The Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana.

Advocates for a world class infrastructure, a competitive business climate, 21st century talent and rural investment.

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it's halftime at the state House as the Indiana General Assembly's work is now five weeks old.

Crucial legislative deadlines this week marked the midpoint of the 2010 four session as lawmakers work to get their bills to the other chamber.

Top Senate priority bills heading to the House include improving Hoosier students reading skills, increasing child care access to affordability and expediting lead pipe replacement and among the House measures that are moving our priority bills to expand work based learning for high school students provide the 13th check to the state's nearly 100000 retired public employees and define anti-Semitism and condemn it as religious discrimination.

Also moving from House to Senate is a bill that would prohibit counties from regulating lemonade stands run by a minor on private property .

Will the passage of House Bill ten 19 help turn those lemons into lemonade?

>> We'll ask our guests about that among other topics on this week's prime time.

Good evening, Amber ST's and with us today is 16th District Republican state senator and Assistant Majority Caucus Chair Justin Bush and 3rd District Republican State Representative Chris Tuti.

>> And as always, we invite you to join the conversation and just call in with your questions and comments by using the number on the screen as we widen out to prove to you we have guests.

>> They are with Senator Bush way Representative Judy Justin and Chris and we'd like to know you as well if you have a comment or question for either of them, please call as as we move on.

>> And thank you both for being here.

Thanks for having us.

Good to be back, Bruce .

Thank you.

It seemed like five weeks flew by quickly.

It probably was one of those you wake up one day and it's Monday and they wake up the next day and it's February.

What are your impressions of this first half and maybe those are them?

>> I think this is like you said flew by.

We of course we had a long session last time with the with the budget we put together.

So this is have felt fast and furious on the Senate side and I'm sure that my friend and colleague feels the same way.

>> Yes.

Yes.

Very fast.

You know, we've moved our priority bills and we'll come back Monday and start going through the Senate bills and vice versa.

The Senate will start looking at House bills that have passed out of the House.

>> I remember House leadership saying to we we're going to take a less is more approach, you know, maybe fewer bills and numerically like a football game.

There are statistics that show something to the effect of the Senate filing a little under 300 bills but only passing a third to to send to the house the house had four hundred and fifty some bills but passed only about 25 percent of those to go to the Senate.

Do those kinds of numbers make a difference in what time you have or arguably don't have?

>> I like to think so.

You know, we're limited to five bills in the Senate and you know, for me that's that's an easy target to hit.

Bruce , usually I like to think we could maybe tear out some pages of Indiana Code is adding to that.

So I had two bills of those five but I think we had a lot of my colleagues that of course brought all those bills onto the Senate.

So I think in a short sense that makes a lot of sense.

You know, we have a lot more of a truncated time to think about those a piece of legislation and that helps us quite a bit I think of of lowering the kind of the work that we're doing.

>> I agree it's it's hard to you know, I've introduced a few pieces of legislation that I think need a long session to actually take a look at and just introducing those ideas at this session and talking to folks about those ideas moving into that long session next year.

>> Yeah.

And being able to live up to this idea less is more fine tuning.

I've heard that you know that reference as well descriptors for the session have been on literacy and health care and do you get the sense that the early nomenclature for what you've been involved with has been true to form or have there been some surprises for you legislatively?

>> I would say it's been true to form.

You know, on our side we've we've we've we've concentrated on, you know, expanding that work base, learning that we've kind of started with a long session last year along with the the science of reading and critiquing that a little bit and and again I think keeping it limited to some of the health care issues we had such heavy lifts in the last long session that we I think we really need to see those those policies implemented and play out and and gather that data.

And you have both been involved as coauthors and sponsors and all of those aspects of those key bills in both chambers.

Just and let me start with you too with that idea of the focus on student literacy and Senate bill one being predominant as the rest follow suit behind talk of what you're aspiring that bill to accomplish.

>> Yeah, you know, Linda Rogers was the person that took that bill and she's been working with all sides with the Department of Education and also speaking with administrators and we talked about the fact that, you know, do our you know, our kids in school have the the literacy we're looking for once they pass that third grade level?

I think we all know that reading means so much and to these folks have the ability to go ahead, finish their studies from four to 12th grade and be able to read the comprehensive level that have them to be successful as a member of our society.

So I know it's a tough issue.

We certainly don't want to keep kids stuck at that level in third grade to keep them there.

But we also got to make sure that we're looking at kindergarten first and second grade that they're meeting the kind of metrics that they need to be able to refine their studies as things become more difficult as they go into those grades.

So that's something I've talked with a lot of superintendents and administrators about.

I think we need to get this right and then we're going to work through this.

I look forward to my friends in the house of course, Judy, to make sure that we are to get this right so these kids can we as we graduate them to be you know, go to college or you know, go into the trades, whatever it may be that reading is essential to promoting their lives and be a great member of society and we've heard this this phrase too of learning to read as opposed to reading to learn and the grade three is it turns out to be the pivot point.

>> And I think, Chris , this is a dimension or one two , is it not?

Yeah, And you know and expanding those Work-Based learning opportunities as they move on into into the higher higher grades.

But I'd have to agree with Senator Bush on this.

You know, we the last thing we would do is fail a child at third grade and having to repeat that and I think the best way especially talking those that are stakeholders within our school systems is being able to identify those child before third grade and getting them the assistance they need before they get to that third grade level.

Yeah, I know the governor has hoped as a goal for his administration that 95 percent of students in third grade can read proficiently by 2027.

And so it seems that these key pieces of legislation are working to step toward decouples of that goal.

Yes, sir.

That may be behind the in fact let's say though with 10 to one because that is a key piece now that you'll be receiving and comes out the classrooms and maybe this is speaking to the White House speaker that Houston was saying Chris , about wanting to do some tweaking and some fine tuning we heard before the session began that as coming out of 22 23 the bill was strong but it needed to be refined in such a way to what encourage apprenticeships and things of that nature?

Correct.

You know, not every not every student is going to go to a four year degree or necessarily a two year degree.

I think there's you know, there's apprenticeship opportunities that work based learning and really finding that pathway for that student to be successful.

>> And so far a fair hearing all all the way through.

And you what are your senses telling you when you see that one on your desk?

>> No, I think that I echo the comments of my friend and colleague here.

I come from a blue collar roots.

We you know, my my folks met on the on the line it's at Harvester and certainly I've talked to you in the past couple days.

I talked to the carpenters union, the pipefitters union.

You know there's a lot of pathways to success especially in northeast Indiana where the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the nation in our corner of the state.

So it's but also, you know, making sure that that reading is paramount to everything that we do.

So I'm very happy that both those bills have kind of made that crossover now so we can we can talk to each other and hopefully come to put the best solution that's to be right for all Hoosiers.

>> Well, there were comments made about wanting this to be a quiet session.

One important bill that also found its way from the House to the Senate in pretty due course was or two which is the one that defines antisemitism and condemns it as religious discrimination in education.

Sounds familiar because in 2003 there was a similar bill and the question had been asked in the margins how does the Senate feel this year?

>> How does the Senate feel?

I don't know if I can speak for the entire Senate but no pressure, no pressure.

>> But you know but certainly we're seeing that now on the national stage right with with the war that's happening in Palestine and Israel.

And I think that we want to make sure that the Hoosier states would be welcome for for everyone there and it's something that have seen the atrocities who's had the had the really the the blessing to go to Europe into concentration camps and see those kind of things.

And I think there was a recent poll that showed that over 60 percent I think it was plus in New York of discrimination is happening of folks of the Jewish faith and we to make sure that everyone knows that they're welcome here in Indiana and we we're have to take a really hard look at what we're going to see that comes over here to make folks understand I believe it was Dennis Cruz that path at all high school students have to learn about the Holocaust at the high school at the high school level.

So it's something we need to be sensitive of of all Hoosiers to know they feel welcome here.

>> And I hear I think I think this bill also strikes that balance of defining what anti-Semitism is and then as far as that freedom of speech of being able to still criticize possibly the government of Israel but having that balance in defining and making sure that we define that clearly clearly.

>> Well, yeah, we are talking this evening with Senator Justin Bush and State Representative Chris Trute here on prime time.

If you'd like to give us a call, feel free to do so as we move through the key measures of the key ones and there are some others that each of you has been involved in and I wanted to be sure to speak to one that you've each had a role in here locally and that is working with the state House bill to support local veteran nonprofit issues.

This is Martin Karpas efforts to expand the veteran's museum out U.S. three way just west of Fort Wayne to support a columbarium near the Vietnam War War Memorial.

Give the back story and of course I guess when we start with you since this was house generated but this is Martyn's bill but you're in and and just a sponsor and I can't help but not want to be sure that we get this in the process.

Well, first of all, definitely if you haven't had a chance to to visit the war memorial out there on a day road, please do.

>> I mean they have the replica of the the Vietnam War Memorial along with the Korean Korean War Memorial now.

But what this bill essentially does is it's it's it removes this hundred thousand dollar fee that they would have had to have paid to be able to bring that columbarium on site.

So it gives waives that fee gives them the opportunity to place that there and that's essentially what the bill does and it brings another opportunity for the war memorial out there and and we're and we're very pleased to see that come over here.

>> And I know that my friend Representative a humble man this is someone who's worn the uniform who understand what it means to serve and to have him on that bill is fantastic as well.

We certainly appreciate ribs in Kabul and it's that I'm out there often actually that that's about a two minute drive from where I live to at that Vietnam memorial.

So to be able to have those Vietnam veterans and all veterans that would like to, you know, have the remains placed there is very important to them and I'm happy to carry that from representing Kabul and you know, very pleased to have a veteran like Chris you do on that bill as well and that coming to the Senate floor sometime soon.

>> Obviously halftime and eventually everyone goes back on the field.

>> No pressure, Bruce .

Well, hopefully I'll get it through.

I'll get it.

I'll get through through committee.

>> Just follow your Blocher's.

>> I have to pull in the big guns and have Representative Judy come on.

Well, let's see how we can tackle some calls that have come into our program.

This one from Alan who wants to know pardon me what is the wetlands?

This is one of the first bills I believe to come out of the legislative session over to the governor's desk.

>> Yeah, I don't believe it will have much impact on the wetlands at all.

I think it just makes them conforming definitions some changes eliminate certain wetland rulemaking requirements but it doesn't change what a Class One class to class three wetland actually is.

I think that that was addressed a couple of seconds ago I think as well.

I think this is more of a refining of that.

I think we both we saw both ides work very long and hard on this bill on both sides of the issue to come to a compromise sometimes the legislature I like to think that if both sides are slightly upset that you can get away that maybe we found a nice a nice middle ground.

So I supported the bill in the Senate and do you think it's a it's a good way forward for India?

>> OK, Allan, thank you very much for sharing that question with us.

George is next.

Also sharing thoughts that we an bring to our guests and that is George wants to know if you could help explain House Bill twelve thirty five prohibiting causes of action of firearms limiting fault.

Yes.

Let me this has to do I think with the city of Gary and I think this has been a ongoing issue for probably close to 30 years and I think what this does is it finally finally settles a lawsuit I believe that was up there between Gary and I think a firearms manufacturer if I believe correctly essentially just saying that's a political subdivision cannot bring suit against a firearms company itself.

>> OK, and we'll see where that goes.

>> Yeah, well look forward to read more about it.

The you know, the mayor of Gary right now is was a former senator at Hamilton.

So actually Ed and I exchanged some text messages last weekend so I'll be looking forward to reaching out to him.

And certainly we have you know, we have so many bills on both sides and right now I think when we get home tonight and probably Saturday and Sunday that both Representative Judy and I will be reading furiously to get through what each chamber has passed and I think this passed out of the House last May and not moved far any farther I don't believe if I'm correct.

>> Okay, George, we thank you very much for that as well.

There are new initiatives coming forward, one of them in Senate Bill Ten that you've coauthored.

I thought it might help viewers understand that health care in a word may be going mobile a little more through a community care initiative grant pilot program several from the Northeast Indiana delegation in on this one.

>> Yeah, I think that this is another opportunity where we can look to the local level to be helpful and provide some services for the government.

It's closest to the people to be able to make those kind of decisions so happy happy to sponsor that.

>> And on the House side several pieces of Chris that I am happy to have you go wherever you like to see this travel.

>> But you have a bill first of all regarding who's your first responder Medal of Honor.

Yes, Yes.

Coauthored this bill as senator representing Lukas's bill and what it does is it creates a Hoosier Medal of Honor through the Department of Homeland Security and they will set a criteria for this certain language in there that that has to be met if they recognize a first responder that that is deemed worthy of this Medal of Honor, they can they can nominate them then they send that actual nomination through the to the the the representative or senator for that individual and then that representative or senator can can can follow up with the governor's office to request that that Medal of Honor be given to that individual.

Now if the Department of Homeland Security deems that it's not doesn't reach that high high threshold, there's other awards in the Department of Homeland Security already it gives to to our first responders.

So it just creates that Medal of Honor for our first responders was pretty good.

>> A lot of worthy recipients to you know, we've seen the work that I think that Joel Burns has done with trial here locally and I actually give a lot of credit to the mayor as well as Mayor Henry.

I really think that without that kind of leadership and the folks that have worked together, you know, we may have seen some folks have some delays in getting those that need health care the most.

So I commend my colleague for that.

>> There's we got heroes right here at home as well.

Yeah.

One of the things that was made known through this session here recently is something I want to ask you both to comment about that we hear of hearings where there is discussion on legislation that is being proposed .

There is also the opportunity for hearings to take place on legislation that is just not ready for PrimeTime or has been admittedly we are doing factfinding in this hearing with the idea that that bill or notion will live again in a different session by another no talk about that that that process because in a sense some of 2024 is being prepping for possibly 20 25.

>> Sure.

Well, Bruce here it's Channel thirty nine .

You're always ready for prime time as it says behind me here.

But unfortunately some of this legislation is not quite there.

So I think it's an opportunity for us to talk about that.

Right.

I mean a lot of what we do here in the state legislature is that we like to you know, can I clear these ideas and talk about them and we of course will you know, in the longer session take on bigger ideas.

So it's a good way for us right now to kind of clear some of those ideas, come up with good ideas.

Same way we have, you know, summer summer study session where we get to talk about those ideas.

So there certainly some some bigger ideas as far as reforming health care and trying to lower the price of health care for all Hoosiers that I hope to talk about this year that I know I think we have a better shot at, you know, talking when we have four months instead of a truncated two and a half if you will this time.

>> Yeah, and I think it also gives the public the opportunity to speak on the issue as well.

Correct.

And a lot of these things have our budget budgetary issues.

They can only be dealt with while we're in a budget session.

So it gives the public the ability to come in and testify on these issues before we actually deal with it in the following session.

Yeah, when you see where we are right now where we've said a third of Senate bills, maybe twenty five percent of House bills moving on into the second half, it causes everyone to kind of adjust their vision a little bit.

But what are you still looking at in these closing weeks of the session as far as legislation that either you've authored and therefore carry an interest or just still feel that a certain bill you is holding that same level of interest and looking forward to seeing what happens next?

>> Let me start with you just yeah, I think that I'm excited to see what the House has done with that.

You know, Representative Judy and I have talked about some of those things and I've the representatives here in northeast Indiana we do a great job of what's going to affect here.

I know that you know, on the other side of the aisle on the House side that's a minority leader Jack Quinn and I usually have our mid session meeting and say hey, there's some bills I should look at because it affects Indiana.

>> He says here some bills I'd like to see here as well.

So I think we work really good as a team here and I think there's a reason why we have a short session right there, some tweaks and some things we need to do.

And I know that my legislative calendar and schedule of bills that I hope to to bring is certainly a lot more robust than it is this time.

But there's a lot of important bills and I think it's also important to note and I know that Chris will say this as well of the majority I think it's an 88 to 90 percent of the bills that we passed in the Senate are also bipartisan.

So you know, don't forget what you see on TV, maybe on Fox News or CNN International's.

I think we all work really well together.

They're so excited to see what my colleagues have to offer and certainly also the tweaks that we'll see from the House with some ideas we had in the Senate go yeah, we're going have two weeks of essentially committees and then and then committee deadline I think is the following Monday and then we'll have a second reading, third week reading and then we'll have conference committees for about a week.

So it's going to move fast I think I think we're going to move along and I come to an agreement on some of these and some I think you may see some fall by the wayside.

I mean that's just part of the process as well.

I think what I'm looking at is possibly trying to squeeze some language into for some veterans get to this session back in 2011 before Justin and I were here, those veterans that are service connected disabled veterans if you enlisted after 2011 you're instead of getting a hundred percent tuition for your children to go to a state university, it's based off your your service connected disability rating that percentage.

So looking at this, Kerry Hamilton actually a Democrat from Indianapolis authored this bill this year but it doesn't have a fiscal for another 10 20 years.

So trying to work to see if we can possibly get that language in somewhere to to help those those veterans that are service connected disabled veterans that enlisted after 2011.

>> So they're coming soon.

>> So we'll see what happens.

Yeah.

A quick question from Caleb.

Will there be any new legislation limiting the sale of extra bright headlights?

>> Caleb, I don't believe I've seen anything from our Senate colleagues but I can understand that sometimes the older I get I think the lies get lights get brighter.

But I have not seen him on the Senate side.

Yeah, I haven't seen a bill introduced this session and it's too late to introduce any bills going.

But again I'd have to agree with Justin as the older I get those bright lights and brighter.

>> It was someone had a bright idea and that is embodied in House Bill 10 19 and I will defer to the senator on my right.

This is regarding that reference to lemonade stands on private property.

There ought to be a law.

>> There ought to be a law.

Well, if there's if there's an award for best transition Bruce , you've made it there with the bright idea.

Yes.

My colleague on the house has talked about this.

It's on those bills that unfortunately has to come here where certain health departments are coming into to to limit the amount of kids who like to make beverages made of water, sugar and lemons.

I think a lot of us have bought one for for 50 cents at a garage sale.

This is kind of a maybe a little bit of government overreach and maybe a piece of Americana that needs to return to not be shut down.

A lot of it's happened in Marin County.

So I'm happy to to have this and to have our youngsters there is that as the the godparents of my two nephews who I think are maybe up a little longer with Nanna and pop up right now Jack and Tommy this is something that I think that we can all welcome the Norman walk in nature of Indiana to return to its rightful place.

>> Yeah, I was unaware that my daughter was breaking the law stand.

>> Well, don't don't don't put that bail money yet, Representative.

Don't worry.

I'm fighting for for your children.

>> Thank you.

I will raise a paper cup in your honor as the session continues and best wishes to you both.

Thank you.

Thank you on the way forward and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your evening with State Senator Justin Bush and State Representative Chris Judy, for all of us with prime time on U.S. take care and we'll see you again next week.

>> Good night The Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana.

Advocates for a world class infrastructure, a competitive business climate, 21st century talent and rural investment.

One region, one voice.

NEINAdvocates.com.