Indiana senators sit through lengthy discussion on a bill loosening employment restrictions for teenagers on Tuesday, March 5. Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz of the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz and Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — Senate Democrats maintained fierce opposition to legislation loosening Indiana’s child labor laws, while their Republican colleagues took the opportunity to shore up their conservative credentials.

The Senate also approved proposals dealing with education, pensions, land purchases, public access laws and birth control, just in time for a deadline. Senators altered all of those bills, so they head back to the House for consent to the changes.

Sen. Brian Buchanan, R-Lebanon, dubbed House Bill 1093, which he sponsored, a “teenage workforce bill” aligning Indiana’s more stringent laws with federal requirements.

It would relax a variety of limits on the hours children aged 14-16 can work, including for gigs “dangerous to life or limb.” It would also exempt 16- and 17-year-olds working in agriculture from a ban on minors working in “hazardous” jobs.

The legislation also would introduce labor law carveouts for children working as actors, newspaper carriers, evergreen wreath producers, or for companies their parents at least partially own. Another carveout caters to children excused from compulsory school attendance, and largely applies to kids in Amish communities.

Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, called the changes “irresponsible and dystopian” before chiding lawmakers for not strengthening punishments for problematic employers.

“We shouldn’t be solving our workforce problem on the backs of children,” she added, suggesting that Indiana instead add to its work-based learning initiatives.

Republicans rebuffed those criticisms, emphasizing the value of work for young Hoosiers.

Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, said he started working as a newspaper carrier at 10, and has held two jobs at a time for most of his working life since.

“What I learned is: sleep is overrated. You can do what you decide you want to do,” Crider said. He said he earned good grades and played sports while working.

Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said he was “disappointed in the rhetoric” espoused by opponents.

“Work is good. We’re not doing this to solve the employer’s problem. We’re doing this to give kids opportunities,” he said.

The legislation passed on a 39-9 vote, along party lines.

Priority Measures Move

Also in the Senate chamber, lawmakers voted Tuesday, March 5, to advance House Bill 1001, a Republican priority measure, in a 42-6 vote. The work-based learning proposal builds off a massive 2023 bill that put in motion statewide career-centered education and training programs.

The new legislation seeks to expand education scholarship accounts to siblings of those who already qualify. Currently, ESAs are only available for students who require special education services.

As of November, the Indiana Treasurer of State reported that 431 students were participating in the ESA program — up from 143 students in 2023. State expenditures for those students is about $5 million, in addition to $500,000 used by the state office to administer the program. A legislative fiscal note predicts the number of ESA students will likely increase over the next few years, but did not provide a cost estimate for additional student participation.

Also included in the bill are changes to applications for career scholarships accounts, which allow students to complete hands-on training like apprenticeships, rather than traditional college degrees. GOP lawmakers said they want to make the application process easier.

House Bill 1001 additionally creates a “Training Grant Program and Fund” to provide career training grants to non-college bound students, but Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, noted state dollars would not “potentially” be appropriated until the 2025 budget session.

A debated previous provision to allow high school graduates to use money from the 21st Century Scholars program and Frank O’Bannon grants for work-based training was deleted in the Senate, however.

Republican lawmakers said another priority measure, House Bill 1003, will create a “more efficient” and balanced administrative appeals process by making Indiana’s Office of Administrative Law the “ultimate authority” on disputes between agencies and members of the public.

Currently, those rulings are not final and still have to go back to the agency for approval, placing them in limbo. The bill also eliminates judicial deference to agencies on their interpretations of statutes.

Democrats, however, worried the bill would weaken certain government rulings, such as those from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. It passed 40-7.

A Plan For Government Workers, Retired And Still Serving

A proposal offering Indiana’s public retirees a long-term plan to guarantee additional benefits lost support from both Republicans and Democrats — but easily cleared the Senate.

Some lawmakers were disappointed it no longer includes financial help this year.

A Senate committee last week stripped an immediate 13th check for all retirees out of House Bill 1004 and replaced it with a future mechanism offering public employees retired before July 1, 2025 annual 13th checks. Those retired after that date would get 1% cost-of-living adjustments.

Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, said he liked that the plan addresses the concerns of both long-retired and younger Hoosiers, who typically prefer different benefit bonus types.

Although some lawmakers wanted both the short- and long-term help, others wanted to focus on paying off pension liabilities first.

The legislation, originally a House GOP priority bill, passed the Senate in a 42-6 vote.

Republican Sens. Eric Bassler, Dan Dernulc, Freeman, Mark Messmer and Mike Young voted in opposition, as did Democrat Sen. Lonnie Randolph.

Hotly Debated Contraceptive Bill Moves

Senators spoke passionately on a proposal meant to help women on Medicaid access long-acting, reversible contraceptives – specifically the subdermal implant. Hospitals would be required to stock the implants, and to offer them to Hoosiers after childbirth.

A House committee removed intrauterine devices from House Bill 1426 after a dispute about whether they’re abortifacients. Both hormonal and copper IUDs block sperm from fertilizing an egg, thus preventing pregnancy, according to the Yale School of Medicine’s clinical practice arm.

Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said the bill became a “pawn to push the false claims of some.” Yoder said she was disappointed in messaging to Hoosier women that “something is better than nothing.”

She has been one of the most outspoken critics of the amendment that removed IUDs, in direct contrast to House Democrats, who back whatever version of the bill can get support from the Republican supermajorities in both chambers and eventually become law.

“If this Legislature throws a few scraps – instead of the full spectrum of care – we’re supposed to say ‘Thank you,’ sit down and be quiet. I am not going to do that,” Yoder continued. “And I’m tired of women … not being treated as deserving of all science and all medical care.”

Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, forcefully rejected that argument, but said she’d still vote in opposition because of the possible impact on Medicaid as the state struggles to patch a $1 billion budget hole.

The Legislation passed on a narrow 30-18 vote, with lawmakers of both parties voting for and against it.