[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6118564,"mediaKeyId","2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe","parentId",2723415,"title","Committee approves bill barring state agencies from opening offices in listed foreign adversaries","audioSeconds",314,"startMs",2602000,"endMs",2916000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe&start=2602&end=2916","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe/thumbnail_2602000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6118564/Indiana/Committee-approves-bill-barring-state-agencies-from-opening-offices-in-listed-foreign-adversaries","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118564-c687bfe9fc612ad9eda1febb608c3477/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173091&Signature=leKSLFQHbXc3fPK0b5taHifUtSeSQZBMEL0a~vTUOSWr-xm75uiFv54~G7RhjvZc7D~WHFCeQ5Wndk0611xwc2L-BbbW1lPc3NXTzGutj-Xx06hCIpyGWKxeHRSdnjjAoEuC4CU~u6CPhCEe63zxAB2KqjkHmgI6xJXNm34ThIr1XyZDxVHV6W8-ly6K4WmjW1KYPKDrsahmVOo3qyOUiiNbOVeksDc8LlTubmA-Ie~C1YvLqDDReDeXn5ljNYdBD~hy3xhfwKSS40y-RWnNNA4f5OQmh2Or6Rf1NVWkrQI4QLHgUvCaroKn7uw~lLyELeOFNKlYS3EjMUTDKDXjWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Indiana Legislature","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Commons presented House Bill 1103, which the sponsor said would bar Indiana state agencies from establishing offices in countries designated in the bill as foreign adversaries and would make technical corrections to a cited federal code section. \"House bill 11 o 3 would seek to bar state agencies from establishing offices in deemed foreign adversaries,\" the sponsor said, and noted the bill updates language tied to 15 CFR 791.4 (as cited in the hearing).

Representative Commons identified the countries named in the bill as North Korea, China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba during committee remarks. He told the committee the measure responds in part to a past Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) presence in Beijing: he said the IEDC had operated an office in Beijing and that the office was closed on June 30, 2024.

Committee exchange and clarifications: Committee members asked whether the bill would affect ongoing business relationships and how the statute treats Taiwan or Hong Kong; the sponsor said businesses remain free to operate with foreign partners and that the bill only restricts establishment of taxpayer‑funded offices in the listed adversary countries. On Taiwan, the sponsor told the committee the state operates an office in Taiwan and that the existing code language does not require separate definition of Taiwan for Indiana law.

Committee action: The committee moved, seconded and called the roll; the measure passed the committee with a recorded vote of 9 in favor, 0 opposed and was reported to the next stage of the legislative process.

What the bill does not do: It does not criminalize private business dealings with listed countries nor does it prohibit private or federal diplomacy. The sponsor emphasized the restriction applies to taxpayer‑funded state agency offices rather than private sector activity.

Next steps: With committee approval, HB1103 proceeds for further consideration by the full chamber.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Commerce and Technology - 03/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1103 would bar state agencies from establishing taxpayer‑funded offices in countries listed as foreign adversaries (as cited in the bill language); the committee approved the measure 9-0 after discussion of prior agency activity in China and technical updates to a federal citation.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature IN, Indiana","taxId",77679,"location","Indiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6118570,"Committee OKs bill directing Office of Technology to seek input on blockchain uses for specified agencies",291,2268000,2559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe&start=2268&end=2559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe/thumbnail_2268000.jpg","/articles/6118570/Indiana/Committee-OKs-bill-directing-Office-of-Technology-to-seek-input-on-blockchain-uses-for-specified-agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118570-795f17b50631a1f3314f9fe0dc86d571/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173091&Signature=XasaT3E6P9gurYYmuoBhjspHef97hrMxP8Mj4tdfRYpK~gp4b57Eh9GvF31vAfXEoq8XZMcHdvKyaYqIEaXN5oTw3v0nCp8pPwPievfI3MMIDXQcl7tUu2VMeDe4uIKiYWUEyCTJOgu9~lFuX-XWG8Xec~wLxPfIF3ElpqJXOyw7n9yEjEhbCuCENN95FjrI83Au4tTKUd8wNks6xNHS-J4vKNMXjOX2ENkscABnL-BxfFNqa0JrGeJsyrPdpPc2NMBSLLuEEdNTB19k5rZyYqLzFGbxUPceOqpfcAiGKr1M1fqaS1eNZPXjxgY-NrhrcC8xLAfstV1U6gvLXDhBFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Teschka presented House Bill 1322 as a narrowly framed request-for-information (RFI) measure for the Indiana Office of Technology (IOT). \"This bill, I think, is a simple bill,\" he told the committee, explaining the request would focus on applications for four agencies: the Secretary of State, Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and Department of Child Services (DCS).

The sponsor said the legislation is intended to surface ways distributed‑ledger technology (commonly called blockchain) could strengthen data security, improve customer convenience and create administrative efficiencies. Teschka described blockchain’s technical premise and possibilities for government use: \"Each block in the chain has a hash and it's like a digital fingerprint and it points to the next block,\" he said, and added the committee could consider applications beyond cryptocurrency such as timestamping records, smart contracts and secure custody of sensitive data.

Committee discussion and context: Committee members acknowledged the technology is new to many legislators and praised the sponsor’s concise approach. Senator Ford cited a public example — Baltimore’s use of blockchain to track vacant properties — as a potential analogy for Indiana applications. No outside witnesses registered to testify; the bill’s focus and technical framing kept discussion limited to potential agency use cases.

Committee action: The committee moved and seconded the bill and then called the roll. The committee reported the bill favorably; initial roll call showed 8 in favor with 0 opposed and the final reported vote was recorded as 9 in favor, 0 opposed after the committee held the vote open briefly.

What the bill does not do: The RFI requirement asks for information and options; it does not itself authorize procurement, require agency adoption, or allocate implementation funding. Representative Teschka emphasized the goal is to gather expertise about possible applications and tradeoffs.

Next steps: With committee approval, the bill proceeds for further consideration by the full chamber. If enacted, IOT would issue the RFI and report back to inform future policy or procurement decisions.

","House Bill 1322 would authorize an RFI for distributed‑ledger (blockchain) solutions to improve efficiency, data security and customer experience at selected state agencies; the Commerce and Technology Committee reported the bill favorably, 9-0.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6118575,"Senate committee advances bill to create Indiana–Ireland Trade Commission",2245,2000,2247000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe&start=2&end=2247","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2723415-de3ea4fa2cf06d26f9200fe785ac5dbe/thumbnail_2000.jpg","/articles/6118575/Indiana/Senate-committee-advances-bill-to-create-IndianaIreland-Trade-Commission","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118575-3c19b7b7ec66e9230d4d8571ec683ebf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173091&Signature=FJgxi16ddOjYS8ADC69ky8AqnJLps2onKFcEr8uQw1wc3cMM5xLQmQJIONNfJEFz95MwfMyjc~hcZisUWQhGJhgu8OWHoiIGjsQdofQphS3EEb0DIi~h3q7fP-NcHQHPxZWqMZo1m2736dJhRANRy2qTDWsuWlPBy~jGq~1VRiVsRNqBRpmi~rSjcjBRBClbnZ19Jpc~Vt0u~swtKjWw33rzaIJnPEVTLLYS4mpfEiXwezoJ2jbc0SaQ1W3K4N6nekBvHsDNVFudFyhaDIQ2udTB-5kekBB9Y6gmOfcr4S0UalOCP0Ul31cSoW~G9UbnDl3miYEyctCDjQFFRZC6pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Tim O'Brien, a sponsor of House Bill 1489, told the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee the bill would “establish the Indiana Ireland Trade Commission and open new doors for economic growth, cultural exchange, and educational collaboration between our state and Ireland.”

The bill would create a formal state-level commission to promote trade, investment, workforce links and educational exchanges between Indiana and Ireland. O'Brien told the committee Indiana already hosts dozens of Ireland‑based firms and that the state and Ireland have deep economic ties: “Indiana, its largest trade partner is Ireland to the tune of $20,800,000,000 when it comes to imports,” he said.

Why it matters: Supporters said a commission would be a permanent vehicle to connect Indiana businesses, universities and state agencies with Irish counterparts, and to promote inbound investment. Senator Mark Daly, leader of Ireland’s Senate, said Ireland can serve as “the gateway to the European Union market of 27 member states,” allowing Indiana products and services easier access to EU markets. Daly and former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern — both invited as guests to the hearing — emphasized ties that supporters said extend beyond trade to education and political exchange.

Business and civic testimony: Ten witnesses representing business, higher education and Irish‑heritage organizations presented in favor of the bill. Kevin Murray, who said he worked in the Indiana Senate and also with Irish consular contacts, described growing links between Indiana and Ireland and the arrival of direct flights from Indianapolis to Dublin; Bill Stinson of the Indianapolis Airport Authority entered a letter from the airport’s executive director noting Aer Lingus will begin four weekly nonstop flights from Indianapolis to Dublin on May 3. representatives of Eli Lilly, the University of Notre Dame, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Ancient Order of Hibernians also voiced support. Susan Brock Williams of Eli Lilly told the committee the company has a near‑50‑year presence in Ireland and is planning a $2,000,000,000 biotech campus in County Limerick.

Committee action: After testimony the committee voted to move the bill. The committee roll called an initial voice/roll vote and later closed the vote; the final committee vote on House Bill 1489 was 9 in favor, 0 opposed. The committee held the bill open briefly to allow one senator to return and then reported the measure out of committee.

Discussion and context: Supporters said the commission would facilitate regular exchanges by legislators and business delegations, help state agencies coordinate on trade issues and expand student and research partnerships with Irish institutions. Senator Daly and Mr. Ahern asked legislators to view the commission as a tool for sustained engagement: Ahern described the initiative as “about friendship, it’s about business, about culture, it’s about education,” and urged passage.

What the bill does not do: The legislation as presented sets up a commission to promote ties; witnesses did not identify specific, guaranteed budget appropriations or statutory mandates directing state agency actions beyond participation and collaboration. Committee members asked no questions that changed the bill’s scope during the hearing.

Next steps: With committee approval, the bill moves to the next stage of the legislative process for further consideration by the full chamber.

","The Senate Commerce and Technology Committee advanced House Bill 1489 to establish an Indiana–Ireland Trade Commission, with supporters saying the body would deepen economic, educational and cultural ties; the measure passed the committee unanimously, 9-0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves bill barring state agencies from opening offices in listed foreign adversaries

Committee OKs bill directing Office of Technology to seek input on blockchain uses for specified agencies

Senate committee advances bill to create Indiana–Ireland Trade Commission