Assembly Update

In case you haven’t been able to keep up with all the debate going on in the Indiana General Assembly, here’s a quick look at legislation related to key topics that passed committee last week.

Civil Law

The House Judiciary Committee heard Senate Bill 215. This bill determines the distribution of the proceeds in a civil forfeiture action. Concerns were brought to the committee’s attention, and the committee made amendments to the original draft. The amended bill passed 10-1.

The House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee passed SB 411, which would prohibit public or private employers from requiring employees or applicants to disclose information about their ownership, possession, use or transportation of firearms or ammunition. The bill passed 11-1.

Criminal Law

The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 216, which concerns access to child pornography in criminal discovery. This bill provides that material allegedly constituting child pornography must remain in the custody of the state or the court. The amended bill passed 9-0.

The Senate Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters Committee passed House Bill 1083, which would require the Criminal Code Evaluation Commission to study child solicitation and trafficking. An amendment was adopted to include the study of increased penalties for sex crimes against children by school employees, volunteers and others. The amended bill passed 10-0.

The Senate Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters Committee heard HB 1416, which states that an imprisoned person can earn credit time for successfully completing requirements for a high school diploma. The correspondence course must be approved by the Department of Correction. The bill passed 10-0.

Family and Juvenile Law

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed an amended version of HB 1107, which concerns preventive programs for at-risk children. An amendment was adopted to revise the definition of an at-risk child. In addition, the amendment requires a criminal history check on an early intervention advocate prior to appointment. The bill passed as amended 8-0.