“Our agenda this year is addressing important issues where they may not be as flashy as items have been in previous years,” he said. “That said, the most important thing we do this year is going to be helping schools address our literacy rates.”
Senate Bill 1: Improve Hoosier students’ reading skills
Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, spoke on Senate Bill 1, authored by Sen. Linda Rodgers, R-Granger, which would require every Indiana school to use the Science of Reading method to teach. The bill would also require schools to check on students’ reading skills starting in kindergarten and through second grade to ensure they are on track to be proficient readers by third grade.
Additionally, all Indiana schools would be required to give the IREAD test at the end of second grade. Students who do not pass the test would be given the option to take summer school, and they would be offered remediation support before taking the IREAD at the end of third grade. The last option if a student’s reading is insufficient would be to hold the student back.
“Some may say retention is not good for the child. But what isn’t good is to move students on without foundational reading skills,” Raatz said. “To send the students on through school without the ability to read sets them up to struggle throughout the rest of their education and potentially the rest of their lives.”
Senate Bill 2: Child-care access and affordability
Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, introduced Senate Bill 2, which he authored. It focuses on helping child-care programs in Indiana, primarily by increasing the number of child-care providers.
“We address the shortfall of workers, and we address barriers to underserved areas and expand the criteria for who can be a child-care worker,” Charbonneau said.
Senate Bill 3: Protect Hoosier patients through prior authorization reform
Sen. Tyler Johnson M.D., R-Leo, spoke on his Senate Bill 3, which would reform the prior authorization system in hopes of making it easier for Hoosier patients to receive care.
Johnson said that prior authorization has become a huge hurdle for Indiana citizens as it makes it difficult to get the care they need.
“The people who are affected most are Hoosier patients because prior authorization slows down or even stops their ability to get care,” Johnson said.
Johnson said some health-care companies have been using algorithms to decide whether or not a patient would be authorized, which essentially has led to thousands of people having their health claims denied.
“Do you want your health decisions made by some algorithm or your doctor?” Johnson asked.
Senate Bill 4: Identifying unused state funds
Senate Majority Leader Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, presented Senate Bill 4, which would set up an ongoing process to review and return unused state government funds to the General Fund. This would allow state agencies to lower or eliminate fines and fees more quickly.
Garten believes this bill shows that the legislature is a good steward of Indiana citizens’ resources.
“If we have any money sitting in some ignored fund going unused, we are not being the best possible stewards of Hoosiers’ tax dollars,” Garten said.
Senate Bill 5: Upgrade lead pipes to protect Hoosiers’ health
Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, spoke on Senate Bill 5, which would enable utility companies to replace lead pipes more quickly and cost efficiently.
As these lines age and wear down, they release more and more toxic lead into drinking water, which can cause health problems such as heart disease.
“The end goal is to finally get these lead lines out of the ground polluters, and do it in the fastest and most cost-efficient way possible,” Koch said.
