A bill banning the use of student IDs at polling places advances to the House floor. A measure setting aside some child care vouchers for foster families heads to the governor’s desk. And Gov. Mike Braun signs his first bill into law.
Here’s what you might have missed this week at the Statehouse.
Student IDs from Indiana public colleges and universities have been used for decades as one of the few acceptable forms of voter ID at polling places. Legislation approved along party lines in a House committee would end that. Supporters said SB 10 merely makes students comply with the same requirements as other voters; opponents called it voter suppression.
HEA 1248: Child Care and Development Fund
A bill unanimously approved at every step in the legislative process would set aside 200 of the state’s thousands of Child Care and Development Fund vouchers for foster families.
The only concern with HEA 1248 is that, with no additional funding in the state budget so far, it will help increase the existing CCDF waitlist that’s already 7,600 children long.
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HEA 1149: Agricultural online portal
And the first bill signed into law by the governor creates an online portal for Hoosier farmers, connecting them with state and federal agencies.
HEA 1149 aims to help with regulatory checklists, grant funding opportunities and feedback on state and federal policies.
Find all the measures we're covering this legislative session on our 2025 bill tracker.
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.