The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce is changing its Third House Sessions schedule beginning in January.
State legislators representing Bartholomew County will meet with constituents once a month instead of weekly during the General Assembly.
The sessions will be held on the fourth Monday of the month — January through April — at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St., said Cindy Frey, chamber president. The specific dates are Jan. 28, Feb. 25, March 25 and April 22, all starting at 7:30 a.m.
“We are working toward more of an event focus for Third House,” Frey said. “Third House is an important forum for civic dialogue. It is designed to allow our members an opportunity to interact with those elected to represent them.”
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The sessions may include serving breakfast, she said.
By offering fewer, more substantive sessions with legislators, the chamber believes it can better meet the needs of chamber members, Frey said.
The new year brings a new legislator to the Third House sessions. Republican Rep. Ryan Lauer of Columbus has taken over the District 59 seat formerly held by Rep. Milo Smith, who retired from the legislature this year after six terms in office.
By spreading out the sessions, Frey said she hopes to encourage all the Statehouse representatives and senators representing Bartholomew County to attend, including Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus; Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford; Sen. Chip Perfect, R-Lawrenceberg; Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville; Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour; and Lauer.
At times during the weekly Third House sessions, only two legislators were able to attend — and a different combination of legislators each time has been a common occurrence.
Potential hot topics at the Indiana Legislature for this upcoming session include hate-crime legislation, education funding, increases in the state’s cigarette tax and legalizing the use of medical marijuana. The Indiana House and Senate convene at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 3.
The format for Third House sessions has been to allow each legislator to give a brief opening statement of what is happening in each chamber and the status of bills they have filed. A microphone is then offered for audience members to ask questions about pending legislation or votes the legislators have made.
The Columbus chamber, comprised of nearly 600 member businesses representing nearly 30,000 employees, offers Third House as an opportunity for its members to learn about pending legislation directly from their elected officials, and also provides an opportunity for audience members to share feedback about issues affecting their operations.
Frey said chamber members have particularly enjoyed when groups of students attend with prepared questions for the legislators, and the chamber may attempt to recruit some groups to attend one of the Third House sessions.
Third House sessions are free. While scheduled as a service for chamber members, they are open to the general public. The chamber will cancel any sessions if Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. cancels classes on a scheduled Third House day.
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What: Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Third House sessions
When: 7:30 a.m. Jan. 28, Feb. 25, March 25 and April 22
Where: Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St.
How much: Free and open to the public. Sessions are canceled if Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. cancels classes due to weather.
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