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More Good News than Bad for AIA Indiana at the Statehouse
January 27, 2014
AIA Indiana had a very busy week at the Indiana General Assembly with lots of committee hearings and bills being voted on and amended on the floor of the House and Senate. The session's halfway point is nearing, February 3 in the House and February 5 in the Senate, and plenty of issues remain and your help is needed! AIA Indiana legislative issues are explained in further detail below.
SB 173 - Nursing facility moratorium.
SB 173, authored by Sen. Pat Miller (R - Indianapolis), would ban all nursing home construction in the state. There is currently a Medicaid moratorium which expires on June 30, 2014. Some nursing home operators are supporting a full moratorium on any new nursing bed licenses to limit competition in the market. Under the proposed bill, facilities that construct any nursing homes, including private pay and Medicare, would be prohibited from doing so. Passage of this bill would have a negative impact on many AIA Indiana members and Hoosier communities and jobs.
CLICK HERE to view SB 173 talking points.
Andy Hine, AIA, testifying in committee against SB 173.
AIA Indiana testified against SB 173 in the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee but it passed out of committee with a vote count 8-4. The full Senate then debated the issue and the bill passed out with a vote count of 33-14 on January 23. SB 173 will now move on to the House for consideration. AIA Indiana will continue to lobby against this negative measure.
Please contact your state representative and ask them to oppose SB 173!
House of Representatives Phone - 800/382-9842
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/legislators/
HB 1301 - Fire and building safety issues.
The purpose of HB 1301, authored by Rep. Heath VanNatter (R - Kokomo), is to make state plan review more efficient and responsive without jeopardizing public safety. It also attempts to eliminate the time consuming and expensive duplicative plan review process required by some local jurisdictions. It also fixes a statutory problem regarding the definition of Townhomes that has been difficult to resolve with code language.
AIA Indiana was able to positively amend the bill and testified in favor of the improved amended HB 1301 in the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. The bill will now be debated on the House floor.
SB 344 - School building safety.
SB 344, authored by Sen. Lindel Hume (D - Princeton), was heard but not voted on January 22 in the Senate Education and Career Development Committee. The bill establishes the division of school building physical security and safety within the department of education and requires the division to develop and maintain nonbinding guidelines for new buildings or facilities used in the operation or administration of a school corporation. Unfortunately, the bill also includes language concerning stock school plans.
(L-R) 2014 AIA Indiana & AIA Indianapolis Sponsor Ken Cook - Allegion, and AIA Indiana & AIA Indianapolis Executive Director Jason Shelley.
AIA Indiana is working with the bill's author and representatives from the Indiana Department of Education to delete the model school plan language in the bill via amendment. The proposed amendment will be introduced this week in the Senate Education and Career Development Committee. AIA Indiana will be there to monitor and provide assistance.
HB 1196 - Construction managers as constructors (CMc).
SB 261 - Construction managers as constructors (CMc).
HB 1196, authored by Rep. Randy Truitt (R - West Lafayette), and SB 261, authored by Sen. Brandt Hershman (R - Buck Creek), are identical bills that authorize public agencies to employ construction managers as constructors for certain construction projects. AIA Indiana supports both bills. CLICK HERE to view the AIA Issue Brief regarding Construction Manager At-Risk/CMc.
SB 261 was heard and passed out of the Senate Commerce, Economic Development & Technology Committee on January 24 with a vote count of 7-0. Indiana University, Purdue University, the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, the Association of Indiana Counties, Shiel Sexton, The Skillman Corporation, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana, and AIA Indiana testified in favor of the bill. Those testifying in opposition included representatives from Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council and the Associated Builders and Contractors (it is extremely rare for these two opposing groups to ever agree on a legislative issue).
 Jim Schellinger, AIA, testifying in the Senate Commerce, Economic Development & Technology Committee.
SB 261 will now be debated before the full Senate. Thank you Jim Schellinger, AIA, for your efforts on this issue and for testifying in committee.
SB 176 - Central Indiana Transit.
HB 1034 - Public Mass Transportation.
The 2014 mass transit bills are SB 176, authored by Sen. Pat Miller (R - Indianapolis) and Sen. Brent Waltz (R - Greenwood). SB 176 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on January 28. AIA Indiana strongly supports both bills. You are encouraged to contact your legislators and ask them to support the bills. CLICK HERE to view talking points regarding the mass transit issue.
House of Representatives Phone - 800/382-9842
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/legislators/
State Senate Phone - 800/382-9467
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/legislators/
(L-R) AIA Indiana members Tony Costello, FAIA, and Glenn Gareis, AIA, attended the "Transit Day at the Statehouse" event.
HB 1215 - Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
HB 1215, authored by Rep. Ed Clere (R -New Albany), makes numerous positive changes to the state's historic preservation tax credit including increasing the annual statewide cap on the tax credit from the current $450,000 to $10 million. The bill would also allow the tax credit to be assigned.
(L-R) Marsh Davis, Indiana Landmarks President, and Craig Von Deylen, AIA, both testified in favor of HB 1215, Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
HB 1215 was heard in the House Ways and Means Committee on January 23. AIA Indiana members Craig Von Deylen, AIA, and Glenn Gareis, AIA, testified in committee in favor of the bill. No vote was taken but the chairman of the committee indicated that the committee would debate an amendment to HB1215 and vote on it this week. AIA Indiana is working with the bill's author and supporters to positively amend the bill.
 Glenn Gareis, AIA, testified in favor of HB 1215, Historic Preservation Tax Credit, before the House Ways and Means Committee.
AIA Indiana strongly supports HB 1215 and there is a positive outlook regarding its chances of success in the House of Representatives. CLICK HERE to view an AIA Issue Brief regarding historic preservation tax credits.
Please contact your state representative and ask them to support HB 1215.
House of Representatives Phone - 800/382-9842
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/legislators/
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.
Please contact your state senator and state representative and introduce yourself, if you don't already know them. Invite them to tour your firm. Discuss with them the issues that are important to you and your firm. I am sure they will appreciate hearing from you. To contact your legislators, see the information below.
House of Representatives Phone - 800/382-9842
State Senate Phone - 800/382-9467
Email - http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/legislators/
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Sen. Joe Donnelly speaking to AIA Indiana members at this office on Capitol Hill.