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The short 2012 session of the Indiana General Assembly ended early Saturday morning, March 10, which was earlier than scheduled. The original end date was set for March 14.
For AIA Indiana this session proved positive due to the fact that no negative proposals directed at the architecture profession were introduced. This is an extremely rare occurrence. For example, proposals calling for stock school plans, tax on services, interior design registration were nowhere to be seen. AIA Indiana lobbyists and members have worked hard to discuss with legislators why these proposals are not helpful to Hoosiers.
Unfortunately, there were disappointments. AIA Indiana's proactive legislative agenda did not fare well. Bills regarding mass transit, historic preservation tax credit, Good Samaritan law for architects and engineers, PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), and construction management at-risk for public projects did not pass. Nonetheless, AIA Indiana lobbyists and members will continue to fight to enact these positive proposals into law during the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly.
Detailed information regarding the end of session AIA Indiana legislative issues are explained below.
(L-R) Brandon Farley, AIA and Sen. Mike Young (R-Indianapolis)
HB 1111, historic preservation tax credit, authored by Rep. Ed Clere (R-New Albany) and co-authored by Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan (D-Indianapolis), passed out of the House with language calling for an increase in the credit from $450,000 per year to $2 million. Unfortunately, the bill was significantly amended in the Senate by Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville). The amended bill was very negative and among other things, eliminated the credit increase called for in the House passed version of the bill. Also, the amended bill would have stopped all future credit awards until the current backlog of credits already awarded was eliminated.
HB 1111's conference committee members were not able to come to a workable compromise on the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Subsequently, HB 1111 died in the final hours of the session.
AIA Indiana strongly supported the House passed version of the bill and would like to thank the bill's author, Rep. Ed Clere (R-New Albany), and co-author, Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan (D-Indianapolis), for their efforts on this issue!
AIA Indiana will be working on this issue over the interim and will be back again in 2013 in pursuit of positive historic preservation tax credit legislation.
Sen. Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis) and YAF members.
SB 273, regulation of outdoor stage equipment, authored by Sen. Tim Lanane (D-Anderson), passed out of the House and Senate and will be signed into law by Gov. Daniels. The bill allows the state fire prevention and building safety commission to adopt rules to regulate outdoor stage equipment as a Class 1 structure. The bill also creates a legislative summer study committee to study this issue further and recommend permanent legislation to the
General Assembly for the 2013 session.
CLICK HERE to view SB 273, regulation of outdoor stage equipment.
AIA Indiana will continue to closely monitor this issue as it's debated in the legislative summer study committee. Please contact jshelley@aiaindiana.org if you would like to provide assistance regarding this matter.
Do not hesitate to contact jshelley@aiaindiana.org if you have any questions or concerns regarding legislative issues.
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