17 Hoosier Banker January 2015 January heralds the start of a new session for the Indiana General Assembly. In odd-numbered years, the General Assembly is constitutionally required to adopt a two-year budget for the state. Revenue returns for Indiana have fared better than those of neighboring states, yet have underperformed the expectations of the State Budget Committee. Almost every special interest group will be lobbying for an allotment of money for their causes, but fiscal leaders have cautioned that there will not be much money to spread around. There is a firmly stated desire, by both parties and the governor, to increase funding to education. Expect education funding to be the foremost issue for the 2015 session. Additionally the topic of Sunday sales, i.e. take-home alcohol sold in stores on Sundays, is expected to be a hot topic. Indiana is the only remaining state in the nation that does not allow stores to sell alcohol on Sundays. Much of the political focus in Indiana and nationwide during 2015 will be on the presidential race. Pundits will be watching closely to see whether Gov. Mike Pence enters the presidential race. If Gov. Pence does enter the race, there will be a scramble to see whose name rises to the top of the list to replace him as governor. The banking lobby is anticipating another busy session. Major topics include a recalibration of the foreclosure process, legislation addressing abandoned housing and a bill to clean up the fast-track legislation from the 2014 session. Your IBA Government Relations Team also will be working with the attorney general on his proposal to expand the state law that governs the Service Members Civil Relief Act. Additionally the IBA is partnering with the Indiana Builders Association and with Rep. Eric Koch to introduce legislation to eliminate patent trolls. We also expect legislation that will expand the investment opportunities for public deposits. IBA will strongly oppose any attempts to remove deposits from Indiana depositories in order to move them into risky investments. IBA-member banks can stay engaged by following legislative updates through the weekly IBA E-News, Voter Voice, the IBA website and by subscribing to the IBA Insighter. For more information or to subscribe, contact Josh Myers at 317-917-8047, email: jmyers@ indianabankers.org. We will be working throughout this session in our mission to advocate for and sustain an environment in which banks can success. t GR SPOTLIGHT About the Author Amber R. Van Til, JD, is senior vice presidentgovernment relations of the Indiana Bankers Association. She can be reached at 317-917-8047, email: avantil@indianabankers.org. The 2015 Indiana Political Horizon
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