Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed 67 bills Monday, three days after lawmakers adjourned their annual meeting.
This will be Holcomb’s last year as governor, as he cannot run again due to term limits.
The bill Holcomb signed also included key literacy items sought by Republicans in both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor’s office. Section 1 of the Senate Enrollment Act would prevent thousands more third-graders from passing the state’s reading exam, a proposed solution to the state’s long-term decline in literacy rates.
Indiana moves closer to legislation allowing expanded arming of officers across the state at state capitols
The law includes several exceptions and establishes several early intervention processes. For example, all her second grade students will be required to take a test to measure their reading comprehension.
Although many lawmakers and organizations supported the early intervention proposal, the bill’s preservation provisions were hotly contested through Congress.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, business leaders and the state governor at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 in Washington, DC, USA. (Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Holcomb also signed a bill Monday that creates several new voter identification tests in the state. Among the changes: First-time voters will be required to provide proof of residency when registering in person, unless they provide an Indiana driver’s license or Social Security number that matches Indiana records.
The law requires officials to cross-reference data from the state’s voter registration system and the Indiana Department of Transportation. Its purpose is to identify noncitizens registered in the voter registration system, which Indiana voting advocates say does not exist. It would also give states the power to contract with credit data agencies to verify voters’ addresses.
Voting advocates called the bill onerous and said it could lead to the disenfranchisement of legally registered voters.
Once the bill reaches the governor’s desk, the governor has seven days to sign it or veto it. If no action is taken, this bill will automatically become law by his eighth day.
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Most Indiana laws go into effect on July 1, unless otherwise specified.
