Guest Column

Creating a safe and nurturing environment for Hoosier students has always been a priority for the Indiana General Assembly. Indiana is one of the first states in the country to require each school corporation to have a school safety specialist. During this past legislative session, I cosponsored Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 1 regarding this topic.

In the fall of 2012, Attorney General Greg Zoeller sent out surveys to school corporations, law enforcement and citizens asking about school safety and school resource officers. As a result of the survey, SEA 1 was created.

SEA 1 specifies how a school resource officer program may be established and sets forth duties and responsibilities for school resource officers. Before being appointed as a school resource officer, a person must successfully complete the training requirements for law enforcement officers and receive 40 hours of certified school resource officer training.

The school resource officers are typically retired law enforcement who receive extra training to work in schools. I believe that the presence of such officers will prevent certain problems from happening in the first place and overall help ensure the safety of students and teachers.

SEA 1 also establishes the Indiana Secured School Fund, under the administration of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), to provide matching grants to enable school corporations and charter schools to establish programs to employ school resource officers, conduct threat assessments or purchase safety equipment and technology.

School corporations, charter schools or coalitions with an average daily membership (ADM) of at least 1,000 can apply for grants up to $50,000 per year. Eligible applicants with an ADM of less than 1,000 can apply for grants of up to $35,000 per year. To be eligible, applicants must also be located in a county that has a County School Safety Commission. If a Commission does not currently exist, there is still time for one to be organized prior to the application deadline on September 30.

I think local control is important in this situation, and I support allowing school corporations to decide the best ways to secure their schools. The availability of these funds will allow them to do just that.

The Newtown, Connecticut tragedy last year has motivated many school boards and administrators to examine ways to further enhance safety in their buildings and classrooms. I hope that by providing additional funding to Indiana schools, we can improve school safety and provide a safe learning environment for all young Hoosiers.

For more information on the Secured School Safety Grant Program and a timeline of important dates, please visit www.in.gov/dhs/securedschoolsafety.htm.

Gas prices soared past the $4 mark this summer, and according to a recent survey by Consumer Reports, people are driving less and contemplating moving to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. The same study found that 37 percent of car shoppers cite fuel economy as the most important factor when shopping for a new vehicle.

Statistics prove this is the case. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) have more than doubled in the U.S. during the first six months of 2013 compared to the same time period in 2012. Since last year, manufacturers have rolled out four new models of EVs bringing the total available to 13.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states and the District of Columbia have EV incentives for individuals, and 13 states have pending legislation regarding them. The incentives range from allowing EVs to use high-occupancy-vehicle lanes (regardless of the number of passengers) to tax exemptions, registration fee reductions and parking incentives. For example, residents of West Virginia who convert or purchase an alternative fuel vehicle can receive an income tax credit for 35 percent of the purchase price or 50 percent of the vehicle conversion cost.

Despite their initial tax benefits for consumers, the repercussions of EV incentives have affected some state gas tax revenues. In Oregon, legislators are considering placing a tax on electric and hybrid vehicles to make up for the lost revenue these cars cause through greater fuel-efficiency.

Opponents of EVs say that these vehicles are not the smoking gun in limiting America’s dependence on foreign oil nor capable of putting a significant dent in climate change. Economist Mark Perry of the University of Michigan says EVs will not reduce U.S. oil imports because oil imports already have fallen dramatically and U.S. refineries are currently flush with oil.

Some also say EVs fail to live up to their “green” promises and in fact cause more environmental harm than good. Although EVs emit no carbon or pollutants into the air while being driven on the road, the energy used for their manufacture and continual battery charges does. According to the Journal of Industrial Ecology, the manufacturing process for electric automobiles produces 30,000 pounds of carbon emissions versus only 14,000 pounds of such emissions for conventional automobile. This is due mostly to the production of lithium batteries, which are both resource and energy intensive.

There is also the practicality factor. The popular Nissan Leaf has only a 75 mile range per charge which is merely enough to get me to the Statehouse and back. In addition to being wary of the cars’ limited range, many consumers are also concerned about the higher price and logistics of battery-charging.

In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama predicted there will be one million EVs on the road by 2015, but at the present pace of EV sales, only 310,000 will be on U.S. roads by 2015. He champions electric automobiles as the transportation technology of the future. According to the Congressional Budget Office, by 2019 the federal government will have spent $7.5 billion to subsidize EVs. I am not convinced that this amount of taxpayer dollars spent on electric vehicles is the most economically and environmentally sound option.

I, personally, do not own an EV, but I am curious to learn more about their pros and cons and what their use would mean for Indiana and specifically for people here in Johnson County. I think it is important to consider all angles of this issue, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please feel free to contact me anytime by phone at 317-232-9863 or via email at h58@iga.in.gov.

It is hard to believe that another legislative session has come and gone. I am proud of the accomplishments of the 118^th General Assembly and would like to share with you four particular bills of interest: House Enrolled Acts (HEA) 1080, 1082, 1084 and 1423.

HEA 1080 passed out of both chambers unanimously and has already been signed into law by the governor. In light of the current recession, we thought it necessary to provide a bit of relief to retirees who had spent their lives giving back to the state. Currently, certain public Indiana pensioners receive 12 monthly checks as well as a monthly benefit based upon their salaries and years of service. This law provides a one-time 13^th check based on years of service to members who retired or were disabled before Dec. 2, 2012, and are entitled to a monthly benefit as of July 1, 2013. Eligible recipients include members of the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund, Teachers’ Retirement Fund, State Excise Police and others.

HEA 1082 has also been signed by the governor. This bill came straight from the general public after I received multiple phone calls from people who had been given a hefty ticket for failing to sign their vehicle registration; an infraction which they were unaware even existed. This law removes the requirement that the person whose name appears on the vehicle registration must sign it. As the result, individuals who fail to do this will no longer be subject to a Class C infraction. This bill will take effect on July 1; however, I sent a request to Johnson Co. judges asking that they dismiss charges related to vehicle registration prior to that date.

HEA 1084 has passed both the House and Senate and is awaiting action by the governor. In my opinion, one of the most important provisions in this new law is the $50 mortgage foreclosure counseling and education fee. The party filing to foreclose a mortgage must pay $50 which will be deposited into the Home Ownership Education Account. The funds from the account will be used to educate homeowners in an effort to decrease the chances of the borrower being foreclosed on.

Lastly, I served as a coauthor on HEA 1423, which focuses on bullying in schools. While bullying is certainly nothing new, with the advent of social media, the way in which students bully is changing. With Facebook and Twitter becoming increasingly popular amongst our young people, many students feel as if they are unable to escape. After hearing numerous cases of students taking their own lives as a result of bullying, I felt compelled to act. This legislation requires the Department of Education to develop guidelines to assist school corporations in establishing bullying prevention programs, reporting procedures and disciplinary rules. HEA 1423 had bipartisan support in the Legislature and awaits the signature of the governor.

As I reflect on this session, I am pleased with all that we were able to accomplish. By working together, we were able to end session ahead of schedule. However, one thing that we did not compromise on was our commitment to high quality education and the protection of Hoosier taxpayers. We took the necessary steps to ensure that we are educating our citizens to thrive in the current economy as well as protect our state against future economic downturns.

The end of session does not mean that my work is done; it simply means that I will be shifting my focus back to the district full-time. I look forward to spending more time back home and the opportunity to gather your feedback. I will be hosting two town hall meetings in the next few weeks: Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m.-noon at the Whiteland Town Hall Building and Wednesday, May 8 from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Greenwood City Hall Building.

What are your thoughts on this session? I value your feedback and appreciate your involvement in the legislative process. Please feel free to contact me anytime by phone at 317-232-9620 or via email at h58@in.gov.

Recently, Sen. Greg Walker (R-Columbus) and I met with Johnson County teachers at Whiteland Community High School. Teachers from all over the district attended, and I was very pleased with the turnout. It’s no surprise that teachers are very well represented at the Statehouse through various organizations like the Indiana State Teacher’s Association or the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, but it is also important for legislators to have a relationship with the educators in their district.

For this reason, I always welcome meeting and having discussions with local teachers, administrators and parents. It’s critical to have an open dialogue with educators to make sure sound policy is being enacted and that we are on the right path to strengthen Indiana’s education system.

I came into this meeting knowing full well that we would not agree on all of the issues, but when education bills come before the House, the input of local teachers is crucial in my decision making. Education makes up the majority of the state budget with 58 percent being allocated to K-12 and higher education. According to the 2010 State Expenditure Report from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), Indiana ranked No. 1 among all states in the percentage of General Fund expenditures dedicated to K-12 education in fiscal year 2010.

The first concern raised was regarding the expansion of the Choice Scholarship Program under House Bill 1003 and how we came up with the money to fund such an expansion. HB 1003 expands Choice Scholarship eligibility to include children with disabilities requiring special education, foster care families, active duty military and veterans, and siblings within 200% of free and reduced lunch. It also allows children enrolling in kindergarten to be eligible for a scholarship if they meet the income guidelines.

The cost of providing a scholarship for a student in a school choice program is almost always less than what would have been spent on that student if he or she had remained in a traditional public school. The average public school in Indiana spends about $10,000 per student while the average private school charges about $6,000 in tuition. School choice policies actually save the state money. As it stands, only wealthier parents have the option to choose which school best fits the needs of their children. Expanding these scholarships will provide much needed opportunities to lower income families.

Another concern that I hear about is the state’s perception of teachers, in that the Legislature doesn’t believe teachers are doing an adequate job; or that many of them are simply bad teachers. I myself have never said that nor have I ever heard any of my colleagues express that feeling. It takes a very special person to become a teacher, someone who selflessly devotes their time and energy to educating the future leaders of Indiana. This can never be said enough.

I want to stress that the Choice Scholarship Program is not about bad teachers and good teachers. It is simply about a changing social environment and the growing awareness that some students excel more in different environments. In the House Education Committee, we heard testimony from a student who had contemplated suicide as a result of social media bullying. This particular student transferred to a private school and feels much more comfortable in her new environment. She is performing at a much higher academic level as well.

There were many more concerns raised, but for the purpose of brevity, the last one I would like to address is HB 1357. This bill allows school boards to hire a superintendent that does not hold a teacher’s or superintendent’s license. It also repeals the requirement that a county superintendent of schools must have five years of successful teaching experience and hold a superintendent’s license. Many expressed frustration that they are not treated as professionals and see this move as another step to turn schools into businesses.

I understand these concerns; however, I stand by my vote in favor of this bill. The bill simply gives school boards the option to choose such candidates. It does not make anything mandatory, but instead provides flexibility which will enhance local control to communities and corporations. Different school corporations have different needs, and I believe this gives them more power to determine those needs without the interference of the state government.

My purpose in this column is to give the public the opportunity to see the viewpoint of teachers, those who work on the front lines to educate Hoosier children. I want to thank everyone who attended for taking time out of their busy lives to sit down with us for a couple of hours. They shared a lot of important information, and I hope that this line of communication between us and the teachers continues to remain open. I look forward to continuing these discussions throughout session.

You could hardly turn on the news this week without hearing about Connersville police officer Jeff Counceller and his wife Jennifer who rescued an injured fawn and nursed it back to health.

I received many emails from concerned constituents who believe that the couple was doing the right thing and should not be punished by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). I, like them, am pleased to see the charges dropped.

I applaud the DNR for the work they do to protect and preserve Indiana’s natural resources for the benefit of Hoosiers. This story has garnered national media attention, and at least the nation are seeing Hoosiers as kind, caring folk like the Councellers – however they are viewing our state as a state taking on compassion as a crime.

Our state has bigger issues to tackle. We have an unemployment rate steadily hovering around eight percent. We need to focus on the things we set out to tackle; jobs, education and the state budget. I am pleased to see common sense prevail on this issue, and we are able to move on and discuss other things with the media.

The Speaker of the House raised the issue with Governor Pence as soon as he learned about the Councellers’ situation, since the Governor is in charge of the DNR.

A Facebook page titled “Drop Charges Against Connersville Police Officer” was created to support the Councellers. It gained more than 35,000 likes in five days. There was also a petition from change.org with over 35,000 signatures requesting that the DNR drop the charges.

I have always valued input from my constituents and in this case, the people have spoken. I admire the Hoosier hospitality that this couple exemplified and I am pleased by the outcome of this story.