Here are some bills worth noting:

• HB 1096- (Fire protection districts)
• HB 1287 (public safety LOIT distributions bill)
• HB 1288 (maximum property tax levy calculations bill)
• SB 63- (Suspension of local officeholders from office)
• SB 166 (Local government employment)
• SB 167 (Nepotism)
• SB 181- Fire protection districts (Leising)
• SB 302 (Nepotism and public employee holding elected office)
• SB 280 (township reorganization bill)
• SB 385 (Reorganization of a township and municipality)
• SB 386 (Local government reorganization)
• SB 405 (Township government)
• SB 440 (Public safety LOIT distributions)

You can access the full version of any bill by clicking here- http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo

As we have done in past sessions, we will alert you when there is a “Call to Action” via email and fax.  PLEASE react when asked by calling or emailing your legislator.  Your action is vital to our success this session!

January 21, 2011

The second week of the Indiana General Assembly’s 2011 Legislative Session was highlighted by the Governor Daniels’ State of the State address.  In the speech, the Governor laid out his legislative agenda for the current session, focusing nearly half of the speech on the topic of education reform.  The Governor also announced his insistence on an honestly balanced budget and a fix to the Unemployment Insurance deficit, as well as his support for criminal justice and local government reforms.

It was another relatively slow week this week, but the pace will certainly pick up next week as there is a full slate of committee meetings.  The bill filing deadlines for both the House and Senate were this past week.

Today, the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee is hearing SB 26 (Local government reorganization and merger), Senator Head’s bill from last year that allows local units to keep a portion of their levy that would have been lost from savings resulting in a reorganization or merger.