The Indiana Statehouse is pictured Monday in Indianapolis.
Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal
The four House lawmakers representing Johnson County at the Indiana Statehouse recently received appointments to serve on interim study committees.
The committees will meet throughout the summer and fall to explore policy issues and work together to identify solutions. Legislators will hear testimony from the public, various experts and stakeholders as they work on bill recommendations ahead of the budget session in January, according to an Indiana House Republicans news release.
State Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, will serve on the Interim Study Committee on Education and the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary. She will also serve on the Indiana Civic Education Commission.
“Addressing the evolving needs of our students is critical,” Davis said in the news release. “Our work this interim will lay the groundwork for legislation focused on improving school attendance and the classroom environment.”
Topics being studied by the Education Committee include steps that can be taken to improve school attendance and education outcomes for students; the impact of absenteeism on school funding distributions; and steps to enhance school discipline related to creating a safe environment and improving education success.
As for the Courts and Judiciary Committee, members plan to review and make recommendations for all requests for new courts, new judicial officers and changes in jurisdiction; review the most recent weighted caseload measurement system report; and feasible additional steps that can be taken to improve outcomes for children in foster care and private settings.
The Courts and Judiciary Study Committee also plans to address several topics regarding homeowners associations. These include reviewing the practice of levying and enforcing fines by HOAs; reviewing the accounting and fiduciary responsibilities of HOAS; issues related to an HOA ceasing to exist, specifically funds collected and maintenance and utility contracts; average age of HOA bylaws and any recommendations for drafting new bylaws every 10 years; mechanism for residents to make complaints if HOA common areas and common utilities are not maintained; review of public notice requirements for board meetings and review times before votes; requiring HOAs to submit accounting reports to the Department of Local Government Finance and giving DLGF authority to conduct random audits; and the use of electronic voting regarding voting matters within the HOA.
State Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, will join the Interim Study Committee on Environmental Affairs and the Interim Study Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs. Neither one of these committees has assigned topics for study.
State Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, will serve on the Interim Study Committee on Public Policy, which has no assigned topics for study this year. She will also serve on the Indiana Commission for Women and the Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.
State Rep. Robb Greene, R-Shelbyville, will join the Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. This committee has no assigned topics for study this year.
The 2024 legislative interim study committee assignments and other legislative appointments for House members can be found at shorturl.at/JlAt9. The full list of study committee topics can be found at shorturl.at/Ww79c.
Committee hearings, which typically occur at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, can be viewed live online on the Indiana General Assembly’s website located at iga.in.gov.
