INDIANAPOLIS – IPFW Chancellor Michael Wartell could retain his job under a bill the Indiana Senate approved 49-1 Monday.
Senate Bill 155 prohibits state universities from using age to remove those in high policy-making positions.
Both Indiana University and Purdue University have policies that force high-ranking officials to retire from their administrative jobs when they reach 65.
“It’s rather simple, and it ends what I call a very arbitrary process requiring deans to step down because of a birthday,” said Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford. “It still allows them to be removed for cause but not merely because they have reached the age of 65.”
Under Purdue’s guidelines Wartell, who turned 65 in November, is required to retire in June. But the bill would be effective upon passage by the full legislature, the latest of which would be in mid-March.
Senate Bill 155 now moves to the House. All area senators supported the legislation.
Several groups have taken issue with the policy and have lobbied for Wartell to stay on at least past the school’s 50th-anniversary celebration during the 2014-15 school year. But the Purdue Board of Trustees, while lauding Wartell’s achievements during his 19 years at IPFW, has stood firm.
Steele filed the bill because the policy could affect the dean of IU’s School of Law in Indianapolis later this year. But he agreed to an amendment moving up the effective date to aid Wartell.
Car dealer measure
The Indiana House on Monday adopted an amendment sought by Rep. Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, to delay the effective date of a bill interceding in a dispute between two Fort Wayne car dealers.
DeHaven’s Summit City Chevrolet has filed a court action to block Kelley Chevrolet from moving to a new site based on a state law that limits locating dealerships of the same manufacturer within a certain radius.
Kelley contends the law is unfair because his dealership would technically be moving slightly farther away from Summit City, who claims by drive time the two dealerships would be much closer.
GiaQuinta’s bill originally would have changed the law retroactively to end the lawsuit in Kelley’s favor.
But he said Monday there has been some concern about involving the legislature in a pending lawsuit. By moving the effective date until July 1 it would give the sides time to mediate and for the court to rule. But if the lawsuit is pending, the new law would govern.
A full vote on House Bill 1171 is expected today.
High-fenced hunting
Gov. Mitch Daniels made clear Monday that he supports retaining a ban on high-fenced hunting even though the Department of Natural Resources was silent on a bill legalizing the practice last week.
House Bill 1265 would not only legitimize four disputed facilities already operating under a legal injunction but open up the industry for anyone to establish a preserve where hunters can pay money to shoot commercially raised deer behind fences.
Daniels said Monday his position hasn’t changed since he signed the ban into law through the rule-making process in 2006. He acknowledged it might have been better for DNR officials to make that clear at a hearing on the bill.
“I think we’ve come to the right answer, and I certainly haven’t changed my viewpoint at all,” he said. “That rule is still in place and is going to stay there.”
Nepotism curbs pass
The Indiana House voted 70-26 Monday to crack down on nepotism and conflict in local government – with some exceptions.
House Bill 1005 prohibits an employee of a governmental unit from serving on an elected body of that unit.
The most common example would be police and firefighters not being allowed to serve on city and town councils.
The legislation would allow those currently in those positions to fulfill their term. But if they are re-elected, they would have to resign their other employment.
The nepotism portion of the bill says local officials can’t hire family members who will be in their direct line of supervision. It makes several exemptions – wives of sheriffs are allowed to be jail matrons; coroners who are term-limited may work for a family member who is elected; and a township trustee can hire one family member if their office is in their home.
Others also pointed out that as long as someone else directly supervises the relatives, an official can still hire multiple family members.
Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, said he could support a clean nepotism and conflict bill but doesn’t like exempting some positions for unclear reasons.
“And we don’t even trust our voters,” he said, noting that the electorate should be able to elect an employee to a council if the relationship is clear when running.
The only area lawmaker to vote “no” was Rep. Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne.
The bill now moves to the Senate.
Sex trafficking law
Daniels signed the first bill of the legislative session into law Monday – a measure meant to crack down on human sex trafficking during Indianapolis’ Super Bowl.
“Indiana … will have a new law that makes it easier to prosecute these crimes and toughens our penalties,” he said.
Daniels said he hopes the new law works as a deterrent against exploiting young boys and girls in the sex trade during the Super Bowl and in the future.
The bill makes it a felony to recruit, harbor or transport a child younger than 16 with the intent to engage in prostitution. It also increases the penalty for anyone who sells or transfers custody of a child.
Municipal hopefuls
The Indiana House voted 96-0 Monday to reverse a law passed last year removing unopposed municipal candidates from appearing on the ballot.
House Bill 1004 was brought after the law was passed last year in part to save money by eliminating the need to print some ballots.
Rep. Kathy Richardson, R-Noblesville, does give county election boards the option to leave the unopposed candidates off with a unanimous vote.
Concerns about the new law led to individual communities taking their own action last year – some seeking judicial intervention and others choosing to ignore the law.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where a similar bill has already passed.
