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AIA Indiana Legislative E-Newsletter
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Nearing the End of Session but Work Remains
March 2, 2020
The 2020 session of the Indiana General Assembly, which started on January 6, is nearing the end and will likely conclude on March 11. AIA Indiana has been busy working on amending bills and is now working to eliminate language amended into HB 1279, which is being pushed by anti-transit critics of Indy's bus rapid transit effort. See more detailed information below regarding the latest state legislative action.
HB 1279, local transportation projects, was amended last week in the Senate to restrict IndyGo's transit system expansion, which would negatively impact the two additional planned bus rapid transit routes -- the Blue Line and the Purple Line. The IndyGo amendment would reduce Marion County's transit tax revenue allocation, putting the IndyGo expansion at risk. The original bill provides an additional option for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to implement projects in transit development districts.
The negative amendment offered by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R - Indianapolis), which passed 35-12, would require the state to withhold 10% of IndyGo's local income tax revenue in the years it fails to meet the private funding threshold established in the 2014 transit bill passed by the Indiana General Assembly. The amended bill would require IndyGo to raise philanthropic funds or generate unrealistic farebox collections to make up the difference. As it stands now, HB 1279 reverses the will of Marion County voters, who overwhelmingly approved support for transit improvement in the 2016 referendum vote.
As reported in the Indianapolis Business Journal, City-County Council President Vop Osili, AIA said the legislation threatens to silence the votes of those who said yes to a transit tax. Even more concerning, it threatens to disrupt connectivity to food, health care, education and employment for our city's most vulnerable residents." Osili went on to state, "Public transit is not only critical to economic development in Indianapolis, it is key to addressing the racial and social disparities in our community that our council just this week unanimously pledged to end."
With the end of session near it is imperative you
contact your state representative ASAP and urge them to oppose this language that was amended into HB 1279!
House of Representatives Phone - 800/382-9842
Find Your Legislator - CLICK HERE
HB 1222, miscellaneous election law matters, authored by Rep. Tim Wesco (R - Osceola), was amended in the Senate Elections Committee to impose several restrictions on when school corporations may pose a local public question, i.e., hold a referendum to only a general election or municipal general election (only if the school corporation proposing the referendum is contained entirely within a municipality). Only 27 school corporations are contained "entirely within a municipality," so a vast majority of school corporations would be left with only a general election option once every two years.
AIA Indiana worked closely with the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) to oppose the bill and to restore flexibility on local control of election cycles for which to conduct a referendum. Thankfully an agreement was reached with Senate Republican leadership on a compromise amendment to restore primary and municipal elections as an option for a referendum, yet the amendment eliminates the option for a special election in off-election years such as 2021, and reoccurring once every four years. Any school corporation with a referendum tax levy in place now due to expire in an off-election year, such as 2021, will be "grandfathered" to allow a one-time ability or option to propose a referendum renewal in a special election. The compromise amendment was approved via voice vote on the Senate floor on February 27.
AIA Indiana would like to thank our ally ISBA for their efforts on this matter. Also, please take time to thank the following state senators if they are in your area that provided key assistance on this matter: Sen. Ron Alting, (R - Lafayette; Sen. Vaneta Becker (R - Evansville); Sen. Travis Holdman (R - Markle); Sen. Liz Brown (R - Fort Wayne); Sen. Greg Walker (R - Columbus); and Sen. Mark Messmer (R- Jasper).
The Young Architects Forum and AIAS Ball State University students attended an AIA Indiana Day at the Statehouse.
HB 1008, occupational licensure reciprocity, authored by Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R - Fort Wayne), requires a board that issues a license for certain regulated occupations to issue a license to an individual who: (1) is licensed in another state or jurisdiction in the regulated occupation; (2) has established residency; (3) has passed a substantially equivalent examination; (4) is and has been in good standing; (5) pays a fee; and (6) completes the licensure application form. The bill was amended last Thursday in the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee to eliminate architect, engineers, and a few other professions from the bill. It will now be debated by the full Senate.
SB 427, provisional occupational license, authored by Sen. Brian Buchanan (R - Lebanon), allows a spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces assigned to Indiana to be issued a provisional license for the regulated occupation at the same practice level allowed that the spouse held in the state previously resided in. As introduced, SB 427 had a few issues that needed addressed. Thankfully, the bill was amended positively at the request of AIA Indiana and ACEC (engineers) and passed on the House floor 89-0 on March 2. The bill will likely become law.
SB 100, nonconforming structures, authored by Sen. Blake Doriot (R - Goshen), allows a residential property owner to reconstruct, repair, or renovate a nonconforming structure if the reconstruction, repair, or renovation meets certain requirements. AIA Indiana had concerns with this measure and pushed to have it successfully amended in committee to address historic preservation, flood plain, and square footage matters.
SB 100, as amended, passed out the House Local Government Committee and will now be debated on the floor of the House. AIA Indiana would like to thank Rep. Cherish Pryor (D - Indianapolis), Rep. Chris Chyung (D - Dyer), and Rep. Denny Zent (R - Angola) for their assistance on this bill.
AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley, Hon. AIA speaking to Young Architects Forum and AIAS members during their AIA Indiana Day at the Statehouse.
To date, there have been no barricade devices that comply with any current building codes. These single-hazard devices require specialized knowledge or skill in the steps needed to use them. They all require fine motor skills to install and to remove, thus requiring many additional operations to block a door and then many steps to return the device-blocked egress door to service for egress. Many of these unlisted, unlabeled, and untested devices are intended to be attached to the code compliant door hardware and depend upon the integrity of the existing door hardware itself in order to function as advertised. Likewise, most are required to operate under the skill of a particular individual and do not have failsafe mechanisms in place in the event of the incapacitation or unavailability of the 'knowledgeable' or 'skilled' person.
AIA Indiana and the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) are working with Sen. Travis Holdman (R - Markle) to make a positive amendment to HB 1003 that would address concerns with the barricade device language. The bill is eligible today to be amended on the Senate floor. AIA Indiana will continue to closely monitor HB 1003.
You Can Make a Difference
- As in every state legislative session, your help is needed. You are urged to contact your legislators and use your clout to positively impact our profession at the statehouse. Also, if you don't already know them, please contact your state senator and state representative to introduce yourself. 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
Find Your Legislator - CLICK HERE
Please 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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Terms Allowed for Graduates of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Programs
On January 22, 2020 the Indiana Professional Licensing Board for Architects and Landscape Architects passed a motion to allow the use of the following terms for graduates of architectural and landscape architecture programs: Architectural Graduate; Landscape Architectural Graduate. These terms may be used in marketing materials, websites, business cards etc. Students currently enrolled in college, but not yet a graduate of a program, may use the terms: Architectural Intern; Landscape Architectural Intern. This is only valid and approved for Indiana. Persons practicing in other states must still use care to not violate those states' rules. Please feel free to contact Amy Hall, Indiana Board of Registration for Architects & Landscape Architects Director, if you have any questions, 317-234-3022, [email protected].
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Architects for Indiana Political Action Committee
Please contribute to the Architects for Indiana Political Action Committee (ARCHPAC). The importance of our participation in the political process becomes more and more 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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