Legislators wrapped up the first month of the 2019 legislative session, which must conclude by April 29. Last Thursday, my bill dealing with property tax deduction appeals unanimously passed out of the House. Bills continue to move through the process. It is a tradition for some of the more veteran members to have a little fun and tease new members as they present their first bill on the House floor. I enjoyed the back and forth with fellow representatives and was grateful my first bill passed to the Senate.
House Bill 1004, which addresses school safety, also passed out of the House. The bill would assist smaller schools by lowering the amount of money they must match in order to receive funds from the Secured School Safety Grant Program. These funds help schools cover the costs of security upgrades. It would also require schools to conduct a threat assessment to address security concerns, administer regular active shooter drills and allow partnerships with mental health providers to help students among other provisions. This legislation is a top priority for House Republicans, so it was great to see it pass with strong bipartisan support.
I authored House Bill 1664, which was heard in the House Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunications Committee Wednesday. The bill states a rental unit, condominium association or a homeowners association is not a public utility and should not be regulated as such. Even if they have one master meter and charge residents for water or sewer service, it is common sense that private associations and landlords should not be considered public utilities. This is the current practice of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission but needs to be reflected in code. The committee advanced my proposal with a vote of 12 to 0 and should be heard on the House floor soon.
I recently met with Cass County Farm Bureau members here in Indianapolis. The Farm Bureau does a great job engaging with legislators, and I am always happy to discuss how we can help Hoosier farmers and rural Indiana. Kurt Wilson, Steve Plank and Ed Lucy have a great understanding of these issues, and I appreciate their work. This week, we also welcomed the Indiana Association of Realtors, and it was a treat to have Chuck Oldfather and Dee Dee Richards from Miami County in the state’s capitol. As a realtor myself, I enjoyed talking about affordable housing issues and showing my friends around the Statehouse.
I am looking forward to a great weekend back at home visiting folks to address legislation and local issues. I will report back on what I learn, as I always hope to take away some action items from these meetings. Remember, it’s your state government, so participate in it!
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Rep. Ethan Manning (R-Denver) represents House District 23, which includes portions of Cass, Fulton and Miami counties.
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