Indiana lawmakers begin work in special session on Monday

Indiana lawmakers will head to the Statehouse Monday to begin a special session. They will consider bills that ban abortion, send financial support to families and provide inflation relief.

Legislative work will start Monday, when the Senate Rules Committee holds a public hearing on the proposed abortion ban, SB 1 (ss). That hearing, which begins at 1 p.m., is expected to last at least four hours. It will continue Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. After more public testimony, committee members will consider potential amendments to the bill and then vote on the measure, sending it to the Senate floor.

That afternoon, the Senate Appropriations Committee will hold public hearings and vote on the Senate’s financial supports and inflation relief bills, SB 2 (ss) and SB 3 (ss).

Also Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a public hearing and vote on the House’s single bill of the special session: a combination of financial supports for families and inflation relief.

Thursday, both the full House and Senate will meet separately to consider floor amendments to their bills. Friday, each chamber will vote to send their bills to the opposite chamber for further consideration.

READ MORE: What is in Indiana's proposed abortion legislation? A legal expert has some answers

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The second week schedule isn't set. But the House is expected to hold committee hearings and then consider floor amendments and vote to pass the Senate bills, while the Senate will do the same with the House legislation.

Lawmakers have through Aug. 14 to complete their work. That's because Indiana special sessions are limited to 40 days. When Gov. Eric Holcomb officially called for the special session, it was meant to begin July 6. That's when the 40-day clock began.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.