Weekly Statehouse update: rosy revenue forecast, physician non-compete bill

A rosy revenue forecast provides lawmakers with the numbers needed to finalize the budget. The House approves a watered-down physician non-compete bill. And teachers protest over a bill targeting bargaining rights.

Here’s what you might have missed this week at the Statehouse.

HB 1001: State budget

An updated revenue forecast gives lawmakers a projection of how much money they can spend in the new state budget, HB 1001. And that forecast unveiled this week showed $1.5 billion more than previously expected. The House and Senate will spend the last days of session negotiating funding for – among others – health, education and tax relief.

SB 7: Physician non-compete agreements

The original version of a Senate bill, SB 7, outlawed contract language that stops doctors from working in a certain area for a time after leaving an employer. But the bill as it cleared the House only fully bans such non-compete clauses for primary care physicians.

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SB 486: Education matters

And teachers protested outside the House chamber this week as Republicans inside approved legislation, SB 486, that says school administrators will no longer have to discuss class sizes, safety and other working conditions with teachers’ union representatives.

Supporters of the bill say those conversations will still take place. Opponents say the measure will silence educators.

Find all the bills our statewide team is covering in our bill tracker at ipbs.org/projects/2023billtracker/

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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