10 New Education Laws Effective July 1
06/07/2016
Following the end of the 2016 General Assembly, we provided members with a recap of new legislation. Many of the bills passed this session are effective July 1.
SEA 147 School Emergency Response Systems (Sen. Phil Boots, R – Crawfordsville)
The law requires the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to establish minimum standards and approve best practices no later than July 1, 2017, for a school emergency response system. It requires the department to establish emergency response system guidelines with input from the division of school building safety.
SEA 189 Identifier for Military Families (Sen. Dennis Kruse, R – Auburn)
The law establishes that attendance records and academic information for a student attending an adult high school and is a member of a military service family must be submitted to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) for each school corporation and charter. Data is reported in the aggregate to protect individual privacy.
SEA 234 Education of Coaches of Student Athletes (Sen. Tim Lanane, D – Lafayette)
Beginning July 1, 2017, each head coach or assistant coach of an interscholastic sport is required to complete a certified player safety education course. The course is optional for coaches of intramural sports who voluntarily agree to meet requirements. The program must be approved by the IDOE in consultation with a licensed healthcare provider with expertise in concussions and brain trauma. Coaches who complete the course are protected under civil immunity in the case of damages from student injuries.
SEA 251 Indiana Out of School Time Learning Advisory Board (Sen. Dennis Kruse, R – Auburn)
The law establishes the out of school time learning advisory board to assist with programming for students during after school hours. ISTA worked on language concerning membership on the advisory board. The original bill contained funding, but the funding was removed since it is a short, non-budget session.
SEA 335 School Corporation Health Insurance (Sen. Vaneta Becker, R – Evansville)
A school corporation may assign wages and pay premiums for collectively bargained health insurance and is not required to make the collectively bargained health insurance available to all school corporation employees. The law applies specifically to contracts in Evansville and a special circumstance it faced.
HEA 1032 Pension Matters (Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R – Fort Wayne)
Eliminates the guaranteed fund for PERF and TRF members and replaces the fund with an unguaranteed investment return through the new stable value fund. The guaranteed fund is eliminated Dec. 31, 2016.
INPRS and ISTA will connect with retirees in PERF and TRF to educate them on the changes. The law replaces the guaranteed fund with a stable value fund. This change is likely being made as INPRS continues the process of outsourcing its annuity work for both PERF and TRF. Under a bill passed a few years ago, that arrangement is set for completion by Dec. 31, 2016.
The law also requires an employer who freezes participation in PERF to begin paying additional contributions to service members remaining in the fund. Allows PERF and TRF members to change beneficiaries with greater flexibility.
HEA 1161 Pension 13th Checks (Rep. Doug Gutwein, R – Francesville)
The law provides an additional payment amount in 2016 to retiree members of PERF and TRF:
Years Creditable Service Amount
At least 5 years, but less than 10 years $150
At least 10 years, but less than 20 years $275
At least 20 years, but less than 30 years $375
At least 30 years $450
HEA 1209 Workplace Spanish Transcript Designation (Rep. Tony Cook, R – Cicero)
Beginning in 2017 – 18 , a student, who completes certain requirements in Spanish language instruction focused on conversational skills for career use, may receive a designation on the student’s academic transcript.
HEA 1219 High School Diplomas (Rep. Ed Clere, R – New Albany)
A high school in a school corporation is required to offer every type of diploma approved by the State Board of Education. A student with a disability shall not be required to complete local requirements that exceed state requirements to receive a diploma unless otherwise required as part of the student's individualized education program.
HEA 1248 Higher Education, (Rep. Randy Truitt, R – West Lafayette)
After Aug. 31, 2017, eligibility requirements are amended for larger awards under the Frank O’Bannon Grant, renewal of Frank O’Bannon Grant Awards, and renewal of scholarships under the Twenty-First Century Scholars Program.
The law removes a provision that allows the Commission for Higher Education to increase, but not decrease, the amount for the Frank O’Bannon Grant Awards. It assists students with a low number of credits in an academic year in earning the scholarship back for renewal.
A student at Vincennes University who participates in a technical certificate or associate degree is now eligible for a Frank O’Bannon Grant.
Amends eligibility requirements for the Mitch Daniels Early Graduation. A student must be enrolled in college by the fall semester after graduating high school.