INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Virtual learning was unavoidable for schools in Indiana in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, Indiana lawmakers want to make sure schools that conducted remote learning receive full funding for that instruction.
A bill defining “virtual instruction” for the purposes of tuition support has passed through both the Senate and the House in Indianapolis and is now headed to Governor Holcomb’s desk.
The bill would ensure that schools receive full funding for the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, which consisted of mostly remote learning days for many school corporations.
Senator Jon Ford is a co-author of the bill.
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From funding to safety, another school-related bill has made some progress in the Statehouse this session.
The bill specifies that a registered owner of a vehicle commits an infraction if a school bus stop arm violation is made in that vehicle.
The bill allows the owner a defense if the vehicle was stolen, is regularly rented out, or was being driven by an employee of the registered owner.
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles would not assess points for the infraction, and the infraction itself would not create a presumption of liability in a civil action.
The bill passed the Senate in February and just passed through a House committee Thursday.
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Economic recovery for small businesses is also a big topic at the Statehouse this session.
The pandemic’s impact on small Hoosier businesses spurred one bill creating the Hoosier Hospitality Small Business Restart Grant Program.
The program would provide grants to eligible entities to help with the economic recovery process. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation would administer would award the grants.
The bill made its way through the House early on in the session, and recently passed through the Senate as well, sending it back to the House with amendments and bringing it one step closer to becoming law.
For a full list of bills still being considered at the Statehouse, visit the Indiana General Assembly’s website.
