Immigration cooperation, IEDC limits and more nab concurrence votes, head to governor

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana lawmakers are giving law enforcement explicit instructions on how to "cooperate" with federal immigration enforcement efforts under legislation that passed the House 58-19 Wednesday. It is one of dozens of bills that got final concurrence votes in the House and Senate, including curtailing the state's controversial economic development agency, chiding health insurers and more.

All now move to Gov. Mike Braun's desk.

Rep. Garrett Bascom, R-Lawrenceburg, said Indiana law on local collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes a passive approach.

His House Bill 1393 would require jails and detention facilities to tell county sheriffs when they have probable cause to believe that someone they're booking on unrelated misdemeanor or felony charges isn't legally in the country. Sheriffs would have to report that information to ICE.

"This is being done in most of our counties," Bascom said. "This defines the action we want to see."

The Senate softened the language — including by taking the onus off officers on the street and placing it more firmly on sheriffs — but opponents still believe it will lead to racial profiling.

Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, noted that counties already have policies on this, whether it be a fax to ICE or a direct call.

"They're already doing the work," he said. "This is a do-nothing bill."

Senate Republicans blocked another immigration bill that also could have cracked down on employers for using illegal workers.

Economic development scrutiny measure finalized

Legislation taking aim at the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) easily earned a ticket to Braun's desk on a unanimous, 41-0 concurrence vote in the Indiana Senate. Lawmakers there concurred with several changes made in the House.

Senate Bill 516 establishes an office for entrepreneurship and innovation, a Braun agenda item. The new office would assume oversight of certified technology parks, currently an IEDC duty.

IEDC has faced years worth of backlash from lawmakers and constituents alike over its secretive approach to economic development efforts like the Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace (LEAP) Innovation District.

"Over the last few years, obviously there's been a lot of questions, a lot of concerns over IEDC," author Sen. Brian Buchanan told the Capital Chronicle. "We're just trying to find a way to make sure the transparency and accountability is there that people expect, but still also they have the ability to do their job and do it very successfully."

The bill tasks the IEDC and the executives of communities that host innovation development districts — like one within LEAP — with annually compiling reports about the districts' activities over the last calendar year. A detailed list of information must be included.

Buchanan, R-Lebanon, said some residents either "absolutely do not like" LEAP or "tremendously embrace it." But most, he added, "just have questions. They want to know what's going on. How's it going to impact them? What's it going to mean? And that's where I think the additional transparency and accountability will help."

The legislation would also require the quasi-public agency to tell local units of government about acquisitions of more than 100 acres — whether it's bought in one or multiple transactions — at least 30 days before those purchases close.

The State Budget Committee must get a copy of that notice. And IEDC would have to extend any invitations to tour potential sites to the entire committee, not just GOP leadership.

Additionally, Senate Bill 516 would split the IEDC president role off from the cabinet-level commerce secretary role. Under current law, they're held by the same person.

Braun's already been willing to curtail the agency.

Last week, he ordered Indiana Economic Development Foundation and other state-affiliated nonprofits to file disclosures with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the State Budget Committee, retroactive to 10 years and moving forward.

Put up your dukes!

The House easily gave final approval to a bill requiring the Indiana Gaming Commission to regulate bare-knuckle fighting and more. House Bill 1073 also includes mixed martial arts, martial arts, professional wrestling, boxing and sparring.

Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, said unsanctioned events have been occurring around Indiana, and that it's a safety concern.

It passed the House 83-2. The two members who voted against the legislation were Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, and Rep. Heath VanNatter, R-Kokomo.

Health coverage, other measures also cross finish line

Also in the Senate, weakened limits on prior authorization are just steps away from law after an attempt last year died. Senate Bill 480 received a 39-2 concurrence vote.

"I know that we've got a ways to go … but I think that this is a very important start," said Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis.

She thanked author Sen. Tyler Johnson, R-Leo, for his work on the health insurer cost-control technique.

"This is going to be an important step in lowering health care costs for Hoosiers and making sure that we just protect our health care benefits," Hunley added.

And renters might soon find it easier to get certain evictions sealed from their records after beneficial legislation advanced on a 35-1 tally.

Author Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, said that Hoosier tenants can't always get evictions expunged, even when they've paid what they owe or otherwise resolved the dispute. She said Senate Bill 142 allows that renter to "have that black mark, if you will, on their record removed."

Brown acknowledged that it doesn't "fulfill all the needs" that tenant advocates sought, and that she'd continue to work on the topic in the future, "but I think we're in a really good spot right now."

Also exiting the legislative process after favorable concurrence votes were Senate measures setting out "standard operating procedures" for eyewitness identification and modestly extending the statute of limitations for Level 3 felony rape prosecution.

Under Indiana law, the legislative session must end by the end of the month.