D) Enacts the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact. Makes conforming amendments.  Heard in committee; vote next week. 

SB203 

HIGH ABILITY STUDENTS AND EDUCATION STUDIES (ROGERS L) Removes the topic of high ability students (including high ability curriculum) from the list of statutes that the legislative council is urged to assign to a study committee during the 2021 legislative interim. Removes an expired proposed study topic. Actual content of bill – changes to current law – are ok in that it protects existing high ability curriculum that could be removed.  Problem is existing law that puts so much else on the potential chopping block and due to COVID at a breakneck pace with ‘mandatory’ hearings this summer for a doubled-up list of issues.  Working with Sen. Qaddoura to add some language.