2024 AIA Indiana Board members on the floor of the Indiana Senate.

The 2024 session of the Indiana General Assembly ended, sine die (Latin meaning “without day”), in the late evening on Friday, March 8. The legal deadline for the end of session was March 14 so the Legislature did end earlier than the scheduled allowed.

Overall, this short non-budget session for the architecture profession was not overly harmful. AIA Indiana was able to stop a couple negative bills and passed a proactive measure. More information regarding legislation followed by AIA Indiana is provided below.

HB 1376, election day for school referenda, authored by Rep. Robert Behning (R-Indianapolis), provided that a local public question authorizing a school corporation to impose property taxes to pay debt service on bonds or lease rentals on a lease for a specified controlled project may be placed on the ballot only at a general election or municipal general election. Thankfully the bill did not pass.

AIA Indiana opposed HB 1376 due to its potential impact on the local decision-making processes and the capacity of school authorities to promptly address budgetary and infrastructural requirements. If enacted, the bill would have led to increased expenses for taxpayers concerning essential school construction renovations and new facilities, hindering swift responses to these requirements. For instance, simultaneous bidding and execution of crucial school construction projects would have inflated costs for taxpayers. Moreover, delays resulting from HB 1376 would likely have caused deferred maintenance, further raising expenses for Hoosier taxpayers and perpetuating inadequate learning environments for students.

HB 1376 narrowly passed out of the House with a vote of 51-44. It was referred to the Senate Elections Committee and was slated for a hearing, but the committee chair opted to cancel the meeting where it was to be discussed. The bill is dead for 2024 but may be reintroduced in the 2025 session. 

A special acknowledgment is extended to Bill Payne, AIA, for his additional efforts in engaging with the bill's Senate sponsor and other legislators at the statehouse to articulate AIA Indiana's concerns regarding HB 1376. Furthermore, gratitude is extended to all AIA Indiana members for reaching out to their state legislators regarding this legislation. Your collective endeavors had a significant impact!

SB 52, prohibition on use of dedicated lanes, authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), aimed to impose restrictions on the utilization of designated lanes for public transportation initiatives, such as the IndyGo Blue Line. AIA Indiana opposed SB 52 due to its adverse effects on transit-oriented development ventures. Fortunately, a compromise was brokered among IndyGo, Indianapolis city officials, and House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) to maintain dedicated lanes in select areas while maximizing shared lanes wherever feasible. Consequently, SB 52 did not pass! 

The enactment of SB 52 would have resulted in escalated project costs and placed at risk federal funding exceeding $150 million linked to the utilization of dedicated lanes, thereby endangering the IndyGo Blue Line Project. 

Thank you Jason Larrison, AIA, 2024 AIA Indianapolis President, for your testimony opposing the bill on behalf of AIA Indiana in the Senate. Also, thank you to 2024 AIA Indianapolis Executive Committee member Kate Warpool, AIA, for representing AIA Indiana and presenting testimony against SB 52 in the House. In particular, a heartfelt appreciation goes out to all AIA Indiana members and supporters who engaged with their state legislators regarding SB 52. Your collaborative efforts were instrumental in preventing the advancement of this harmful bill!

HB 1138, professional licensing matters, authored by Rep. Lori Goss-Reaves (R-Marion), includes language that will put into statute terms allowed for graduates of architecture and landscape architecture programs. AIA Indiana supported HB 11338 and it successfully cleared both the House and Senate and has been signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb.

On January 22, 2020, the Indiana Professional Licensing Board for Architects and Landscape Architects adopted a motion sanctioning the utilization of specific terms for graduates of architecture and landscape architecture programs, namely: Architectural Graduate and Landscape Architectural Graduate. Additionally, the motion permits the use of Architectural Intern and Landscape Architectural Intern for students presently enrolled in college but not yet graduated from a program. HB 1138 will enshrine the language from the licensing board's motion into law.

HB 1383, wetlands, authored by Rep. Alan Morrison (R-Brazil), will diminish wetland protection by reclassifying certain Class III wetlands, currently under protection, to Class II status, which entails fewer safeguards. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb on February 12. AIA Indiana opposed HB 1383.

On May 25, 2023, the US Supreme Court issued a far-reaching decision, stating that the majority of wetlands do not receive protection under federal law. Consequently, the responsibility for safeguarding our wetlands falls upon individual states, and Indiana, with a less-than-ideal track record, faces this critical task. Approximately 90% of our original wetlands have already vanished, and in 2021, the Indiana legislature made substantial reductions in state wetland protections. The combined impact of these legislative changes and the Supreme Court decision puts over 400,000 acres of Indiana wetlands at risk.

Indiana’s wetlands are important because they: reduce flooding by holding excess stormwater and are the most cost-effective stormwater infrastructure we have; filter and purify water; replenish the groundwater for our wells; slow stormwater so there is less erosion; and provide the most biologically-productive ecosystems.

HB 1383 received strong backing from the Indiana Builders Association (home builders) and underwent an expedited legislative process, becoming the first bill of this session to receive the governor's signature. The bill passed out of the House with a vote count of 64-30 and the Senate 32-17. 

SB 4, fiscal and administrative matters, was amended in the waning hours of the session with negative rulemaking language similar to that of SB 297, which was supported by the Indiana Builders Association and the Indiana Apartment Owners Association. AIA Indiana opposed SB 297 because it added more hurdles to the already difficult rulemaking process. The amended SB 4 is poised to potentially impede the ongoing efforts to modernize Indiana's outdated building codes.

Earlier in the session, SB 297 passed out of the Senate along party lines but failed to secure a hearing in the House. Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown), the author of SB 297, is also the author of SB 4. On the session's final day, negative language impacting the rulemaking process was introduced into SB 4, which subsequently passed the House along party lines. Notably, this negative language was not subjected to thorough scrutiny by a House standing committee. Regrettably, it has now been enacted into law by Gov. Holcomb.

2025 Session - The upcoming 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly heralds the arrival of a new governor and several new legislators, with all 100 House members and half of the Senate's membership facing re-election. Notably, this session will span a long budgetary period, presenting AIA Indiana with significant challenges. In the interim, you are encouraged to engage with your state legislators. Extend invitations for them to visit your firm, assuring them of your readiness to address any inquiries they may have regarding the design and construction sector.

Do not hesitate to contact AIA Indiana Executive Director Jason Shelley, Hon. AIA if you have any questions or concerns.