STATEHOUSE (Feb. 6, 2017) – Two bills authored by State Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) passed the Senate today and will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
Senate Bill 84, which passed by a vote of 45-3, would prevent an attorney from diluting the attorney-client relationship by requiring a client to agree to hold harmless, without recourse, that attorney from any legal malpractice claims.
“Under the Rules of Professional Responsibility, attorneys must act with commitment and dedication to the interests of the client,” Brown said. “This bill would prohibit attorneys from including clauses in their agreements exempting them from malpractice suits.”
Senate Bill 85, which passed by a vote of 44-4, would allow schools to request their school transportation tax dollars from a tax increment financing district. It is at the discretion of the local redevelopment commission, if those funds are not otherwise encumbered, to release the relevant funds for that calendar year.
“Hoosier families rely on services provided by school transportation, but adequate funding is an issue,” Brown said. “The idea behind this bill is to provide an innovative approach to help local schools meet their transportation needs not by raising taxes, but by reallocating already-existing funds.”
Brown added the Senate has passed this language three years in a row, and she looks forward to meeting with her House colleagues to discuss the positive impact this bill could have for schools across the state.
For more information on Brown’s legislation, visit www.in.gov/iga.
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Contact: Brady Hagerty, Senior Press Secretary
brady.hagerty@iga.in.gov
317-232-9425
