Republican Leaders Set Parameters For Special Session

Indiana lawmakers will consider five bills in their May 14 special session – without public testimony or amendments.

Four of those five bills are measures that failed to pass when lawmakers ran out of time in their regular session last month.

There are two tax bills, a school safety funding bill, and controversial legislation to further takeovers of the Muncie and Gary school systems. The tax bills – which GOP legislative leaders call "critical" – are largely meant to conform with federal tax code changes.

Legislators will also have a technical corrections bill, fixing minor errors in previously-passed legislation.

And House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) says, that’s it.

“We’re not thrilled that we’re back, but we’re going to do it quickly, efficiently, cost-effectively to the taxpayer,” Bosma says.

Leadership’s aim is to complete the work in one day. And Bosma says there will be no public testimony or amendments considered on the five bills.

“Every one of these bills has had very thorough vetting, public testimony,” Bosma says.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) says the GOP making what he calls closed-door decisions is an elitist, undemocratic abuse of power.

Each of the five bills will be available for the public to view online beginning April 30. Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long say there will be a special meeting of the legislative council May 7 to lay out procedures for the special session and discuss the bills content. The legislative council consists of both parties' leadership teams in both chambers.