State of Indiana: During the 2015 Indiana General Assembly, the FHCCI monitored the following bills:
HB 1300 (2015): Section 8 discrimination protection ban. Prohibits a county, municipality, or township from adopting an ordinance that requires or would have the effect of requiring a landlord to participate in: (1) a Section 8 program of the federal Housing Act of 1937; or (2) a similar program concerning housing. Also includes non-fair housing issues.
- House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee: To watch the committee hearing, click here and choose February 3 – then scroll to 1:35 mark on the video for the start of the hearing
- House Floor Debate and Vote: To watch the House floor discussion and vote, click here and choose February 12 (part 1) – then scroll to the 08:20 mark for the start of the debate
- Senate Local Government Committee: To watch the committee hearing, click here and choose March 25 – then scroll to 4:52 mark on the video for the start of the hearing
- Senate Floor Debate and Vote: To watch the Senate floor discussion and vote, click here and choose April 9 – then scroll to the 47:00 mark for the start of the debate
- HB 1300 FHCCI Senate Testimony
- March 31, 2015 – Indiana Senate Set to Vote on HB 1300 Restricting Housing Choice for Low-Income Hoosiers: Any day now, the Indiana Senate will vote on HB 1300, which would restrict the ability of Indiana cities and counties to add or enforce source of income housing discrimination protections under their City/County Human Relations Ordinances. If passed, it would significantly impact the ability of cities and counties with affordable housing limitations to ensure safe, affordable housing options for those of lower incomes. HB 1300 has passed the Indiana House and recently passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee as “Do Pass” on a party-line vote. The Fair Housing Center of Central (FHCCI) urges a “Do Not Pass” on HB 1300. Read more here.
- HB 1165 (2015): Rental registration and inspection programs. Exempts programs that apply only to rooming houses and hotels from provisions regulating local government rental registration or inspection programs.
- House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform:
- House Floor Debate and Vote:
- Senate Commerce & Technology Committee:
- Senate Floor Debate and Vote:
- LGBT Housing Discrimination Protection: March 31, 2015 – FHCCI Urges Addition of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity to Indiana Civil Rights Laws: The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) urges the Indiana General Assembly to immediately amend Indiana civil rights laws to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Hoosiers from discrimination. “While several Indiana cities have made great strides in ensuring equality for LGBT residents, there is a serious risk of backsliding at the state level,” stated Amy Nelson, Executive Director of FHCCI. “It is still perfectly lawful in Indiana to fire or evict someone because of their sexual orientation, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) threatens to deny services to any LGBT customer if a business so chooses and overrides any local LGBT civil rights or housing protections under city/county human relations ordinances. The only way to secure an inclusive and equal society for our LGBT relatives, friends, and neighbors is to add sexual orientation and gender identity/expression as protected classes to Indiana civil rights and fair housing laws.” Read more here.
