Farmland, financial help bills pass House
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Mar. 24—STATEHOUSE — A bill authored by State. Sen Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would help Indiana students obtain financial aid for higher education passed the House of Representatives.
According to the Indiana College Readiness Report 2022, the state's college-going rate has gradually decreased from 65% to 53% since 2015. Additionally, the National College Attainment Network currently ranks Indiana 38th in the nation with approximately 36.4% of FAFSA applications received so far.
Senate Enrolled Act 167 would require all Indiana students, with exceptions, to submit the FAFSA during their senior year of high school to help them see what post-secondary education opportunities are available.
"Every year, thousands of dollars go unclaimed by Indiana students because they do not apply for or know about the FAFSA and the educational opportunities it can assist with," Leising said. "I hope SEA 167 helps all students see what post-secondary schooling options are available to them."
SEA 167 would not require students to file if a parent signs a waiver claiming the student understands what the FAFSA is and declines to complete it or a principal/school counselor employed at the student's high school waives the requirement due to extenuating circumstances.
In addition, another bill sponsored by Leising that would survey how much farmland Indiana has lost passed the Senate Monday, March 20.
House Enrolled Act 1557 would direct the Indiana State Department of Agriculture to conduct an inventory of lost farmland in Indiana from 2010 to 2022 and create a statewide report for stakeholders to track farmland depletion trends and the causes of those trends.
"Indiana is the eighth largest farming state in the nation and contributes an estimated $31 billion to the state's economy," Leising said. "If we are going to continue to be a leading exporter of agricultural goods, the state must take stock of the land we have and work to protect Indiana farmland moving forward."
To learn more about these bills, visit iga.in.gov.
Leising represents Senate District 42, which includes Decatur, Fayette, Ripley and Rush counties, and portions of Franklin, Jennings and Shelby counties.
