Statehouse Update: Two Holcomb Initiatives Curbed, Abortion Bill

In a move that caught Republican leaders by surprise, the Senate this week rejected a bill to make the Superintendent of Public Instruction an appointed, rather than an elected, position. Seventeen Republicans joined Democrats in voting down the legislation, which has been one of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s priorities. Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) says the measure will have to be changed to have any chance of returning to the floor.

The Senate Appropriations Committee this week significantly scaled back a bill to expand Indiana’s preschool pilot program. Both Governor Holcomb and House GOP leaders want to double the funding, from $10 million to $20 million. Committee Chair Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) only expanded it to $13 million.

And a Senate panel this week approved a controversial abortion bill. Under current law, if a child younger than age 18 wants an abortion but doesn’t want to tell her parents, she can go to court to receive a judicial waiver. The bill would require the parents be notified of that judicial proceeding, no matter what. Meaning, as one lawmaker pointed out, if a father rapes his underage daughter, and she wants an abortion, she’d have to notify her father first.