As the interim study committees wrap their meetings and submit recommendations for next year's session, leadership in the House and the Senate are also tossing around ideas about what issues to cover.

Over the next several weeks, legislators in the House and Senate will be laying out their goals for the 2010 session that begins in January.  

This time of year, it's common for legislative leaders to announce their proposals for the upcoming session, giving the public knowledge of what issues may be discussed and possibly voted on.

In the last two months of the year, legislators will be drafting ideas into bill form so that they can be introduced to the rest of the Indiana House and Senate as possible legislation in January. 

Some of these ideas come from the legislators themselves, some from conferences we've attended, and some from another state-but mostly these ideas come from constituents.

Last week several caucus leaders held press conferences to discuss legislation for 2010 and to react to each others' ideas.

Senators Long, Hershman and Kruse proposed that we delay a previously scheduled tax increase on businesses to bring stability to the suffering Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UIF).

A struggling economy and large numbers of unemployed Hoosiers have sunk the UIF into the red.

Seven months ago, the legislature working on bringing the fund back to solvency.

I couldn't support the final legislation to increase the tax during the session, because it was one of the largest tax increases on businesses at the worst possible time.

With that said, I am glad to work with my Senate colleagues as we work towards the proposed delay. Now is not the time to place any extra burdens on our struggling businesses.

Instead, stabilizing the job market will lead the way to getting the fund back in shape.

House Republican Leader Bosma also supported the tax delay, along with reemphasizing the need for a comprehensive solution to the Fund's deficit problem.

In addition, House Speaker Pat Bauer announced that he will be introducing a large ethics reform bill next year.

One of his proposals is that legislators cannot become lobbyists until one year after they stop being a publicly elected official.

Another would mandate lobbyists to report any gifts to legislators that are valued at $50 or more. Currently, gifts only have to be reported if they are $100 or more.

I am very much in support of each of these ideas and pleasantly surprised that the Speaker is joining us in the area of ethic reform.  We began our work on ethic issues and open government in the 2005 General Assembly. 

And actually, just last year, many legislators filed both of these proposals and Speaker Bauer did not allow them to progress through the legislative process.

You can see that even though this is a short session, many issues of interest are moving forward.

I will continue to let you know as we move to the end of the year the other ideas that will be discussed in the upcoming session.  

Soon we will be mailing out our 2010 legislative survey questions.  This is a great opportunity for you to share your ideas and concerns. 

And thanks to everyone who has already sent in the comment cards! It is so helpful to know what my constituents' views are as I cast votes which represent you on the House floor.

You know, it's often ideas from constituents that help to craft our proposals. Who knows- maybe one of your thoughts will end up as a new law for Indiana!

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