The Indiana General Assembly has kicked off the 2018 legislative session, and the House of Representatives is ready to focus on policies that invest in the future of Indiana. In addition to improving Indiana’s workforce, attacking the opioid epidemic, and addressing important education issues, I am working on a few bill proposals to benefit our district.
This session, I authored legislation that could reduce government interference in local matters. House Bill 1023 would make changes to annexation remonstrance waivers and provide municipalities more opportunities to negotiate terms with other property owners between townships. This means that if a municipality wants to expand services to a property outside its boundaries, the property owner will have the opportunity to negotiate and agree upon terms instead of being forced into annexation.
By changing one word in the current statute, this legislation would give locals more control to decide what works best for both parties.
This session, I am also authoring House Bill 1058, which will provide information on influenza and influenza vaccinations to residents of assisted living facilities. If passed into law, the bill would require assisted living operators to provide residents specific information pertaining to influenza and influenza vaccinations.
For residents in assisted living, influenza can be a matter of life or death. More than 90 percent of deaths caused by influenza occur in individuals over the age of 65. This bill would better ensure that residents are aware of important information regarding their health during flu season.