The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 212, Sen. Miller’s bill on inmates and Medicaid. The bill authorizes the Department of Correction to act as an inmate’s representative for Medicaid and to authorize a sheriff to act as Medicaid representative for persons detained in the jail pending trial. Testimony was received about the amounts the State and counties will s … [Read more...] about Inmates and Medicaid
Criminal
Mental health drugs
The Health and Provider Services Committee heard SB 464 authored by Sen. Patricia Miller on mental health drugs. The bill was prepared at the request of Attorney General Zoeller and the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force in response to epidemic prescription opioid abuse. The bill provides that addictions counseling, inpatient detoxification services, and long-acting, non-addictive … [Read more...] about Mental health drugs
Death penalty aggravator
The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 8, Sen. Steele’s bill to amend the death penalty statute, I.C. 35-50-2-9, to add decapitation or attempted decapitation of the victim as a death penalty aggravator. In discussion, Committee members agreed with Sen. Steele that decapitation might possibly be found to not be incorporated in the present death penalty a … [Read more...] about Death penalty aggravator
Possession of paraphernalia
The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 37, Sen. Bray’s bill to amend the possession of paraphernalia statute by removing possession of “raw material” as a basis for liability. Several amendments to the bill were presented by Sen. Bray and adopted by consent: (1) “rolling paper” was defined and removed from the paraphernalia definition; (2) the I.C. 35-48-4-3 Class … [Read more...] about Possession of paraphernalia
DOC specialized vocational program
The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 173, Sen. R. Michael Young’s bill to establish a DOC specialized vocational program. Sen. Young explained that the bill would require the DOC to establish a program to train minimum-security offenders in trades such as truck driving, manufacturing, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. Sen. Young said that the Department … [Read more...] about DOC specialized vocational program