THE RAATZ ROUNDUP
Submitted for use on March 11, 2022
Word Count: 335
Just as quickly as it began, the 2022 legislative session has come to an end. The Indiana General Assembly tackled a variety of issues, and I am happy to see a number of important initiatives pass.
We started with a total of 849 bills introduced—417 Senate bills and 432 House bills. Of those, 177 bills passed the General Assembly—95 Senate bills and 82 House bills. Additionally, 92% of the bills passed with bipartisan support upon final passage in the Senate, and 59% received unanimous support upon final passage in the Senate. It is rewarding to see such a high percentage of bills receive bipartisan and unanimous support.
I am proud to see legislation I have supported head to the governor's desk and be signed into law, including Senate Enrolled Act 246 and House Enrolled Act 1116.
SEA 246 creates a new fund for individuals to donate money when purchasing a new license plate. Donations help Hoosier foster children obtain and afford car insurance, as it is often very difficult for those children to receive auto insurance once they enter the workforce due to high premium costs.
HEA 1116 makes multiple important changes to Indiana's voting laws to promote election security and integrity. Perhaps most importantly, it requires all electronic voting machines in our state to provide a voter-verifiable paper audit trail by the 2024 election. HEA 1116 also closes a gap in our voter ID laws by instituting a new ID requirement when Hoosiers request a mail-in ballot application through the internet.
These are just two of the many new laws I supported this session that I think will help Indiana become an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
I will continue to work with my constituents and other legislators to prepare for the next legislative session.
If you have any questions or concerns on these or other topics, feel free to contact me at Senator.Raatz@iga.in.gov or 317-233-0930.
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