The Indiana Statehouse is pictured on July 8 in Indianapolis.
Daily Journal File Photo
Three state senators 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, officials said.
Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis, is serving on the Interim Study Committee on Corrections and Criminal Code, along with the Interim Study Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance.
The Corrections and Criminal Code committee is tasked with conducting a multi-year review of current trends with respect to criminal behavior, sentencing, incarceration and treatment. No topics have been assigned to the Financial Institutions and Insurance committee.
Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, is serving as vice chair of the interim study committees on Code Revision, along with Corrections and Criminal Code with Carrasco. He is also a member of the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary.
The Code Revision Committee is tasked with preparing bills to resolve technical conflicts and correct technical errors in statutes.
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.
Sen. Greg Walker, R-Indianapolis, is serving as vice chair of the Interim Study Committee on Child Services and as a member of the Interim Study Committee on Pension Management Oversight. The Child Services Committee is tasked with reviewing reports of state and local child fatality review teams and the Department of Child Services concerning child safety, while the Pension Management Oversight Committee is reviewing annual reports about the status of pension local accounts, contributions, contributions rates, actuarial reports concerning the status of each supplemental allowance reserve accounts and other financial reports and stress tests.
As president of the Indiana Senate, Sen. Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, serves on the legislative council, which issues committee assignments and topics.
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.
