Senate Enrolled Act 71, known by many supporters as Drew’s Law, changes Indiana’s existing involuntary manslaughter laws to classify the killing of a fetus as a result of driving drunk a Class D felony - a crime punishable by up to six months in prison.

“Motorists who choose to drive drunk and harm innocent lives while doing so should be held accountable for their irresponsible decisions,” Paul said. “Indiana will join several other states, including Ohio, where penalties against drunken drivers increase if they cause the death of a fetus.”

Paul said lawmakers from both houses showed their unanimous support for SEA 71 after hearing the tragic story of how Danielle Steinberger Brookshire lost her unborn son, Drew, in a 2007 car crash believed to be caused by a drunken driver.

One day after receiving the bill from lawmakers, Paul said Daniels signed the measure into law.

Paul expressed his thanks to Brookshire, her family and Wayne County Prosecutor Michael Shipman for their help in crafting the law.

“I appreciate the time and effort they gave in helping create this law,” Paul said. “Because of Danielle’s courage and Prosecutor Shipman’s assistance in writing this bill, another family may be protected from going through a similar, tragic situation.”

Senator Paul represents Senate District 27, which includes Jay, Randolph and Wayne Counties.

Mishler (R-Bremen) said the governor’s signature would culminate a three-year journey for the legislation- which provides several benefits for consumers and state government. It would give the attorney general’s office authority to prosecute people who operate businesses without proper licenses. At the same time, the legislation consolidates some professional licensing agencies, making the entire process more efficient.

“This legislation reinforces the importance of the licensing process and may result in some savings to state taxpayers,” Mishler said. “I think people sometimes forget the primary reason we have professional licenses is for consumer protection.”

Mishler’s bill, which passed by big margins in both the Senate and House, would also offer help in other ways:

• Establishes procedures for the attorney general to seize, secure, store and destroy abandoned or at risk health records and other records containing personally identifying information; and
• Provides for automatic revocation of controlled substances permit if a physician’s license is revoked;

Members of the Senate voted last week 38-7 to concur with House amendments, sending the bill to the governor for further consideration.

Sen. Mishler represents Senate District 9, which includes portions of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.

Net metering would provide homeowners, schools and businesses greater financial incentives to produce their own renewable energy and allow them to sell any excess electricity back to the utilities.

Legislation authored by Merritt (R-Indianapolis) to broaden both the customer class and type of renewable generation eligible for net metering failed in the final days of the 2010 session when Senate and House negotiators couldn’t agree on a final conference committee report. But Merritt emphasized in a letter to Gov. Mitch Daniels that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission doesn’t need a new law to begin updating Indiana’s restrictive net metering regulations.

“The IURC currently has the authority to declare net metering rules without legislative guidance or mandate,” Merritt today wrote to Daniels. “In fact, the IURC currently has effective net metering administrative rules in place for residential and K-12 schools.”

Merritt said he’s asked the governor to request IURC officials begin rulemaking activities and believes the initial conference committee report produced by Senate negotiators “is a reasonable template” for the agency’s work.

“My proposals broaden both the customer class and type of renewable generation eligible for net metering while maintaining the necessary cost-benefit balance for all electricity customers whether they engage in net metering generation or not,” Merritt said. “I hope the governor will take action to improve Indiana’s policies on this important issue.”

Senate lawmakers voted 50-0 in support of Senate Enrolled Act 396, sending the measure to Gov. Mitch Daniels for further consideration.

Leising, co-author of the legislation, said state figures show farmers are experiencing unanticipated increases in farmland assessments based on an experimental formula crafted in 2006. Leising continued to say, “Farmland assessments would double in a five year period without this legislation.”

Economists attribute fluctuations in farm assessments in part to speculation about alternative energy sources like ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-mass. This speculation caused a short-term spike in farm grain prices, which created a problem with the formula.

A statewide per-acre value for agricultural land is set each year by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). According to Leising, the DLGF currently uses an adjusted six-year average and takes into account net-income and cash-rent models.

SEA 396, supported by the Indiana Farm Bureau, would use an adjusted rolling average that eliminates the highest value over a six-year period. Known by economists as the “Modified Olympic Average” technique in which outlier scores are disqualified, the model would give farmers and local governments more stable agricultural property assessments with slower growth, but perhaps be more representative of true market value.

“I am very pleased that the legislature has taken the first step to address the problems with the bare land assessment formula,” Leising said.

Waterman (R-Shelburn) authored a resolution asking the Obama administration to re-evaluate the combat guidelines recently ordered by U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

According to national news reports, under McCrystal’s restrictive new policies, U.S. soldiers can no longer fire upon combatants until it is visually confirmed the enemy is armed.

Some U.S. troops say Taliban militants are using these rules of engagement to their advantage, sometimes dropping their weapons and walking away to blend in with civilians, The Associated Press reported.

“America’s brave men and women serving abroad risk their lives every day to protect freedom,” Waterman said. “Unrealistic restrictions on their ability to defend themselves jeopardizes the safety of our troops and Afghani civilians.”

Since the revised guidelines took effect in July 2009, U.S. forces in Afghanistan have suffered some of their heaviest losses of the war, Waterman said. News reports indicate the revised rules of engagement may be partly to blame for the spike in American casualties.

U.S. troops under the tightened policy also have less immediate access to air support when pinned down by enemy fire. In some cases, according to the AP, troops must positively identify enemy combatants before helicopters or planes respond with airstrikes - at times more than an hour after the initial request.

According to Waterman, delayed support could expose American soldiers to sniper fire and other battlefield hazards.

“We need policies that help our troops pursue victory,” Waterman said. “Ensuring the safety and success of our soldiers should remain our highest priority.”

Waterman serves Senate District 39, which includes Clay, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Owen, Sullivan and Vigo Counties.

Senate Bill 415 - which offers long term, rehabilitated non-violent offenders an earlier opportunity for parole - will now be sent to the governor’s desk, where it could be signed into law.

“Not only could this measure help relieve Indiana’s overpopulated prisons, but it would also encourage non-violent offenders to prove they’ve learned their lesson and a chance to start over,” Waterman said. “Lawmakers did the right thing by supporting this common-sense proposal.”

Waterman said Indiana’s Parole Board currently reviews the sentences of non-violent offenders who have been incarcerated for 25 consecutive years. Under SB 415, offenders accused of non-violent crimes could be eligible for parole after 21 years if they meet stringent criteria:

• The offender must obtain four years of credit time. Credit options include earning an associate or bachelor’s degree or participating in various community transition programs offered throughout the state;
• The offender is required to serve 21 consecutive years;
• A Parole Board must determine the offender has been rehabilitated; and
• A Parole Board must be convinced the offender has suitable plans warranting the discharge.

“This bill aids with inmate rehabilitation while reducing Indiana’s prison population,” Waterman said. “Non-violent felons can either serve 25 years and be eligible for parole or be eligible for parole after serving 21 years by earning a degree and making suitable plans for a life outside of prison walls.”

As the former sheriff of Sullivan County, Waterman said he understands many jails and prisons are at full capacity, creating heavy burdens on taxpayers.

“It takes nearly $20,000 per year to keep someone in jail,” Waterman said. “If we successfully rehabilitate some of the 7,500 non-violent offenders in Indiana who are serving sentences longer than 20 years, we can get them out of the system and stop wasting Hoosier tax dollars to keep them locked up.”

According to the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC), 15 adult education programs were offered at various state facilities last year. As of July 2009, more than 3,300 offenders were enrolled in college courses.

“Studies have proven that the odds of an ex-offender staying out of jail increases if they have a job, and getting an education increases their chances of finding a job,” Waterman said.

Waterman serves Senate District 39, which includes Clay, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Owen, Sullivan and Vigo Counties.