The Indiana Publisher

Page 2 February 2022 HSPA Board of Directors HSPA Foundation Board Members Alan Achkar, South Bend Tribune Bill Hackney, e La Porte County Herald-Dispatch (Michigan City) and e Rochester Sentinel Don Hurd, Hoosier Media Group Gillian Kelk, Sullivan Daily Times Brenda McLane, Hometown Media Group Mark Miller, e News-Banner (Bluon) Kathy Tretter, Ferdinand News and Spencer County Leader (Rockport) HSPA Board Members Nathan Feltman, Indianapolis Business Journal Bud Hunt, AIM Media Indiana Curt Kovener, e Crothersville Times Robert Shegog, Indianapolis Recorder Chris White, e Times Media Co. HSPA Board of Directors HSPA Officers President: Larry Hensley, e Hoosier Times HSPA Foundation Board of Directors HSPA Foundation Officers President: Robyn McCloskey, CNHI HSPA Staff Steve Key, executive director, general counsel skey@hspa.com (317) 803-4772 Amelia McClure, government relations counsel admclure@hspa.com (317) 803-4772 Pamela Lego, director of operations plego@hspa.com (812) 350-7711 Shawn Goldsby, business manager sgoldsby@hspa.com (317) 803-4772 Ruth Witmer, communications specialist news@hspa.com (812) 855-5898 the curriculum information if the records requester has access to the materials on a computer. HSPA has been told the rationale was to relieve an expected burden that will be placed on school officials one this material goes online. HSPA believes the premise is flawed and the language sets a bad precedent to allow public agencies to deflect requests for public records. HSPA has discussed its con- cern with author Rep. Tony Cook, R-Cicero, and sponsor Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger. Sen. Rogers said the bill will be amended before any vote by the Senate Education and Career Development Committee and that she believes the amend- ment will remove the section that HSPA opposes. The House passed the bill, 60-37. H.B. 1247 – HSPA will support this bill that will increase the amount of information required in the statewide child fatality review committee's annual report. HSPA talked to bill author Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, about the genesis of this legisla- tion. Rep. Lauer wants to collect more data to help legisla- tors shape future policy towards the care of children in need of services and how the state Department of Child Services operates. The House passed the bill, 90-0. The sponsor is Sen. Jon Ford, R-Terre Haute. S.B. 83 – Similar to H.B. 1130, this bill would require school boards to afford pub- lic comment at their meet- ings. S.B. 83 includes charter schools in this change to the Open Door Law. HSPA was asked to help with an amendment to the bill by author Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg. The Senate passed the bill 45-4. HSPA will support this bill in the House. The bill's spon- sor is Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis. S.B. 117 – This bill would make confidential identifying information about children who are victims of crime. Author Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Indianapolis, met with HSPA and amended the bill in an attempt to address con- cerns. HSPA believes the impact of the language changing the Access to Public Records Act still goes beyond the intent to change what police are required to make public under that statute's "daily log or report" requirement for law enforcement agencies. The Senate passed the bill, 46-0. The sponsor is Rep. Stephen Bartels, R-Eckerty. HSPA testified about its concern before the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee, chaired by Rep. Randy Frye, R-Greensburg. Rep. Frye asked Sen. Walker and Rep. Bartels to meet with HSPA and Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (AIM) on a potential amendment. AIM is the entity pushing for this change to the state's access law. S.B. 237 – This bill requires government units to post their meeting agendas 48 hours in advance of public meetings. Current law only requires the agenda, if there is one used, to be posted at the door outside of the meeting room prior to the start of that meeting. HSPA is supportive of this bill's intent, but wants to dis- cuss with author Sen, Kevin, Boehnlein, R-Clarksville, a public notice concern the bill raises by making Facebook an eligible location for the place- ment of public notices. The Senate passed the bill, 49-0. The spon- sor is Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart. There is talk about an amend- ment to S.B. 237 that may address HSPA's concern. S.B. 358 – HSPA is try- ing to assess the impact of this data protection bill on newspapers ability to maintain information about subscribers or visitors to their websites for purposes of better serving readers and providing advertising/ marketing opportuni- ties for local busi- nesses. Once the impact has been determined, HSPA will be ready to talk to bill author Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, and spon- sor Rep. Bob Morris, R-Fort Wayne. The Senate passed S.B. 358, 49-0. Bills Continued from Page 1 e Indiana Publisher is published monthly by the Hoosier State Press Association, 429 E. Vermont St. #206 Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 Rogers Miller Bartels Leising Brown Lauer

• Cover