February 13, 2009
Legislative update
SB 89 Physician admitting privileges passed the Senate Health Committee 6 - 5. ICC supports the bill because SB 89 requires that physicians performing abortion be able to continue follow-up care at a local hospital should that be necessary. SB 89 is in the interest of public health and safety.
In some instances, abortionists travel from place to place and any problems are left for local or emergency doctors to provide care.
SB 90 Abortion matters passed Senate Health Committee 6 - 5 also. SB 90 strengthens Indiana’s informed consent statute by requiring that written information be given to the mother. Currently, only oral information 18 hours prior to the abortion is required.
SB 90 requires that the mother be notified that an embryo begins development of human life at fertilization and that the fetus might feel pain. In addition to the risks of abortion, mothers are to be informed of adoption alternatives.
HB 1195 and HB 1691, dealing with concerns regarding the new system for families and individuals to access needed services, were considered by House Health Committee. After lengthy testimony, a sub committee is working to find an appropriate response by the legislature to the problems noted at the hearing. FSSA is working on improvement but systemic problems for elderly and other vulnerable people remain.
In a related bill SB 344, Restoration of county offices of family resources, passed the Senate Commerce and Public Policy Committee 10 - 0. SB 344 would eliminate authority of the division of family resources to replace county offices with regional offices.
HB 1664, Charity gaming, has not yet moved in the House, however, the author, Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper), is still working with the Gaming Commission and Rep. Van Haaften (D-Mount Vernon) on the language. But in the meantime, on a related bill in the Senate, Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) amended language from HB 1664 into SB 414, Charity gaming. It passed unanimously in the Senate Commerce and Public Policy Committee. ICC continues to work with the authors and the Gaming Commission to refine the language to be sure that it accomplishes the goal of permitting festival workers to participate in the events of the festival, except for the games at which they work.