Statehouse Report 18
June 15, 2009
The General Assembly Reconvenes
The Indiana General Assembly convened its special legislative session on Thursday, June 11 for the purpose of passing a biennial budget bill. After introducing the budget bill on Thursday, HB 1001 (ss), the bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for hearings. On Friday, the Committee met, deliberated, but has yet to take a vote to move it to the floor of the House.
Summary of Higher Education Provisions in Introduced House Budget Bill
1. The bill only covers one fiscal year, so all appropriations are for FY 2010 only.
2. University operating appropriations are increased by 2 percent and consist of state general fund appropriations and federal State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) Part A funds. The percentage of total funding from SFSF varies by campus.
3. Indiana Innovation Alliance funding totals $35 million as requested using SFSF Part B funds.
4. R&R is funded using SFSF Part B dollars at 50 percent of the current biennial formula amount totaling $12.6 million for IU's system. Capital project authorizations include:
- Northwest Tamarack Hall Replacement, $33.0 million
- Bloomington Life Sciences Lab Renovations, $10.0 million
- Bloomington Cyber Infrastructure, $35.7 million
- Indianapolis Life Sciences Lab Renovations, $10.0 million
- Indianapolis Neurosciences II, $33.0 million
5. The capital projects included in the FY 2007-09 biennial budget bill but not yet reviewed and approved were re-authorized:
- South Bend Arts Building, $27.0 million
- Indianapolis Neuroscience I, $20.0 million
6. SSACI's Frank O'Bannon and 21st Century Scholars grant programs receive a large increase in funding using $105 million of SFSF Part B funds.
Next Steps
The House budget will likely be voted out of the House Ways and Means Committee during the week of June 15. It will then be eligible for second reading on the floor of the House, at which time amendments will be considered. Finally, third reading and final passage in the House will occur, likely by the end of the week. This will trigger the same process in the Senate, most likely during the week of June 22. This schedule would provide a few days time for final negotiations on a bill prior to the beginning of the new biennium on July 1.
