(STATEHOUSE) Jan. 4, 2005 - Republicans of Indiana's House of Representatives opened the 2005 session of the Indiana General Assembly with an unprecedented amount of activity that focuses on making the legislative process more open and more effective. Speaker of the House Brian C. Bosma announced major initiatives that include allowing the public to view proceedings on the House floor via the Internet. Speaker Bosma also announced a series of Legislative Town Hall Meetings that the House Republican Caucus will conduct throughout Indiana.

"For years we have advocated measures to make state government more effective, more efficient, and more citizen-friendly. Now that we are in the position to do so, we are eager to hit the ground running and live up to the expectations we have set for ourselves," said Speaker Bosma.

House Republicans are setting a record pace to hear and move legislation efficiently and effectively to turn Indiana in a new direction with their top priorities of job creation, spending restraint, and government efficiency. Speaker Bosma announced that two key bills would be heard in committees today, the first day of the session, during a week largely reserved for ceremonial and administrative matters in prior legislative sessions.

This afternoon, the Financial Institutions Committee will hear House Bill 1021 which contains a technical change in response to language passed last year in HEA 1229, the Predatory Lending Bill. Without the change, consumers will incur increased mortgage interest charges.

Also on this first day of session, the Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee will hear House Bill 1003 to accelerate the new Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDCorp.). The IEDCorp. is a House Republican initiative, passed in 2003, that creates a public/private partnership to replace the Department of Commerce as the entity to plan and implement Indiana's economic development efforts. HB 1003 will move the effective date from July 1, 2005 to upon passage of the bill. It also changes the membership of the IEDCorp. board to 11 members appointed by the Governor and the Governor, who will serve as Chairman of the Board. Current law set the board at 23 members.

In an effort to take the Statehouse to the citizens, six Legislative Town Hall Meetings will begin on Friday, Feb. 4 in Evansville. They will be held throughout the state by local Republican State Representatives, Committee Chairs, and
Speaker Bosma. (A complete schedule is attached) The meetings will be open to the public and will allow Hoosiers to ask questions, raise concerns, and discuss the key legislative items being debated at the Statehouse. More meetings will be added after the legislative session is completed, but all Hoosiers can now see what goes on in their State Capitol through their computer.

Since 2001, audio of debate in the legislature has been available on the internet. Now, for the first time, Hoosiers will be able to view the proceedings of each day's legislative session in real time via streaming video. The public may access House floor activity by accessing the state's website at www.in.gov/legislative . The schedule for the Indiana House of Representatives legislative sessions are as follows:

Monday Session begins at 1: 30 p.m.
Tuesday Session begins at 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday No Session - Designated as a Committee Day only
Thursday Session begins at 1:30 p.m.
Friday No Session

"Most Hoosiers view the General Assembly as a place of mystery, not knowing exactly what takes place behind the Statehouse walls. Today signals a major step forward to open government," said Speaker Bosma. "Our goal is to continue in our reform efforts and to bring state government back to the people, where it belongs."

"I would also like to thank the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunications System (IHETS) for their efforts to make this happen and Access Indiana for making this available on the State's Website," concluded Bosma.