Rep. Davis' bills to protect environment and children head to Senate STATEHOUSE - State Representative Bill Davis (R-Portland) authored two bills that passed through the House on third and final readings. One bill would require a permit to build a manure storage structure, and the other would allow the use of closed circuit television to be used in court cases. Both bills will now be sent to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 1187 would prohibit the building of an earthen or concrete manure storage structure that would hold over 1 million gallons of manure without first obtaining a permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. HB 1187 passed in a vote of 99-0 in its third and final reading in the House and is being sent to the Senate. HB1215 would allow a protected person - a victim that is under 14 years of age or has a mental handicap - to testify in a court hearing via closed circuit television (CCTV). Under current statute, if a psychiatrist deems that a protected person will have continued mental problems or suffer serious mental distress if they testify in front of the defendant, the protected person may submit a statement via a video tape or written statement but must physically appear in court to be cross-examined by the defense counsel. HB1215 would amend current statutes so that the protected person could appear in court via CCTV to be cross-examined. HB 1215 also passed its third and final reading on the House floor today by a vote of 99-0 and will be sent to the Senate. HB 1215 was requested by Delaware County Prosecutor Jeff Arnold to be written to help victims through the process. HB 1215 was co-authored by State Rep. Dennis Tyler (D-Muncie). "I am happy to see my two bills progress to the Senate," said Rep. Davis. "Both will be helpful to many Hoosiers in very different ways. House Bill 1187 will help regulate satellite lagoons, a process that has not been overseen before, and House Bill 1215 will help victims to testify in court without increasing the exposure to the defendant, which would make an already traumatic experience worse." -30-
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