TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The 2020 Legislative Session in Indianapolis will officially begin in less than two weeks on Jan. 6. Here’s a breakdown of what three local legislators will be prioritizing and bills they’ll be filing during the session.
Sen. Jon Ford – District 38
Sen. Ford’s 2019 session agenda centered around the Gaming Matters Bill that, when passed, helped bring a casino to Terre Haute. Ford says 2020 will be a quieter legislative year for him, but no less important.
Ford is bringing a highway safety bill to the statehouse that proposes cameras in work zones in an attempt to slow drivers down.
“This was brought to me by some local contractors and a local labor union that had a few members get hit over the past few years and, unfortunately, a few die,” said Ford.
Ford says he’ll also continue to push a bill he brought to Indianapolis in 2019, which would
broaden the eligibility requirements and increase payments
for families using the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF).
“It’s one of those programs that we get some federal funding for, that provides everything from daycare to transportation to really help people get the services they need to get back on their feet and get a job,” said Ford.
Ford has said in the past that this bill would not cost Hoosier taxpayers.
Additionally, Ford says he’ll be sharing his support for the
Tobacco to 21 Act
, which would ban the sale of any tobacco product to people under the age of 21.
Healthcare and distracted driving will be two other topics Ford invests time in during the upcoming session. He says a bill from Rep. Holli Sullivan, which intends to increase punishments for cellphone use out on roadways, will have his support in Indianapolis.
Rep. Tonya Pfaff – District 43
Rep. Pfaff’s legislative goals in 2020 will be similar to 2019, when she focused on educational legislation and increasing voter turnout in Hoosier communities.
Pfaff says she’s been working on a bill with a West Vigo High School teacher that could convert a high school completion certificate in to a high school diploma.
“The advantage of that is they can then actually enter the workforce, which we need, or join the military, or go on to other pursuits,” said Pfaff.
Pfaff says she’ll continue to work on legislation regarding elections in Indiana, where voter turnout numbers are on the lower side
compared to other states
.
Some of her solutions to that include “polls open until 8 p.m., same day voter registration”, which will be included in the language of bills she files this session.
Surprise billing and affordable healthcare will be issues Pfaff voices her concerns over during this session as well.
Pfaff says her position on the Education Committee will allow her to continue fighting for teacher pay and other educational issues, even though Gov. Holcomb has said teacher salaries will be discussed formally in 2021 during the budget-making session.
Rep. Alan Morrison – District 42
Rep. Morrison was heavily involved in the Gaming Matters Bill in 2019, along with Sen. Ford, and says he’ll continue to bring gaming into his legislative agenda in 2020.
Morrison is bringing a bill to Indianapolis that would remove any hold harmless language from current gaming legislation. Under that current law, a Terre Haute casino license holder will pay $2.7 million over three years to Evansville, which Morrison says he disagrees with.
“I just don’t think that it’s a good policy for any casino to be sending money to another location and another community; I think every casino needs to stand on its own,” said Morrison.
Morrison will also be looking into elections in Indiana, for the purpose of allowing smaller communities (those with populations of 3100 or less) to opt out of having municipal elections on odd-numbered years and have them in even-numbered years instead.
“The thought process here is just to save them some money on not having to have an extra election when they’re already going to have two on the even-numbered years, and also hopefully drive more people to the polls,” said Morrison.
A third bill Morrison deals with companies that microchip employees. Morrison says this is a popular practice overseas, but that some American companies are beginning to practice employee micro-chipping as well. Morrison says his bill will have language allowing companies to give employees the option to be micro-chipped.
Morrison, echoing Ford and Pfaff, says healthcare will be a big topic at the Statehouse in 2020.
