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Advocating for Student Success

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Presentation on theme: "Advocating for Student Success"— Presentation transcript:

1 Advocating for Student Success
Sarah Ancel Associate Commissioner for Policy and Legislation Indiana Commission for Higher Education

2 Today’s Topics Legislative Basics Process Start to Finish
Tips for Successful Advocacy

3 Who legislates? Indiana General Assembly (“legislature”)
House of Representatives 100 members Two-year terms Leader called “House Speaker,” comes from party with majority Senate 50 members Four-year terms Leader is the Lieutenant Governor Functional leader is “President Pro Tempore,” comes from party with majority House of Representatives and Senate can be generically referred to as “houses” or “chambers”

4 What is a bill? A “bill” is a written proposal of changes to a particular law. For example, Change the tax code to reduce income tax rate from 3.4% to 2.4% Change the criminal code to make it a Class B felony to engage in human trafficking Change the insurance regulatory law to require Indiana health insurers to provide coverage for mental health. The idea behind the bill can come from: Constituents Governor Executive Agencies Interest Groups Legislators Themselves There outta be a law!

5 How is the bill created? Legislator agrees to author the bill
Language is drafted by Legislative Services Agency The bill is introduced formally by author Other legislators may co-author Reading a Bill: New language is bold Language to be deleted is strikethrough Example:

6 The Legislative Process

7 1st Reading / Committees
Speaker / Pro-Tem assigns the bill to committee Committee chair determines which bills to hear Committee holds public meeting Author describes the bill Public offers testimony Committee may offer amendments Vote taken Amendments individually Bill after all amendments are done Result is a “committee report” Death Traps Committee chair never schedules bill for hearing Committee members vote against the bill

8 Reassignment of Bills If a bill passes committee, Speaker / Pro-Tem may reassign it to another committee Large fiscal impacts Amendments that change the nature of the bill Other policy concerns Death Traps New committee chair does not hear bill Bill is sent to Rules Committee

9 2nd Reading Occurs in full House / Senate
Speaker / Pro-Tem calls bill for 2nd reading Members may offer amendments Filed Permitted to be introduced Amendments debated, voted on individually “Ordered to engrossment” Death Traps Bill not called for 2nd reading Bill amended such that it cannot pass / is unsuitable to author

10 3rd Reading Speaker / Pro-Tem calls bill for 3rd reading
Bill incorporates all amendments made on 2nd reading Members debate the bill Bill goes to up-or-down vote Sponsor(s) in 2nd chamber are announced Death Traps Bill not called for 3rd reading (unlikely) Bill voted down

11 The Legislative Process: Repeat in Second Chamber

12 After Passing Both Chambers
Bill passed both chambers in identical form Bill passed each chamber in different form Author agrees to the second chamber’s changes (“concur”) Author disagrees with the second chamber’s changes (“dissent”) Governor Governor Conference Committee

13 Conference Committee Speaker and Pro-Tem each appoint two members to serve on conference committee (“conferees”) Other members may be included as non-voting “advisors” Public hearing for testimony Private meetings of conferees Result of compromise is “conference committee report” (signed by all four conferees) Near the deadline, conference committee reports must go through Rules Committee Conference committee report goes to both chambers for up-or-down vote. If successful, Governor Death Traps Author withdraws bill Either chamber votes down the conference committee report

14 Governor’s Action Sign the Bill Take No Action Veto the Bill
Public ceremony Routine, private signing Take No Action Becomes law on 8th day Veto the Bill Constitutional majority must override the veto in each chamber Death Traps Governor vetoes and it is not overridden

15 “Undead Bills” Language from dead bills can be amended into live bills
Can occur at any point including conference committee Subject matter must be relevant to the live bill (“germane”) Language must have passed one of the two houses Can go into “Vehicle Bills”

16 Schedule Different for odd-numbered and even-numbered years
For Budget Year (like this year) 2nd week in January – General Assembly convenes Mid-February – Bills must be to second chamber Mid-April – Bills must have passed second chamber April 29 – General Assembly adjourns by midnight Non-Budget Year Shorter, adjourns mid-March

17 Successful Advocacy Build relationships Clearly articulate your case
What is the problem? Why is it a public policy concern? What is the change requested? What are the expected results of that change? Stay vigilant Follow up Thanks / Recognition Implementation

18 Questions?


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