So far only one bill is listed as having been enrolled which is the status of bills when they have passed both houses of the legislature, regardless of whether they have been signed by the Governor. The Legislative Services Agency maintains a list of the 2006 Enrolled Acts.
SEA 5 is the only enrolled act listed so far as an enrolled act. That is the law enhancing the penalty for committing the crimes of disorderly conduct or intimidation if the crimes are committed at or near a funeral service.
This week, the legislature will be devoted to conference committees. When a bill passes the second chamber in a form different than it passed the first chamber, a conference committee is appointed to hash out the differences. The committees are each made up of a House Republican, a House Democrat, a Senate Republican, and a Senate Democrat. They prepare a report that contains the bill in its final proposed version. That proposed version is then sent to the House and Senate for floor votes. I do not recall whether it is necessary for each member of the conference committee to sign off on a report for the report to go to a floor vote.
HB 1008 which provides for the privatization of Interstate 80/90 passed the Senate in a form significantly different than it passed the House. In the House, it seemed that one of the critical provisions that allowed passage was one that froze the level of tolls for citizens in toll road counties for 10 years. That provision was removed in the Senate and replaced with a tax credit of up to $300 for tolls paid by Indiana residents.
My guess is that the tax credit will not provide the same level of comfort to legislators in the toll road counties. Citizens will have to pay the increased tolls up front every day they drive the toll road. The added expense will be real to them. The tax credit will be more abstract and not remembered nearly as vividly by voters, if they successfully navigate the tax return process and actually receive the credit.
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