As Indiana’s 2023 legislative session gets underway, lawmakers representing Greater Lafayette have submitted a number of bills for consideration. Some of their proposals match Gov. Holcomb’s own legislative priorities – but others do not.
In the Senate, proposed legislation would expand mental health services, create a climate solutions task force, and regulate firearms.
Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) said he believes the state should raise the age at which a person can obtain semiautomatic weapons from 18 to 21.
“I’m sad to continue turning on the news and see innocent kids, innocent civilians getting killed,” he said.
Alting has also submitted legislation that would grant first responders leave after witnessing a “critical incident” while on the job, and a bill to create a climate solutions task force.
In 2022, Alting was the lead author on a similar climate bill. This year, he will be a co-author with Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington).
Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette) said he’s still getting used to the legislature as an incoming lawmaker, but has introduced a bill that would send taxpayers a list of where their tax dollars are spent.
“If I paid $1,000 in income taxes, I get a receipt that says $500 to this, $100 to that,” he said.
Deery’s legislation could get a hearing in the Senate as early as this week.
An additional bill introduced by Deery would require universities to provide transcripts for student debtors making good-faith efforts to pay back debts to the school. Under current law, universities can withhold transcripts as a mechanism to encourage repayment.
In the House, Lafayette area lawmakers have proposed legislation that would expand college tax credits and tighten health department reporting for rental housing.
Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette) introduced a bill that would expand tax credits for college savings accounts.
“It’s so expensive to go to school now – it helps,” she said.
Klinker has also introduced legislation that appears aimed at expanding reporting requirements for state police around rape kits, in an effort to address kit processing backlogs.
Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) has also introduced legislation to raise the age at which a person can obtain semiautomatic weapons from 18 to 21.
“In states where you do raise the age, you see less of these mass shooting incidents occur,” she said.
Campbell said she is unsure if the gun legislation will get any traction.
Other bills introduced by Campbell would create a paid family leave program and give local health departments more power to handle reports of negligent landlords.