House passes texting-while-driving ban
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House passed a bill Tuesday that would ban texting or sending e-mails while driving.
The House voted 95-3 for the bill and sent it to the Republican-led Senate for consideration. Supporters say it would save lives.
It would make transmitting text messages or e-mails while driving a Class C infraction with a possible fine of $500.
Lawmakers enacted a law last year that prohibits drivers younger than 18 from using cell phones or other telecommunication devices while driving. This year’s House bill does not cover drivers 18 or over talking on cell phones.
In other General Assembly actions Tuesday:
Watered-down smoking ban passed by House
The House approved a bill that originally would have banned smoking in public places except casinos and pari-mutuel horse racing venues.
The House voted 73-26 for the bill after exempting several other places from a smoking ban. The added exemptions include bars, taverns, tobacco shops and fraternal clubs such as American Legion posts.
The bill would also allow smoking in family-owned and operated businesses if all the employees are related to the owner. They could only smoke in areas of the businesses not open to the public.
New pet store requirements advance to Senate
The House approved a bill that would require retail pet stores to give buyers information about a pet’s background and medical history before selling a dog or cat.
The House voted 71-26 for the bill and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
Supporters say the legislation is critical to protect consumers looking for a family pet. The bill would require pet stores to put information about the dog or cat on its cage in the store. that includes the animal’s medical history, the name of the breeder and any congenital disorders.
Senate approves bill targeting cold meds
A bill aimed at making sure Indiana’s methamphetamine laws target people who try to buy cold medicines to make meth is now before the Democratic-led House after the Senate voted 46-4 for the legislation.
The bill requires stores selling medications containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to make clear to customers the legal purchasing limit of those ingredients.
It prohibits a retailer from selling an individual more than 3.6 grams of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine on one day, or nine grams of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine in 30 days.
The bill also requires a retailer to electronically transmit certain information concerning the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to a statewide tracking system.
School start date bill advances to House
The Senate endorsed legislation that would prevent most schools from starting classes before Labor Day.
The bill passed 31-19 and now heads to the House for consideration. Its supporters say starting classes after Labor Day would give families more summer vacation time while reducing the cost of cooling classrooms in August.
Opponents say school calendars should be left up to school districts.
The bill would apply to public and accredited nonpublic schools, but would not affect schools that have year-round classes.
Senate passes 3rd-grade reading bill
A stripped-down version of one of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ top initiatives was passed by the Senate.
The Republican governor had supported a bill to hold back third-grade students who can’t read at grade level. The original proposal called for intensive intervention efforts for retained students.
Senate leaders said that would’ve cost money, and changed the bill to simply require the Department of Education and state Board of Education to create a plan to improve reading skills. The plan could include retention and other efforts. If the plan costs money, the board could ask lawmakers for cash to fund the program next year when lawmakers develop a new state budget.
The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
New lobbying rules passed by Senate
Lawmakers would have to wait for at least a year before becoming lobbyists if a bill that cleared the Senate becomes law.
The Senate voted unanimously for the bill, which also requires lobbyists to report gifts to lawmakers worth $50 or more.
Gifts over $100 must currently be reported.
The bill also prohibits campaign fundraising by candidates for statewide office during budget-writing legislative sessions.
The bill now moves to the House, where lawmakers have already approved a similar proposal.
Bill requires citizenship checks for state workers
The Senate approved a bill supporters say would verify the citizenship of state government workers.
The Senate voted 46-4 for the bill, which requires state agencies to verify the status of workers through the online E-Verify program. The legislation also prohibits state agencies from having public contracts with companies unless they use the online system to check the citizenship of their workers.
The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
House passes texting-while-driving ban
Popularity: 2% [?]
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