INDIANAPOLIS - The main purpose of the Indiana General Assembly session kicking off on Tuesday is to write a new, biennium state budget. With that debate, lawmakers are expected to take up funding for Indiana’s K-12 schools. And don’t forget other big issues, such as land-based casinos and talks of permitting retail alcohol sales on Sundays.
Following November’s election, Republicans grew their supermajority holds in the Indiana House and Senate. The House now has 71 Republicans, and 29 Democrats. In the Senate, 40 Republicans serve along with 10 Democrats.
Yet, the Republican-dominated chambers have shown, especially with the state income tax reduction passed in 2013, that they aren’t a rubber stamp of Pence’s proposals. And even with supermajorities, controversial issues can cause divisions in the caucuses, such as last year’s resolution for a state constitutional same-sex marriage ban.
Here are the top five issues to look out for:
1) The budget: Writing a new, biennium state budget will keep lawmakers busy until April. A new forecast of state revenues projects modest gains in each of the fiscal years covered under the new state budget. State tax collections should grow to $15 billion in 2016 and $15.5 billion in 2017. But fiscal leaders already have their work cut out for them. From the forecast, the state expects to have about $842 million in new dollars, but a key fiscal leader, state Sen. Luke Kenley, said lawmakers already have received requests for new spending twice that amount. One thing lawmakers will need to account for is the growth in the 21st Century Scholars program where Hoosiers students have been promised state support to afford college. Kenley, a Noblesville Republican, estimated those costs at $93 million to meet the obligation.
2) Education funding: Gov. Mike Pence and legislative leaders agree funding for the state’s K-12 schools is a top priority this legislative session. Expect lawmakers to discuss raising the base amount school districts receive per student in state funding. For this fiscal year, the base amount is $4,587 per student. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz has requested lawmakers to increase tuition support by 3 percent over the biennium. But so far, Republican leaders have not released the funding increase they’ll seek. Pence has said he’d support lifting the cap on the voucher amount families can receive. While there’s no enrollment cap on the number of eligible students who can receive vouchers, currently the amount of assistance is capped at $4,800 for grades 1-8.
3) Land-based casinos: Fresh off a study committee where lawmakers endorsed a recommendation for Indiana casinos to be able to move onto land within their existing footprint, the issue of land-based casinos seems to have new life heading into the 2015 legislative session. Tropicana Evansville has lobbied for the ability to move onto land. Operators have said the change is necessary for Indiana casinos to remain competitive with neighboring states and turn the tide on fledging state revenue from the riverboats. A big hurdle will be convincing Pence and Republican legislative leaders that allowing a casino to move onto land doesn’t amount to an expansion of gaming.
4) Prescriptions for pseudoephedrine: While several proposals to require prescriptions of pseudoephedrine died in 2014, state Rep. Wendy McNamara, a Mount Vernon Republican, plans to renew efforts during this legislative session. McNamara’s proposal would allow the purchase of the equivalent of a two-month supply of pseudoephedrine before a prescription is required. A Northern Indiana state senator’s proposal goes a step further in requiring a prescription for any pseudoephedrine purchase. McNamara said she’s trying to reach a compromise between the group that wants a full prescription, and folks who say the requirement will inconvenience law-abiding citizens.
5) Sunday retail alcohol sales: Talks of allowing Sunday retail sales of alcohol in Indiana could be back on the table. Indiana Chamber of Commerce President Kevin Brinegar has said his organization supports lifting the state’s ban, though it’s not among the chamber’s top priorities for the legislative session. State law has long prohibited retail carry-out sales of beer, wine and liquor on Sundays in a ban that dates back to Prohibition. A new state coalition has launched called “Hoosiers for Sunday Sales,” to support lifting the Sunday ban.