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Policy Update, March 21, 2014 
Thank you for caring about sound public policy in Indiana. Contact us anytime with your feedback or questions.

Lucinda Nord, 317-921-1394 or cell 317-502-8504
Early education is a winner this year, thanks to you!
Our highest policy priority this session, HEA1036, Child Care Development Fund Eligibility, passed out of the Senate with a 40-6 vote and out of the House with a 74-21 vote after the conference committee process. The legislation will ensure that taxpayer funds are being used at child care providers that meet common sense health and safety requirements, including child-staff ratios, annual training for staff, nutrition and daily activities. Providers have until 2015 to adopt these new requirements. Additionally, HEA1036  includes provisions that go into effect July 1, 2014, including group sizes, child abuse/neglect provisions, death and injury reporting and access to the state's immunization registry. 

Pre-kindergarten will be studied and piloted in up to five counties based on the compromise reached for HEA1004 in the final hours of the session. The pre-k pilot will target 4- and 5-year-olds whose household income is below 127% of federal poverty level (about $24,800 for a family of 3). Eligible providers may include schools or child care programs that meet the standards of Level 3 or Level 4 on the Paths To Quality program, as the higher levels require a planned curriculum consistent with early learning standards for school readiness. FSSA will administer the pilot program. There are many details yet to be determined about the implementation of the program. We will keep you posted as the pilot develops.

Many thanks to each of you who helped educate policymakers about the value of high quality early education!
Health Priority Area - Take Action Only 10 days left to enroll  
March 31 will mark the last day for open enrollment in the health insurance marketplace. Children do better in school, and families are more stable when they have health insurance. Additionally, individuals who do not have health insurance will face a penalty equal to 1% of their income on next year's tax return--unless they have a qualifying life event (marry, divorce, have a baby) or income below poverty. Not sure whether you, a family member or client qualify for tax credits or subsidies? Call 2-1-1 or visit www.healthcare.gov or attend one of the many outreach and enrollment events throughout the state. Check out the information and calendar maintained by IN211.
Add a description State Capitol Indiana General Assembly has adjourned 
The "short session" of the Indiana General Assembly concluded on March 14. Check out the Indiana General Assembly website and the links most used by our readers, including find your legislator and bills.

See our IaUW bill list. A few legislators are holding legislative wrap-up or Third House sessions
 
Be sure to thank your legislator for work that you appreciate. You may check the "roll call" to see how your legislator voted on a specific bill--in committee, on the floor in the original chamber or after the conference committee report was issued.  

 

 

Health Priority Area Healthy Indiana Plan eliminates official wait list
The Indiana Family & Social Services Administration announced that it has eliminated the wait list for the Healthy Indiana Plan, aka HIP. Budgetary resources will serve an estimated 45,000 members per month. Instead of an enrollment cap and wait list, the State is required, as a condition of its waiver extension for 2014, to submit a waiver amendment to CMS to reduce eligibility levels to slow enrollment and stay within the state's budgeted allotment. New applicants are enrolling at a rate of about 3,700 new members per month. Learn about the waiver extension. We aim to keep you informed about changes in eligibility and application processes. 
 
Note to service providers: If you have a client who has an income below 100% of poverty and who is not eligible for traditional Medicaid, encourage him/her to consider an application to HIP.  

Income Priority Area  - Take Action Provide info about housing needs in your community
The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority is seeking input for its 2014 housing plan. Take a few minutes to describe the housing needs in your community by completing this survey before April 30. Learn more about the Consolidated Plan, which combines into a single document the planning and application requirements for federal funding through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA).
Charitable Sector Priority Area Tax credits will be reviewed over five year period
Language that sunset or set expiration dates for tax credits was removed from various tax bills in the final hours of the legislative session. Instead, HEA1020 set out a process for a comprehensive review of state and local tax incentives, defined as "exemption, deduction, credit, preferential rate, or other tax benefit that is intended to alter, reward, or subsidize a particular action or behavior by the tax incentive recipient." The Legislative Services Agency (LSA) must include information about:
  • policy goals of the tax incentive;
  • its equity, simplicity, competitiveness, public purpose, adequacy and conformance with original intent;
  • numbers - applicants, applicants who qualify, applicants who are approved, taxpayers that actually claim it and who actually receives it;
  • dollar amounts, including carryover amounts (with a 5-year look-forward);
  • estimate of economic impact, including return on investment (ROI), cost-benefit comparison to income foregone, number of jobs directly created, and statement related to those approved by IN Economic Development Corporation;
  • methodology and assumptions;
  • administrative cost of tax incentive;
  • and more related to ways that could improve the incentives.
See the March 7 issue for more information. 
Charitable Sector Priority Area Indiana Tax Court rules in a nonprofit property tax exemption case
Judge Wentworth of the Indiana Tax Court ruled on a property tax exemption case. While not commenting on its specifics, the case illustrates the importance of 1) ensuring and documenting that property owned by a nonprofit is used for exempt (charitable) purposes and 2) making the case appropriately if appealing to a PTABOA (Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals). Review ruling.

View the newest Legislative Wrap-Up Webinar
IaUW partnered with Indiana Coalition for Human Services (ICHS) and Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network (NRN) to provide three webinars throughout the legislative session. The last "wrap-up" session was held on Thursday, March 20. View the recorded webinar or the slides to learn about hot topics for the human services community. 
Education Priority Area Senate passes Child Care Development Block Grant 96-2
The U.S. Senate passed the 
Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 2014, S.1086,
with a vote of 96-2. We will keep you posted as it moves to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would:
    • Reauthorize the CCDBG program for the first time since 1996;
    • Improve the health and safety of children in child care settings; 
    • Make it easier for families to get and keep the child care assistance they need;
    • Enable children to have more stable care; and 
    • Strengthen the quality of child care.
advocate
IaUW Public Policy
  
IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on programs and policies that help:
  • children prepare for and succeed in school;
  • individuals achieve and sustain financial stability;
  • individuals access quality healthcare; and
  • communities thrive, including a strong 2-1-1 network and charitable sector.
Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.
Frequently Requested Links / Documents
  
iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.
  
Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.

IN211.org - Search for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.
  
NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

Funding and Other Opportunities Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly - Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators. 

Library of Congress - Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.

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