League positions supported the following bills that were introduced in the 2020 short session of the Indiana Legislature.
ALL DIED, most in committee so that legislators did not have to go on record with a vote that could follow them to the polls. Supermajority control of committees short circuited legislation early in a process that was designed for bi-partisan and public input.
Senate Bill 176, Minimum wage
Establishes new minimum wages, effective June 2021
Senate Bill 34, Paid employee leave
Recommends that a legislative council assigns an interim committee to study paid personal leave for employees
Senate Bill 35, Protective Orders and Employment
Provides that an employer may not discriminate against an employee with respect to compensation and benefits from the employer or terms and conditions of employment
Senate Bill 281, Fair pay in employment
Provides that it is an unlawful employment practice to pay wages that discriminate based on sex, race, or national origin for the same or equivalent jobs when the employees in question have equivalent education and employment experience
Senate Bill 283, Medicaid treatment for pregnant women
Provides that Medicaid benefits, including substance abuse treatment, are available to certain pregnant women for the duration of the pregnancy and for the one year postpartum period that begins on the last day of the pregnancy
House Bill 1162, Wage history & salary range inquiries
Dictates rules about the hiring process, including prohibiting employers from considering potential employees’ wage histories & allows the Department of Labor to investigate violations of aforementioned hiring rules
House Bill 1226, Sales tax exemption for feminine hygiene products
Provides that sales of feminine hygiene products are exempt from the state gross retail tax.
House Bill 1427, Paid family and medical leave program
Requires the department of workforce development to establish a paid family and medical leave program to provide payments for employees who take family and medical leave
Senate Bill 305, Contraceptive coverage
Requires state employee health plans, policies of accident and sickness insurance, and health maintenance organization contracts to provide coverage for contraceptive products and services without cost sharing
Senate Bill 342, Pregnancy accommodations (Pregnancy and childbirth discrimination)
dictates that employers would have to offer reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees
NOTE: the bill was changed to establish an interim study committee
House Bill 1141, Birth control prescriptions
Establishes, with specific requirements, that pharmacists can prescribe and distribute hormonal contraceptives & determines that health plans must provide coverage for contraceptives and certain services (with an except for religious nonprofit employers)
House Bill 1130, Leave for miscarriages
Provides for two days of unpaid leave for miscarriages
House Bill 1248, Postpartum Medicaid for pregnant women
Calls for Medicaid coverage for eligible pregnant women through pregnancy and for the following year (beginning on the last day of pregnancy), regardless of a family’s income changes
Senate Bill 175, Prevention of sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking
Establishes requirements for postsecondary educational institutions, including:
A comprehensive policy on sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking
The designation of confidential advisors to support students who are victims of sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking
Develop a taskforce or join an existing taskforce to coordinate in preventing issues such as sexual violence
Senate Bill 116, Human trafficking
Removes requirement that payment for human trafficking goes to a third party & increases the penalty for human trafficking if the victim is a minor
House Bill 1160, Consent
Defines “consent” for sex crime offenses and dictates that pursuing sex without consent is rape
House Bill 1161, Sexual battery
Resolves that an act is considered sexual battery when one person touches another person’s breasts, buttocks, genitals or pubic area for sexual pleasure without consent
House Bill 1088, School Athletics
States that person born a male cannot compete in school sports with or against athletes who were born as females
Senate Bill 87, Redistricting Standards
Establishes redistricting standards for congressional and state legislative districts
Senate Bill 280, Voting Hours
Provides that the polls close at 7 p.m.
Senate Bill 293, Redistricting
Establishes procedures for redistricting Indiana’s congressional and legislative districts
House Bill 1221, Poll hours; vote centers
Dictates that polls would stay open until 8pm instead of 6pm
To change a vote center plan, only a majority of the county election board would have to be present (currently, the law requires a unanimous vote)
House Bill 1089, Protection of Life
Repeals the statutes authorizing and regulating abortion