This is the fourth weekly report designed to inform CAC board and staff, as well as CAC members and the general public regarding our activities and work during the 2019 Indiana General Assembly.

This week was a shortened, though fast-paced week, due to the Martin Luther King Holiday on Monday. The House released more bill lists, bringing the total number of bills introduced this session to over 1,300. CAC is monitoring more than 50 bills and attended a handful of hearings including House Utilities Committee where we presented testimony in support of Chairman Ed Soliday’s Water Infrastructure initiative, House Bill 1406 which passed committee unanimously. Also passing committee was Rep. Jeff Ellington’s telephone solicitation bill, House Bill 1123.

The House Environmental Affairs Committee met at the same though they passed none of their agenda including House Bill 1278, an omnibus environmental bill; House Bill 1266, sediment and erosion control in construction; and House Bill 1279, conservancy district petition.

Despite voiced concerns during its hearing in the Senate Local Government Committee, Senate Bill 193, dealing with sewer and water connections through rights-of-way, is now before the full Senate and schedule for a vote on Monday.

Also scheduled to be voted on in the Senate Monday is Senate Bill 4, authored by Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso). This bill addresses Indiana’s significant needs related to our water and wastewater infrastructure. We supported this bill in Committee, where it received unanimous support.

Upcoming this week:

• Senate Bill 442 will receive a committee hearing Monday at 10am in Senate Environmental Affairs. SB442 deals with the underground storage of carbon dioxide and is related to the proposed Wabash Valley Resources project in Terre Haute.
• The House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee is expected to meet Wednesday at 1:30 to discuss HB1470, which proposes to amend the controversial SEA560 dealing with transmission and distribution investments by electric and gas utilities. For more on HB1470, click here.
• The Senate Utilities Committee will meet Thursday at 9am to discuss Sen. Mark Messmer’s broadband development bills, SBs 460 and 461. 

Respectfully Submitted,
Lindsay Haake & Kerwin Olson