Banning cellphones while driving, raising smoking age: Here are Holcomb's goals for 2020

Show Caption Hide Caption Key moments from Gov.Holcomb's reelection campaign kickoff speech See key moments from Gov. Eric Holcomb's reelection campaign kick off speech at the Hoosier gym in Knightstown Ind. on Saturday July 13, 2019.

Gov. Eric Holcomb's legislative agenda focuses largely on health care and education, but there were some surprises, such as banning cellphone use while driving.

The governor announced the agenda today in a 40-minute presentation to the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. In the past couple of years, he's been traveling the state to release his priorities, giving the speech last year in Zionsville.

Here are the takeaways:

Ban phone use while driving

He's cracking down on distracted driving. Nearly everyone has seen cars weave from one lane to the next while the driver stares down at his or her lap. Under one proposal, drivers would no longer be able to use hand-held phones or other telecommunications devices — in any way, unless they are hands free.

Indiana law bans texting, but not any other phone use, such as posting or messaging on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. He said the risk of a crash more than triples when driving while using a device and noted that 20 states have already banned their use while driving.

"When you're texting, texting can kill," Holcomb told the chamber. "That's not an overstatement. We just know that folks who are distracted on our highways and backroads are increasing accidents about three and a half times."

Afterward, he told reporters he thinks police will be able to enforce the ban, despite difficulty they've had in enforcing the ban on texting.

"You try," he said of enforcing it. "When you're driving down the road you can count more than not folks who are distracted. I just cringe — and when I'm not driving — when I look at someone not look up for four or five seconds."

State Police Superintendent Doug Carter, who traveled with the governor to the chamber event, told IndyStar he thinks a wider ban will be easier to enforce than the current law against texting. Now, he said, it's difficult to prove that someone using a phone while driving is specifically texting. Since the law was passed, he said, it's become more common for people to use social media or stream movies and shows on their devices as technology has evolved.

And, he noted, many devices can now be used hands free, which would be legal under the proposed law.

Raise the smoking age to 21

Like key lawmakers, Holcomb wants to raise the age to purchase any tobacco products, including cigarettes and vaping products, from 18 to 21 years old. He also proposes to increase fines for retailers who sell such products to underage individuals, though it's not yet clear precisely by how much. His administration said 95 percent of smokers start before they turn 21.

Holcomb said too many high school and middle school teens have started vaping, especially.

"I thought it was pretty cool when I was in middle school sneaking gum," he joked to the chamber.

Afterward, he told reporters he's open to considering a ban on flavored e-cigarettes or raising the tobacco tax at some point in the future. But for now, he said he wants to focus on raising the age limit, which he called long overdue.

Raising taxes, especially, would be a tougher sell in the Republican-controlled legislature, where such measures have failed in recent years.

'We will look at anything that will help reduce smoking and all of the costs associated with that," he said, "most importantly qualify of life, in the future. But first things first; we've got a short session to deal with."

Make health care costs transparent

The governor wants to create a claims database to ensure the cost of health care services are more transparent before services begin.

Providers would have to give estimates 2-5 days before treatment. As part of that, in-network hospitals would be required to provide in-network services for every part of a treatment plan. Under current law, patients might find that their surgeon is in network but the anesthesiologist on duty is out of network.

Give teachers a win, kind of

Holcomb was noticeably absent at a massive teacher rally at the Statehouse several weeks ago, but he’s heard their concerns – or at least some of them.

The governor’s agenda includes two of the three asks teacher took to state leaders at the Red for Ed action day last month. He is asking lawmakers to make a divisive professional development requirement optional, rather than mandatory.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers added 15 hours of workforce-related professional development to the list of requirements for teacher license renewal. In response, thousands of teachers rushed to begin their license renewal process before the new requirements kicked in. The state's teachers union has asked for it to be repealed.

He's also renewing his call to hold schools and teachers harmless from abysmal scores on the state's new standardized test, which was another demand from the state's educators.

Holcomb is standing firm, though, in his position that teacher pay will be an issue for 2021, the next budget-writing year.

Bill for EMT care

Holcomb wants emergency medical providers to be able to bill insurance any time they render services. Under current law, ambulance services only bill insurance if patients are transported to the hospital. Holcomb's administration said EMTs sometimes provide services only on the scene of an incident, but receive no payments through insurances.

"This is something the Fire Department in Crawfordsville has done," he said. "They've proven it can be done and it's saved time and money and ultimately lives."

Add protections for pregnant workers

Holcomb wants to ensure pregnant employees have access to more frequent breaks and temporary job restructuring. His administration said 25 states already do so. The problem, his administration said, is pregnancy is not covered under the Disability Act.

Require mental health care in schools

Holcomb is calling on all school districts to establish a relationship with a mental health care provider.

Schools do not have to hire mental health providers to work in their buildings, but have at least a referral relationship established in the event a student is in need.

By 2022, schools without this relationship will not be eligible to receive money from the state’s Secured School Safety Grant. The program awards grants for schools to hire security officers or complete “target hardening” projects, like more secure entrances or upgraded surveillance systems.

Last session, lawmakers expanded the ways the grant dollars could be used to include mental health for the first time. Currently, though, that’s only for a narrow parent-focused program.

There was language that would have broadened the uses to include other mental health expenses and social emotional programming, but it was removed. Officials within the Holcomb administration said they would like to see uses of the safety grant program expanded, but that likely won’t happen until at least 2021.

Add Indiana 211 into FSSA call centers

The governor wants to combine the Family and Social Services' call centers into Indiana 211 program, which connects Hoosiers to other health and human services programs. As part of that, United Way would remain within the program. The nonprofit had discussed leaving 211, his administration said.

Pay for some projects with cash

To save an estimated $125 million on debt costs, Holcomb wants to pay for roughly $300 million worth of projects with cash instead of debt. The change in payment doesn't move up the timeline for any of the projects, it's just a cost-savings move.

They include, at this point, $73 million for a veterinary clinic at Purdue, $60 million for facilities at Ball State, $50 million for a pavilion at the state fairgrounds, $48 million for a facility at University of Southern Indiana Health Professions and $30 million for Ivy Tech-Columbus.

Other priorities

Holcomb also discussed a number of projects that he hopes to begin in 2020 that don't require legislative approval. He discussed the Indiana Destination Development Corp, which will work with the state tourism bureau to attract jobs, talent and visitors.

He also discussed the I-69 through Martinsville project, which will be complete in 2022, building a new bridge over the Ohio River at Henderson, Ky., building a new port in Lawrenceburg, and adding nonstop flights to the Indianapolis International Airport.

Democrats not impressed

The reaction from Democrats was swift and critical. State chairman John Zody called Holcomb's agenda bland and said the governor needed actionable steps to raise teacher salaries.

"It can wait," Zody said, "shouldn't be a governing edict."

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta said his party would continue to push for more money for teachers in the 2020 session.

“Indiana House Democrats intend to pursue a Hoosiers First agenda that includes making health care more accessible and affordable," he said, "providing children with quality care that their parents can afford, investing in public education, giving teachers the pay raise they deserve, and ensuring that our children can go to school to learn in a safe environment."

But the governor's legislative priorities were praised by fellow Republicans, including House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, as well as the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, which has endorsed the governor in the 2020 election.

"Gov. Holcomb laid out a strong vision for the coming year," Bosma said, "and we look forward to working with him and our Senate colleagues to accomplish our shared goals."

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Call IndyStar education reporter Arika Herron at 317-201-5620 or email her at Arika.Herron@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.

Call IndyStar reporter Chris Sikich at (317) 444-6036. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisSikich.