Indiana · 2025 Regular Session · Bill
HB 1539: Education matters.
Passed one chamber Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 1539 is a bill introduced in the Indiana House on January 21, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Education matters. Primary sponsor: J.D. Ford (Democratic), Mark Spencer (Democratic), Jeff Raatz (Republican), Vernon Smith (Democratic). It lists 3 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (March 3, 2025): First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development.
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Requires a public school to do the following: (1) Notify a parent of a student not later than 24 hours after the student makes an allegation that an employee of the public school engaged in misconduct. (2) If the public school determines that an allegation is unsubstantiated or otherwise dismissed, provide written notification to the employee and parent of the student not later than 14 days after the determination. Amends the definition of "bullying". Provides that certain discipline rules adopted by the governing body of a school corporation include timetables for reporting of bullying incidents to the parents of both the targeted student and the alleged perpetrator not later than one business day after the incident is reported. (Current law provides reporting of bullying incidents not later than five business days after the incident is reported.) Requires the governing body of a school corporation to: (1) require a school corporation to determine the severity of an incident of bullying and whether the incident may warrant transfer of the victim or the alleged perpetrator to another school in the school corporation; and (2) require a school corporation to approve the transfer of a victim or the alleged perpetrator of an act of bullying to another school in the school corporation under certain circumstances.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4 · Republican 3
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.D. Ford | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 29 |
| Mark Spencer | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 3 |
| Jeff Raatz | Primary sponsor | Republican | Senate | 27 |
| Vernon Smith | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 14 |
| Bob Behning | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 91 |
| Becky Cash | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 25 |
| Sheila Klinker | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 27 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
- Referred to the Senate
- Senate sponsors: Senators Raatz, Spencer, Ford J.D.
- Third reading: passed; Roll Call 198: yeas 92, nays 0
- Amendment #1 (Pfaff) prevailed; voice vote
- Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
- Representative Klinker added as coauthor
- Representatives Behning and Cash added as coauthors
- Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
- Authored by Representative Smith V
- First reading: referred to Committee on Education