Senate committee amends and advances large education deregulation bill; social‑emotional learning language removed

The Senate Education, Career and Technical Development Committee on March 26 considered House Bill 1002, a 135‑page package of changes to Title 20 of Indiana law that the bill sponsor described as a ‘‘deregulation’’ clean‑up. Committee members debated multiple amendments that would affect charter authorizers, school board transparency, requirements for emergency equipment, fees for non‑curricular supplies and provisions on social‑emotional learning.

The bill’s sponsor and the committee’s chair described the underlying bill as a broad rewrite and removal of outdated language across state education code; senators spent the hearing offering and voting on more than a dozen amendments before moving HB1002 as amended and recommitting it to the Committee on Appropriations.

Supporters said the bill pares back obsolete requirements and clarifies certain duties; opponents warned some changes would remove statutory protections or introduce new costs. Senator Fadi Kadura, who offered several amendments, described one proposal as ‘‘collecting information, putting that information on the website so that we can be informed when it comes to fiscal issues.’’ He argued the amendment would have the Department of Education assess whether…