The 2017 session of the Indiana General Assembly at 12:55 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2017, adjourned sine die, a Latin term denoting no appointed date for resumption. Overall, AIA Indiana had a positive legislative session.

 

Thank you to all who contacted your state legislators and Gov. Holcomb during this past session to express your views. Your voices helped and your efforts are appreciated!

 

Please see the information below regarding bills AIA Indiana lobbied for and against in the 2017 state legislative session. 

 

AIA Indiana opposed SB 309 citing a lack of data/analysis that demonstrated how the bill fosters an open and transparent marketplace for consumers in a long term sense. AIA Indiana supports metering practices based upon thorough and transparent analysis of the various costs of generation and distribution of energy, which fairly compensates both those who generate power as well as those who distribute it, while not shifting the costs of a shared public utility to those who may lack the means for on-site generation. CLICK HERE to view the letter sent to Gov. Holcomb from AIA Indiana regarding SB 309.

 

This past year the state awarded the entire $1.25 million in available dollars and had an additional $1.4 million in project applications that were not funded.  The projects that received funding invested another $3.4 million in private funding into those projects and local communities. 

 

The Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is charged with oversight of this program.    The program guidelines provide for a grant request of a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000 per project. Eligible work is limited to the exterior of the building on properties that are at least fifty years old.

 

AIA Indiana, Indiana Landmarks, and the Indy Chamber strongly supports increased funding of the Historic Renovation Grant Program and will push for it in future legislative sessions.

 

HB 1043, authored by Rep. Jeff Thompson (R - Lizton), was signed into law by Gov. Holcomb on April 28, is a positive bill supported by AIA Indiana. In its final form the bill raises the threshold from the current $2 million to $5 million for what is a "controlled project" and raises the threshold from the current $10 million to $15 million for a project to be subject to the referendum process for an ordinance or resolution adopted after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2019. In the case of an ordinance or resolution adopted after December 31, 2018, making a preliminary determination to issue bonds or enter into a lease for the project, the thresholds above are increased by applying the assessed value growth quotient for the year to the threshold amount determined for the preceding year.

 

HB 1043 also included language that extends the period for an operating referendum for schools from seven to eight years, which would eliminate the need to conduct a special election.

 

The bill does include a somewhat negative provision that forces a school corporation to wait 700 days after losing a referendum before trying again (current law says 350 days) but it also provides that taxpayers can petition to reduce the waiting period back down to 350.

 

HB 1043 makes numerous other changes as well. CLICK HERE to see a more detailed explanation of all the changes made to the referendum and remonstrance processes.

 

AIA Indiana would like to thank the Indiana Association of School Business Officials and the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents for their hard work on this this bill.

HB 1174, authored by Rep. Wes Culver (R - Goshen), was signed into law by Gov. Holcomb on April 20. The bill establishes the Indiana Bicycle Trails Task Force (Task Force) to develop actionable concepts to connect existing bicycle trails throughout Indiana, estimate the cost of each concept, present at least six innovative ways to fund the connections to existing bicycle trails, and prepare a timeline that shows the phases of completion to connect existing bicycle trails throughout Indiana for each funding method.

 

Better planning of our bike trails could have a positive impact on the overall health of Hoosiers while also potentially improving the likelihood of development around these trails. AIA Indiana supported HB 1174 and testified in favor of the bill.

HB 1226 - Piping materials for public works projects.

HB 1226, authored by Rep. Heath VanNatter (R - Kokomo), called for mandating engineers consider "all acceptable piping materials" for all public works. In fact, the bill sought to legislate the criteria engineers use in determining the most appropriate materials to be used on a project.

 

AIA Indiana opposed HB 1226 and helped stop it from becoming law. The bill imposed arbitrary and unnecessary specification requirements, sought to solve a non-existent problem, and was a thinly veiled effort to promote a product. The bill would have set a terrible precedent if it were to have passed.

 

SB 112 - Hospital Police Departments (Indiana Health Care Facilities Task Force).

SB 112, authored by Sen Dennis Kruse (R - Auburn), among other things, establishes the Indiana health care facilities task force and was signed into law by Gov. Holcomb on April 21. The task force will: study and review hospital and health facility licensure; study, review, and update the American Institute of Architects guidelines for hospitals and health care facilities; and study, review, and update National Fire Protection Association standards for hospitals and health care facilities. Members of the task force will include: the commissioner of the state department, who will also serve as the chair; the Indiana department of homeland security's state fire marshal; a representative of the Indiana Hospital Association; a representative of the Indiana Health Care Association; a representative of the American Institute of Architects Indiana; and a representative of the Indiana Society for Healthcare Engineering.