A final look at what happened to key bills at the Indiana General Assembly

From guns to beer to marijuana to cigarettes, the Indiana General Assembly tackled a myriad of issues before its 2018 session closed in chaotic fashion.

Only 210 of the more than 900 bills introduced this session made it to Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk for consideration — the fewest since 2012.

Holcomb didn't veto any bills. The last time a governor signed every bill that arrived on his desk was during the 2012 session.

Here's a look at what measures Holcomb signed into law, and what lawmakers let die.

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SINGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR

Abortion clinic requirements

Healthcare providers are now required to report any complications arising from an abortion to the state department of health, under Senate Enrolled Act 340. Holcomb signed the measure into law on March 25.

The act also allows fire stations to use baby boxes, devices that allow people to anonymously surrender their healthy newborn without fear of criminal prosecution.

Killing a fetus

Holcomb signed a bill March 25 that would allow prosecutors to file murder, manslaughter or feticide charges against someone who kills a fetus at any stage of development.

The bill does not apply to lawful abortions or to the pregnant woman carrying the fetus. Anti-abortion groups see the measure as a win, because it places value on the life of a fetus, regardless of gestational age.

Cannabidiol oil (CBD)

Holcomb signed a bill that would legalize cannabidiol, a low-THC cannabis extract that some people use to treat pain.

Some lawmakers were concerned the labeling requirements in the final version of Senate Enrolled Act 52 were too stringent and would cut manufacturers out of the industry, driving up the cost that consumers would pay for the product.

However, Holcomb said the bill "provides much needed clarity."

Sexual harassment training

A measure that requires Indiana lawmakers to set a sexual harassment policy for themselves — including procedures for investigating harassment allegations against lawmakers — was signed into law March 22.

The legislation, House Enrolled Act 1309, also requires all 150 lawmakers to complete one hour of sexual harassment prevention training each year.

The changes come amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against powerful men in public office, Hollywood, sports and the media.

Civil forfeiture

Holcomb signed a bill that updates civil forfeiture laws in Indiana. Under Senate Enrolled Act 99, prosecuting attorneys would have to file an affidavit of probable cause within seven days of seizing property. That property would be returned if the court doesn’t find probable cause.

Previously the state could hold property for up to six months, or file a claim to hold it until after the case is concluded. Last August, a U.S. District Court chief judge ruled that Indiana’s forfeiture laws violated the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments.

Professional licenses for DACA recipients

The state will once again begin awarding professional licenses for DACA recipients, often called Dreamers.

The measure was a response to recent changes the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency made to its application forms that effectively blocked Indiana's roughly 9,000 DACA participants from getting or renewing licenses in more than 70 occupations, from hair styling to architecture to nursing.

DACA participants are young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have been granted legal work status under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Holcomb signed Senate Enrolled Act 419 Wednesday.

Treatment centers

Holcomb made fighting the opioid epidemic a priority again for the 2018 legislative session. One of his goals was to add nine additional addiction treatment centers in the state, so that Hoosiers won’t need to drive more than an hour to get help.

Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1007, which authorizes the creation of the treatment centers and expands flexibility for mental health worker licensing. The bill does not include any new funding for addiction treatment.

He signed a number of other opioid-related measures, such as an act requiring certain health care professionals to use the state's prescription database, in order to prevent over-prescribing addictive medication, and increasing the penalties for someone selling drugs that result in death.

Software sales tax

Technology companies that sell software as a service are no longer required to collect sales taxes under Senate Enrolled Act 257, which Holcomb recently signed into law. `

The measure, which makes Indiana one of only four states to exempt software as a service in state statute, was part of Holcomb's agenda.

School funding

A fix for the projected $22 million school funding gap has been signed by the governor.

Lawmakers passed a deal to close the gap for this year and the next. It will allow the state budget agency to transfer up to $25 million from the tuition reserve fund this year and up to $75 million next year to cover the gap. The fund has about $350 million in it right now.

The measure also will close a loophole that some schools used to offer kindergarten to four-year-olds and require new reporting on the use of virtual schools.

Single diploma

Indiana will switch to a one-diploma system this spring — just in time for 2018 high school graduates. The main difference will be in name only; the change condenses the state's four existing diplomas into one diploma with designations for students who meet different academic requirements. The change is a response to new federal guidelines that otherwise would have discounted about 8,000 diplomas with lower academic standards and tanked the state's high school graduation rate in federal reporting.

House Enrolled Act 1426 also moves the state to a college entrance exam for its required high school testing, replacing ISTEP. The state will have to bid out the exam before settling on the SAT or ACT, but it won't take effect until 2021. It looks like 10th graders will continue take the ISTEP test for another year or two.

Computer science

Holcomb signed Senate Enrolled Act 172, accomplishing one of his top priorities this year: getting computer science classes into every school in an effort to better prepare kids for the "jobs of the future." It requires high schools to offer a computer science elective and mandating it be part of the curriculum in all public schools.

I-69 delays

House Enrolled Act 1374 would stop the state from entering into contracts with companies like I-69 Development Partners, the entity charged with building the 21-mile stretch of I-69 from Bloomington to Martinsville, before the state took the project back over.

Under the measure signed by Holcomb, the Indiana Finance Authority can only choose companies that have completed similar projects in North America during the past two years, when entering into a public-private partnership. The I-69 public-private partnership resulted in two years’ worth of delays and criticism from the Bloomington community where it tied up traffic.

Sex education

Parents will have two opportunities to opt their children out of sexual education in school. Senate Enrolled Act 65 mandates schools to send a notice home to parents, allowing them to opt out. It also requires schools to give a summary of the content and nature of the instruction. Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, wanted to see an opt-in provision, but settled for a compromise version of his bill, which the governor signed.

Sunday alcohol sales

It's official: You can now buy alcohol at stores on Sunday in Indiana.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 1 into law on Feb. 28, allowing Sunday alcohol sales from noon to 8 p.m. at grocery, drug, convenience and liquor stores.

All of this came after liquor stores and big box retailers struck an unlikely deal under which they agreed to support Sunday sales but oppose expanded cold beer sales.

Sunscreen in schools

Senate Enrolled Act 24 was one of the first bills sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb, and he signed it into law on March 7. It allows kids to bring sunscreen lotion to school without a doctor's note and without having to lock it up in the nurse's office or other secure location.

Previously, Indiana law allowed schools to treat sunscreen like medicine, and some did. Dermatologists, doctors and school nurses argued that made it prohibitive for kids to use sunscreen at school before recess or other outdoor activities.

Airbnb regulations

Last year, lawmakers couldn't to come to an agreement over how heavily short term rentals, usually Airbnb rentals, should be regulated. This year, they finally did.

Holcomb signed House Bill 1035, which prohibits bans on short term rentals, but allows local governments to charge a fee of up to $150, and allows them to enforce minor rules. The act also grandfathers in local governments that adopted ordinances prior to 2018. That wouldn’t include Carmel, which passed an ordinance in January.

Eyeball tattoos

Eyeball tattooing is a procedure that permanently dyes the whites of a person's eyes. Some health professionals say it can also cause damage. A bill that would outlaw the practice passed the House and Senate and Holcomb signed it into law.

Workforce development

Holcomb signed a pair of bills dealing with job training, one of his top priorities for the 2018 legislative session.

One added $5 million to a job training grant program and requires an evaluation of the state's 30 workforce development programs.

The other creates a new Secretary of Workforce Training and a new cabinet to oversee those programs, which are now spread across nine state agencies.

DEAD BILLS

School safety

One of the governor's top priorities, House Bill 1230 would have added $5 million to a school safety grant program that helps schools hire security officers and pay for building security upgrades. It also would have opened up the state's Common School Loan Fund, making $35 million available in low-interest loans to schools looking for additional dollars to improve building security.

The measure failed to be put to a vote in the House in the waning minutes of the legislative session. It's one of the bills Holcomb would like to see revived in a special legislative session.

Medical marijuana

Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, filed a bill to legalize medical marijuana at the start of session. That bill never received a hearing. However, the House unanimously voted to study legalizing medical marijuana in an interim study committee.

The resolution didn't go as far as some lawmakers wanted. But the House's commitment to study the issue is a sign leadership may be softening to the idea of legalization.

Cold beer

While lawmakers finally repealed the state's ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales, another unpopular alcohol law will remain on the books after a Senate panel killed a proposal to expand cold beer sales to convenience and grocery stores. As a result, the state's small but powerful liquor store industry will retain its virtual monopoly on take-home cold beer sales.

Hate crimes

Indiana remains one of five states without a law targeting hate crimes after Senate Republicans killed a measure that would have allowed judges to impose tougher sentences for crimes motivated by factors such as race, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee declined to hold a vote on the measure because Republican members couldn't reach agreement on the proposal, said Senate leader David Long, R-Fort Wayne.

Smoking age

Indiana consistently ranks high on lists of the unhealthiest states, and one reason health advocates say that's true is because of Indiana's high smoking rates. Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, argued lawmakers should try to reduce the rates by raising the cigarette tax and increasing the smoking age from 18 to 21.

The provision to increase the tax was stripped out of the bill in committee. Once on the floor, House Speaker Brian Bosma recommitted House Bill 1380 to the House Ways and Means Committee on the same day House bills had to pass out of committee to be considered for a floor vote.

His move effectively killed the bill.

'Loan shark' rates

The House, with a push from Speaker Brian Bosma, passed a bill that would have allowed payday lenders to offer a new loan product at annual rates more than triple what Indiana law currently considers felony loan sharking.

But the proposal died after getting a cold reception in the Senate, where a committee failed to give it a hearing.

Loosening gun restrictions

Despite optimism from pro-Second Amendment lawmakers at the start of session, legislators were unable to come to a consensus on any gun-related legislation in the final hours of the session.

Lawmakers introduced various handgun bills, including ones to completely eradicate the need for a handgun carry permit, remove the fee on the lifetime permit and allow people to bring firearms on church grounds even if a school is on the property.

Lawmakers tried to last-minute add language to an unrelated CBD oil bill, but were unable to make it happen.

School finances

One of the most talked about education bills this year was a wide-ranging one that sponsors said was aimed at preventing school systems from falling into financial distress. House Bill 1315 also laid out harsh punishments for those that do, though, stripping control and authority from elected school boards. It also would have allowed Ball State University to take over control of the financially-troubled Muncie Community Schools. Different versions passed the House and Senate, but it remained controversial. Lawmakers attempted to push the bill through in the waning minutes of the legislative session, but didn't make it. The bill died without final votes.

Driver-less cars

A provision to authorize and regulate autonomous vehicles in Indiana was one of the causalities in a late night rush to the finish the legislative session.

Under House Bill 1341, an autonomous driving task group would have had to approve the operation of self-driving cars that don’t require a driver in any capacity. Lawmakers disagreed on how much regulation to apply to the industry and ultimately reached a compromise in the final hour of the legislative session.

However, the House ran out of time before it could vote on the measure, killing one of Holcomb's legislative priorities.

Light rail

With hopes of landing Amazon's second headquarters, some Indiana lawmakers wanted to reconsider a state ban on light rail in Indianapolis. The House passed a measure that would repeal a prohibition on public spending on light rail projects in seven Central Indiana counties.

But Senate Republicans killed the proposal after Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, filed an amendment that would have required Indianapolis city officials to prove public transit money isn't needed to fill potholes. A last-ditch effort to put the light rail provision into another transportation bill also failed.

Redistricting commission

Advocates pushed for the creation of an independent redistricting commission, instead of leaving the map drawing up to the General Assembly. But even milder redistricting reform couldn't make it through the legislature.

Rep. Milo Smith, the chair of the House Elections and Apportionment committee, wouldn't give a hearing to the milder proposals in Senate Bill 326, effectively killing it. Instead Smith said he is in support of a resolution to study redistricting reform over the summer.

Expanded absentee voting

House Elections chairman Milo Smith declined to give a hearing to Senate Bill 250, which would have allowed no-fault absentee voting in Indiana.

Currently, Hoosiers have to list the reason they are voting absentee. Smith said there was no reason for doing away with that requirement because he is unaware of any case in which Hoosiers were denied an absentee ballot.

Dead voters

A measure that would allow the votes of certain dead people to count died itself.

Senate Bill 155 would have allowed the vote from an absentee ballot to count even if the voter died before Election Day. Rep. Milo Smith, chair of the House Elections committee, said the bill would be a constitutional violation and declined to give it a hearing.

Township consolidation

One of House Speaker Brian Bosma's goals for the 2018 legislative session was to simplify local government by consolidating 300 of the state's smallest townships.

The bill, which was originally supported by the Indiana Township Association, but opposed by some small townships, made it out of committee. However, it was never called for a vote on the House floor. Bosma said there wasn't enough support for the bill, and lawmakers would have to take up the issue again next year.

Total abortion ban

For weeks, anti-abortion activists with graphic posters depicting aborted fetuses roamed the Statehouse hallways advocating for Rep. Curt Nisly's proposal to completely ban abortion in Indiana — a measure that would almost certainly be struck down as unconstitutional.

But just like last year, House Public Policy Chairman Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, declined to give the bill a hearing.

Refunds for Colts fans if players kneel

Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, grabbed a lot of headlines when he filed a bill that tapped into a national controversy over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. The measure would have required the Indianapolis Colts to offer offended fans refunds if Colts players knelt during the national anthem at home games.

But House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, gave the bill a cold reception, noting that it raised constitutional issues and would interfere with private businesses. The measure never received a hearing.

Student journalism

This was the second year that a bill to protect student journalists was sponsored by Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, and the second year that it died. It faced opposition from associations for school boards, principals and superintendents. It failed in the House this year, for lack of constitutional majority.

I-465 tolling ban

A bill that would have banned tolls within 15 miles of the center of Indianapolis failed to get enough support in committee, thwarting Republican Sen. Mike Delph's efforts.

However, that doesn't mean there will necessarily be tolls on I-465. Holcomb already removed I-465 from his tolling studies and said he doesn't foresee tolls on any of the loops surrounding major cities.

Tanning age

Most dermatologists agree that restricting indoor tanning would help prevent skin cancer in teens, but that concept won't get a vote on the House or Senate floor this session.

The Senate’s Commerce and Technology committee heard testimony on a bill that would have banned tanning for those under 18 years old. However they never voted on the bill, meaning it died in committee.

Currently Hoosiers between the ages of 16 and 18 can tan as long as they have a parent or legal guardian's permission.

Compulsory school age

Lawmakers who've been pushing to lower the age at which Indiana requires kids to start school from seven to five years old were hopeful that support from the Indiana Department of Education would give the proposal new life this session.

State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick, a Republican, said lowering the compulsory school age was one of her top legislative priorities for 2018.

But, no such luck. Bills proposed in both the House and Senate failed to get a committee hearing.

In-state tuition for undocumented students

Indiana is one of just three states that prohibits undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. A summer study committee looked at changing that, but lawmakers remained split.

Bills to repeal that prohibition were proposed in both the House and the Senate but never received a committee hearing.

Call IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at (317) 432-9270. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.

Call IndyStar education reporter Arika Herron at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.

Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.