There are 26 ways for a bill to die in session, and only one way for a bill to become law. That being said, moving a bill through the legislative process is not an easy task. It takes time, tremendous effort and a wealth of cooperation with other members of the legislature to create and pass bills successfully.
The most important step in the legislative process is seeking ideas and feedback from constituents, small-business owners, local officials and other community stakeholders in and around Elkhart. It is you who knows best how to keep Indiana thriving.
We are coming to the halfway point of the 2017 legislative session. It’s the deadline in which bills must pass out of the House for consideration in the Indiana State Senate, and vice versa. These are the bills I authored that have passed out of the House and will be considered by the Senate:
House Bill 1117 would allow local governments to complete needed community projects sooner by releasing development funding tied up in performance bonds. By allowing this funding to be released more than once a year, the construction and expansion of subdivisions and industrial parks would be a more fluid process.
House Bill 1119 completes the transfer of licensing manufactured home dealers from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to the Secretary of State’s office. With this transfer formalized in statute, administrative rules protecting both consumers and the industry can take effect.
House Bill 1157 would help cut red tape and burdensome regulations. It creates an online portal for businesses to identify duplicative, wasteful reporting requirements to the state government. That information would then be forwarded to the House of Representatives that would then work to further streamline procedures and reduce government bureaucracy. While Indiana already has one of the best regulatory environments for business, there is always room for improvement.
In addition, language to create a Community Revitalization Enhancement District for the city of Elkhart will continue to be discussed as the bills flip from the House to the Senate. This specific item is one that takes time to work through all the details and benefits for not only Elkhart, but for the state of Indiana.
I also authored an amendment to hold local units of government to their commitment when approving subdivisions or other permitted uses for a period of up to three years, so that the rules do not change for the developer or Hoosier property owners.
This week, the bills will switch chambers, and the House will begin considering Senate bills. I will keep you posted about the Senate bills I will be sponsoring, including Senate Bill 15 that would allow the use of cannabidiol oil for the treatment of epilepsy.
Please contact me with questions or input at 317-232-9620 or by email at h48@iga.in.gov. I appreciate hearing from you in order to better represent our district. Stay up-to-date with the work being done at the Statehouse by signing up to receive my email updates at www.in.gov/h48.
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State Rep. Doug Miller (R-Elkhart) represents House District 48, which includes portions of Elkhart County
A high-resolution photo of Miller can be downloaded by clicking here.
