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Message from
AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions regarding legislative issues.
317/634-6993
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| AIA Indiana Members in Action! 
2015 AIA Indianapolis President Blake Wagner, AIA testifying in committee 
(L-R) Diana Brenner, FAIA and Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann 
Wayne Schmidt, FAIA testifying in committee 
(L-R) Jason Shelley, AIA Indiana Executive Director and Dan Mader, AIA 
(L-R) Dan Weinheimer, AIA and Rep. Jerry Torr (R - Carmel) 
(L-R) Adam Palmer, AIA and AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley 
Wayne Schmidt, FAIA testifying in committee 
(L-R) Tony Costello, FAIA and Sen. Tim Lanane (D - Anderson)
 Andy Hine, AIA testifying in committee  (L-R) Luke Leising, AIA and Rep. Ed Delaney (D - Indianapolis)  Deb Kunce, FAIA testifying in committee  (L-R) Gov. Mike Pence (R) and Matt Mayol, AIA
(L-R) Sen. Greg Taylor (D - Indianapolis) and Stewart Whitcomb, AIA
Jim Schellinger, AIA, testifying in committee
(L-R) AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley and Mark Beebe, AIA
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Legislative Sessions Nears End
April 27, 2015
The long 2015 budget session of the Indiana General Assembly is nearing its conclusion. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn sine die (
Latin - definition: without any future date being designated) Wednesday, April 29, 2015. The central issue remaining is the estimated $31.5 billion, two-year budget. Due to the lower-than-expected revenue forecast the Legislature will be forced to make difficult decisions.
Issues and opportunities remain for AIA Indiana in these closing session hours and your help is needed! Information on SB 460 - nursing home construction moratorium, HB 1507 - state building commissioner qualifications, historic preservation, and how you can make an impact are explained below.
SB 460 - Nursing Home Construction Moratorium.
SB 460, authored by Sen. Pat Miller (R - Indianapolis), and sponsored by Rep. Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville), would ban all nursing home construction in the state for the next three years. The bill has passed out of both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Pence. He can choose to sign it into law or veto it. AIA Indiana, along with our Indiana Alliance for Quality Senior Living allies, has strongly encouraged Gov. Pence to veto SB 460. CLICK HERE to view the AIA Indiana letter to Gov. Pence.
We need Gov. Pence to take an active stance against SB 460 and veto the bill. Please contact the governor directly through the Alliance website HERE. Also, to be most effective, please send Gov. Pence a letter on your or your firm's stationary asking him to veto SB 460. This is the final opportunity to stop this anti-free market legislation that would restrict senior citizen choices and create a negative impact on communities and jobs in Indiana.
SB 460 TALKING POINTS
*SB 460 puts into place a building moratorium on comprehensive care health facilities through June 30, 2018. The bill also contains retroactive language that requires new construction projects to have had construction plans filed with the state by March 1, 2015. SB 460 does allow for a few exemptions but it would cease the modernization of the long-term care industry in Indiana.
*The oldest facility in Indiana is 68 years old (licensed in 1947). There were 15 facilities built in the 50's, 123 built in the 60's, and 130 built in the 70's; in fact, 239 facilities are more than 40 years old. It is time to force Indiana's long-term care industry to modernize. At the current average rate of 7 new facilities per year since 2009, it would take 76.14 years to replace existing outdated facilities. (2015 data from the Indiana State Department of Health)
*New facilities designed by the Hoosier AIA members are committed to the State's goal of encouraging home healthcare with a focus on rehab and getting people home. An average patient's Medicare stay in a modern facility is approximately 20 days.
*The moratorium contained in SB 460 creates winners and losers among long-term care providers, with consumers coming in last. The only entities that will benefit from the moratorium are old facilities that no one wants to go to.
*A nursing home construction moratorium damages Indiana and harmfully restricts senior options.
*Some nursing home operators (not all) are fighting for a full moratorium on any new nursing facility licenses to limit competition in the market.
*Companies that develop, build, and operate new nursing homes with private pay and Medicare (not state-funded beds) would be restricted from doing so under this bill, creating a negative impact on communities and jobs in Indiana, and limiting senior choices.
*Competition creates better quality care, improvements in the physical building, and, potentially, lower cost of care.
*The senior health care industry is poised to provide thousands and thousands of jobs in Indiana, both construction and permanent good-paying jobs, including nursing, administration, occupational therapy, maintenance and chefs, and have a significant economic impact to local communities.
*Indiana cities and towns should decide whether a project is good for their community. The bill would prohibit those communities from determining if a new property project would be a good economic development opportunity.
*Existing properties are older and institutional. Most are out of date and not what the current and upcoming senior market desires. The newer properties are designed to satisfy the needs and desires of seniors, with amenities such as private rooms, private baths and ample social activities. The innovation currently being demanded cannot occur if a moratorium passes.
HB 1507 - State Building Commissioner Qualifications.
HB 1507, authored by Rep. Heath VanNatter (R - Kokomo), eliminates the requirement the state building commissioner be a licensed architect or engineer. The bill is being pushed by the Indiana Builders Association (IBA - home builders). AIA Indiana is strongly opposed to HB 1507.
The bill was heard in the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee but no vote was taken and the bill was not rescheduled for a vote. HB 1507 is essentially dead for this legislative session. However, the IBA continues to try to amend this language into another bill. Thus far, their efforts have been unsuccessful. AIA Indiana and ACEC (engineers) will continue to oppose their efforts.
HB 1001 - State Budget/Historic Preservation Grant Program.
The budget bill, HB 1001, which is still being debated in these last few days of session, includes language establishing a $1.25 million Historic Preservation Grant Program, which would begin in 2017. The current Indiana Historic Preservation Tax Credit (HPTC) awards a maximum of $450,000 per year, but there is a 12 year waiting list to attain the credit. If the grant program passes into law the HPTC would be eliminated. Indiana Landmarks and AIA Indiana have led the charge to improve historic preservation funding in Indiana.
The proposed grant program language would allow the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to provide a grant to a person who undertakes a qualifying historic rehabilitation project. The maximum allowable grant would equal 20% of the qualifying rehabilitation expenses approved by OCRA. The total grants awarded through this program would depend on the number of applicants, OCRA's approval process, and the amount of funds appropriated to the program. The proposed language that has been debated would appropriate $1.25 million in 2017.
The proposed Historic Preservation Grant Program would increase the amount of historic preservation dollars available and is a step in the right direction, but its passage into law is uncertain at this point. Please contact your state legislators and ask them to support the $1.25 million Historic Preservation Grant Program in the budget bill, HB 1001. CLICK HERE to view the AIA Historic Preservation Issue Brief.
House of Representatives - 800/382-9842
State Senate - 800/382-9467
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/legislators/
CLICK HERE to view the full list of bills being followed by AIA Indiana. Your comments and input are welcome regarding any of the bills listed.
Do not hesitate to contact AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley, [email protected]
, 317-634-6993, if you have questions or concerns regarding these or any other issues.
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Please
contribute to the Architects for Indiana Political Action Committee (ARCHPAC). The importance of our participation in the political process becomes evident each time we must take action to cope with legislative proposals that call for extending the sales tax to services, requiring stock school plans, or providing interior designers stamping privileges!
Please join many of your fellow Hoosier AIA members who have already contributed and write a $50 check today to ARCHPAC and return it to AIA Indiana, 115 W. Washington St., Suite 955 S, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
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