By Jasmine Otam
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS — Not every bill can make it to the governor’s desk.
Here’s a look at some of the bills that didn’t make it through the 2016 General Assembly.
Hate Crime
Senate Bill 220, authored by Sen. Susan Glick, R-LaGrange, would have allowed a judge to increase the length of a sentence if a crime is motivated by hate. A court would be allowed to consider a victim’s race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, disability, national origin, ancestry, or sexual orientation.
The bill passed the Senate 34-16, and was then referred to the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee, where members never voted on it.
Indiana is currently one of five states that do not have a hate crime law.
Teacher Salary
SB 10, authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Centerville, and similar legislation, House Bill 1004, authored by Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, would have allowed a teacher to receive a supplemental pay with the goal of retaining teachers. However, teachers’ unions argued it would hurt collective bargaining.
Neither bill was called for a final vote.
Carrier Amendment
An amendment, by Rep. Karlee Macer, D-Indianapolis, to SB 308 would have required companies moving out of the Indiana, like Carrier, to pay back the property tax cuts that were given to them by the local government.
Macer’s amendment passed the House 60-34, but the amendment was removed from the legislation during conference committee.
LGBT Rights
SB 100, authored by Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, would have provided protection to the LGBT community in terms of buying real estate, housing, education, public accommodations, employment, receiving loans and public contracts.
The bill was referred to, but not heard by the Senate Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee.
SB 344, also authored by Holdman, would have offered protections to gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, but not to transgendered people.
Instead, it would have created for a legislative study committee on transgendered issues.
The bill passed the Senate Rules and Legislative Process Committee 7-5, but was never called for amendments before the full Senate.
Guns in the Statehouse
SB 259, authored by Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, would have allowed lawmakers and certain employees of the General Assembly to carry a handgun inside the Statehouse, if the individual is permitted to possess a handgun and possesses a valid Indiana gun license.
The bill passed the full Senate 36-13, but never made it out of the House Public Policy Committee.
Sunday Sales
HB 1399, authored by Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, would have allowed establishments that are authorized to sell alcohol for carryout to sell on Sunday from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day.
HB 1399 failed to pass the House Public Policy Committee 5-8.
Jasmine Otam is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
