The Indiana Lifeline Law, which provides conditional immunity for students who seek emergency care on behalf of someone incapacitated by alcohol. Begun as a joint effort between the Indiana University and Purdue University student governments, HYA was brought on board to help craft the potential language, craft a strategiac communications strategy, coordinate coalition testimony and develop a cohesive legislative strategy. The University of Southern Indiana signed onto the initiative in fall 2011, bringing three of Indiana’s biggest state universities together in support of the initiative.
HYA looks forward to continuing to work closely with university and student groups as the Indiana Lifeline Law proceeds to the full Senate for a second reading.

For more information, please visit the bill’s website, www.indianalifeline.org, and continue to follow @hyadvocacy on Twitter as we follow developments live at the Indiana General Assembly.

Last Sunday, Hoosier Youth Advocacy presented its Legislative Strategy outline for the upcoming 2012 session of the Indiana General Assembly to leadership from three of Indiana’s largest student governments. Student government presidents and their teams from Purdue, University of Southern Indiana, and Indiana University met to exchange ideas and discuss advocacy techniques with members of HYA’s legislative team on IUPUI’s campus in Indianapolis. Matt Saddler (Director of Campus Relations), Bennett Fuson (Director of Communications) and Jake Bonifield (President), offered preliminary thoughts on the political climate going into 2012. Purdue and USI have joined forces with the Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) to advance a Lifeline bill aimed at protecting the lives of Indiana college students by encouraging bystanders to seek help during alcohol-related emergencies in exchange for lessened criminal penalties. The initiative is modeled after legislation adopted by legislatures in states such as Texas and Pennsylvania, and would reflect in state law a policy already embraced on campuses across Indiana. HYA looks forward to continuing its work with IUSA in navigating the legislative process and is anxious to begin working with Purdue and USI as we move closer to seeing this ambitious vision reflected in law.

Ranking Member of Ways and Means, Representative Crawford offered a rebuttal and declared his intention to vote against the final product. After noting the alarming depletion of the State’s Rainy Day fund, Representative Crawford highlighted a $178 million increase from FY ‘09’s biennium budget to the HB 1001 for the Department of Corrections and questioned the appropriateness of such an increase while education cuts are made across the board.

HB 1001 passed along a largely party line vote, 60-37.

The House chamber smelling of Bucca di Beppo, the entrée du jour for the embattled Representatives, and with the bloody brawl of school vouchers squarely in their rearview, members of the Indiana House of Representatives are turning their attention to HB 1042, a bill concerning “Dissemination of Sexual Material”.  Sponsored by Representatives Lawson (D-Hammond) and Foley (R-Martinsville), this bill “Provides defenses to the crimes of disseminating matter that is harmful to minors, child exploitation, and possession of child pornography if a cellular telephone was used and the defendant and recipient of the matter are certain ages and meet other requirements”, according to its digest.  More to come as debate commences.

Jake Bonifield

President, Hoosier Youth Advocacy

This past Tuesday, March 1^st, HYA attended the first Senate hearing over House Bill 1129 – Use of telecommunications device while driving. The legislation seeks to make texting while driving a class C infraction, but it would also prohibit a police officer from confiscating the device, addressing a popular concern about similar bills. Proponents testified on the dangers of texting while driving. They cited research that has shown that texting while driving is far more dangerous than drunk driving. On the other hand, this bill presents unique challenges and raises a number of questions. What level of power do patrolmen have during traffic stops? What is the burden of proof? Can the courts subpoena cellular records?

By the end of the committee hearing, the bill was passed by a vote of 7/2 under the condition that a revision be made to include a ban on the use of ALL cellular devices while driving. We will continue to follow this legislation and others as they develop.

On Wednesday, January 19, The Lacy Leadership Association Civic Leadership Cadre hosted a forum on the topic of township government reform. In attendance were a number of speakers including Governor Mitch Daniels, William Blomquist of IUPUI, Ted Boehm of the Indiana Supreme Court, and a panel consisting of Martha Lamkin, former State Senator Louis Mahern, and Steve Campbell. HYA representatives attended in hopes of gaining insight into the debate over the future of township level of governance in Indiana.

Tim Swarens of The Indianapolis Star, who has been actively advocating for the elimination of townships for nine years, gave a presentation detailing the case for reform. Township governments are considered by many to be the cause of excessive taxation of homeowners while failing to provide adequate relief to the poor, and more generally operating inefficiently. Swarens pointed out that townships were originally seen as a form of government closer to the populous and thus better suited for the responsibility of administering relief to the poor. However, reform proponents like Swarens argue that townships are in fact not serving the people at all. Worse, they are wasting taxpayer dollars. Recent audits by the State Board of Accounts have found that township governments across Indiana maintain surpluses that add up to more than $230 million, at a time when the state government is facing budget shortfalls and declining revenues. According to Mark Miles, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, “Every layer of government is being forced to do more with less, yet townships manage to do less with more.”

The panel’s arguments seemed difficult to dispute. The feeling among the audience was one of frustration, and the question lingered, “Why are townships still around?” The answer is multifaceted. For one, like so many other policy debates, political divisiveness has crept into the argument. This frustrates proponents of reform, who argue that the removal of townships is a nonpartisan issue. It is also a highly emotional issue, as Steve Campbell noted, with the removal of townships also meaning the elimination of the positions of many township officials. The greatest problem for the proponents of reform, though, seems to be that the issue simply is not within the realm of public awareness.

HYA will continue to follow the township government reform debate as we assess its potential impact on future generations of Hoosier taxpayers.

HYA was busy at the Statehouse on Tuesday. To start, HYA representatives attended a Local Government Reform Committee Hearing. In addition to Senate Bill 388, which concerns  financial instruments called “swap investments” (the bill was ultimately tabled due to lack of background information), the topic of local government mergers was discussed.  Senate Bill 26 mandates local government entities be reformed and merged with other similar entities. The idea is that there are superfluous layers of local government (i.e. townships) that do not serve a unique purpose and so waste money.  The end goal of this measure is to increase the level of efficiency in local government.

Next, HYA attended the House Ways and Means budget hearing. At this meeting, Governor Mitch Daniels’ budget proposal was presented.  The discussion focused largely on education, with the Governor’s budget calling for an additional 3% cut to higher education on top of an already-passed 6% cut.  Purdue President Dr. France Cordova has  stated that, if enacted, these cuts would require increases in student tuition.  Moving to K-12 education, the Governor’s representatives stated that one of the Governor’s two spending priorities is primary and secondary education.  In an effort to maintain fiscal integrity, the K-12 budgets have been “flat-leveled.”  This means that while they are not receiving any spending increases, school corporations are one of the few entities that are not seeing budget reductions.  Members on both sides of the aisle applauded the refusal to cut K-12 funding, but some Democrats argued that not increasing funding would ultimately result in program cuts at the school level.  The meeting ended on a bi-partisan positive note when both sides expressed approval of the Governor’s maintained commitment to funding teacher pensions.  If enacted, this clause of the budget would make Indiana one of the few remaining states that has not reduced or cut teacher pensions.

Finally, members of HYA also attended a hearing on Drivers Ed Reform. Senate Bill 101 would allow an individual to receive a learner’s permit at the age of 15. This proposal was nearly unanimously passed. Senate Bill 127 was also discussed. The primary goal of this bill is to direct a merger of all training and licensing directly to the BMV. This was unanimously passed by the committee.

HYA is beginning to make a name for itself in the Indiana General Assembly, and it continues to expand every day.  We have a meeting scheduled with Representative Randy Truitt (R – West Lafayette) next week, and we continue to work with Representative Sheila Klinker (D – Lafayette) on education policy, among other issues.  We look forward to following the progress of the bills addressed in committee today while we continue to strive towards greater representation of Hoosier youth at the General Assembly.

This week, Mitch Daniels delivered his 2011 State of the State address.  HYA was thrilled to see Governor Daniels devote so much of his time to education.  We agree that education is one of the most pressing concerns Indiana faces going into the 2011 session.  We look forward to taking part in the discussion about the future of our education system by continuing to give voice to the very youth who will be most affected by these reforms.  Yesterday we met with Representative Sheila Klinker (D – Lafayette) to discuss the direction of education policy in the state.  We look forward to meeting with other Senators and Representatives on the issue of primary and secondary education in the near future.

Similarly, we have begun to work in earnest on higher education policy.  All this week, the Statehouse has been holding hearings on the subject of higher education budgets.  HYA will continue to work with policy makers to ensure that any painful-but-necessary budget cuts do not come at a cost to Hoosier students. We hope to have representatives at future committee meetings and hearings on these issues.

In an effort to measure the potential impact of reducing the budget for higher education, some of our members at Purdue University have begun a study of how budgets affect professor quality and the academic experience of students.  Key components of this study include a scientific poll of professors, in-depth meetings with key department heads, and analyses of scholarship fund distribution. Findings will be shared with members of the General Assembly as well as the HYA membership at large.

Amidst all of our efforts in research and direct advocacy, HYA remains driven by a single desire: to ensure that Hoosier youth have a voice in the creation of policies that affect them most.

As the 2011 legislative session nears at the Indiana Statehouse, HYA continues to expand. As of November 16, 2010 we are pleased to announce that Indiana University and DePauw University both officially recognize Hoosier Youth Advocacy as a student organization. Interested IU students can become directly involved by contacting IU HYA Chapter President Matt Saddler at matt@hoosieryouthadvoacy.org. Likewise, interested DePauw students may contact Hunter Goble at hunter@hoosieryouthadvocacy.org. Indiana citizens age 15 to 25 who would like to become involved but do not yet have an HYA chapter near them can sign up for our mailing list by clicking the link at the top of our website.

Along with the developments in Bloomington and Greencastle, HYA is continuing to garner support within the political structures of Indiana. Meetings with city-county councilmen, state representatives and state senators have yielded great enthusiasm for the mission and potential of the organization. We will soon begin research and analysis of specific legislative issues so stay tuned and spread the word about what Hoosier Youth Advocacy is doing.

Anti-smoking advocates — winless in three tries at a statewide ban — are back at the Indiana Statehouse for a fourth try.

And this time, they say, things are different.

In the past year, four more states have passed anti-smoking laws, including Indiana’s Midwestern neighbors Wisconsin and Michigan.

With Ohio and Illinois previously having passed statewide bans, that makes Indiana a “smoky island,” in the words of Danielle Patterson, director of government relations for the American Heart Association.

Patterson, who also is chairwoman of the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air, on Wednesday stood with Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, who vowed to pursue a fourth go-round.

“This is a major health issue,” Brown said, “and I have to keep pushing.”

Previously, the Democrat-controlled House has passed smoking bans. But those bills have died in Republican hands in the Senate amid concerns over smokers’ rights and the financial impact a ban could have on some businesses.

But on Wednesday, Rep. Eric Turner, R-Marion, stood with Brown and pronounced Indiana “behind the curve.” He said he’d work to “educate my colleagues” on the importance of a smoking ban.

Another more influential Republican, Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, earlier backed a summer study committee of lawmakers to research the matter further.

“I’d say that’s positive,” said Kevin O’Flaherty, director of advocacy for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “The last time there was a summer study commission was in ’06.”

Advocates are mostly concerned with customers’ and workers’ exposure to secondhand smoke, and they say the evidence of its harm continues to mount.

Patterson noted a report earlier this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It found that more than half of all children are exposed to secondhand smoke, and that 98 percent of those who live with a smoker have measurable levels of toxic chemicals in their bloodstream that could cause cancer, heart disease or other maladies.

In Indiana, 23 percent to 26 percent of adults smoke.

Nearly three dozen Indiana cities and counties have passed smoking bans in recent years, though their bite varies. Some, such as Long’s hometown of Fort Wayne, ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars. Others, such as Indianapolis, exempt bars, bowling alleys and private clubs. (Earlier this summer, City-County Council members resisted efforts to tighten the ban.)

Nationwide, 22 states prohibit smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars.

Brown said his yet-unwritten bill would include “all facilities the public visits” — even those lean-tos at bus stops.

He said private clubs such as VFW halls and specially designated “cigar bars” would be “up for debate.”

The gambling casinos plan to fight Brown’s bill, just as they have his previous efforts.

Mike Smith, president of the Casino Association of Indiana, said gamblers would thin out markedly if casinos prohibited them from lighting up. The casino industry estimates the state would lose $100 million to $210 million a year in state gaming taxes.

The other issue, Smith said, is personal responsibility: “We live in a country where people have the ability to make choices. This is no different. We cater to people 21 and over.

“There comes a time you have to ask, ‘Are you going to let businesses run their own businesses?’ ”

Brad Klopfenstein, a spokesman for a consortium of local bars called Save Indiana Bars, said bars would be hurt financially by smoking bans, and he plans to fight any such efforts.

“You talk to legislators, you explain the issue, and you like to think they have common sense and will let their constituents make decisions that are right for them,” Klopfenstein said. “Tobacco is a legal product. People visit these places willingly.”

The Health Finance Commission, the summer study group, will make its recommendations to the General Assembly in late October. After that, either Brown or Turner will author a bill — Brown if the Democrats retain control of the House and Turner if the Republicans take control.