# Indiana HB 1201: Education matters.

Indiana HB 1201, Education matters., is a First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025) House bill sponsored by Robert Behning (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-02-18 (First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1201-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Indiana HB 1201
- State: Indiana
- Session: First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)
- Title: Education matters.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-02-18, First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
- Sponsor: Robert Behning (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: education, the senate, education and career development
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (87 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Defines "chronically absent". Requires the department of education (department) to do the following: (1) Create a list of best practices to reduce student discipline and chronic absenteeism. (2) Study and prepare a report regarding the basis for the categorization of certain suspensions and expulsions. (3) Establish a categorization framework to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences based on the reason for the absence. (4) Collect certain information regarding absences from school corporations and charter schools. (5) Prepare and post a report regarding the information on the department's website. Provides that the absence policy adopted by the governing body of a school corporation must provide for the categorization of excused and unexcused absences in accordance with the categorization framework established by the department. Allows a prosecuting attorney to conduct a meeting, collaborate, and make reasonable efforts to secure appropriate support services for a child and the child's family before filing an affidavit with regard to a violation of compulsory school attendance requirements. Requires a public school to hold an attendance conference not later than 10 instructional days (instead of five instructional days) after the student's fifth absence. Prohibits a public school from expelling or suspending a student solely because the student is chronically absent or a habitual truant.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Robert Behning (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeff Raatz (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sheila Klinker (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Stacey Donato (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Vernon Smith (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Third reading: passed | pass | 87 | 0 |   |

## Actions (11)

- 2025-02-18: First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Referred to the Senate (House)
- 2025-01-30: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 51: yeas 87, nays 0 (House)
- 2025-01-30: Cosponsor: Senator Donato (House)
- 2025-01-30: Senate sponsor: Senator Raatz (House)
- 2025-01-29: Second reading: ordered engrossed (House)
- 2025-01-27: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House)
- 2025-01-27: Representative Smith V added as coauthor (House)
- 2025-01-27: Representative Klinker added as coauthor (House)
- 2025-01-08: Authored by Representative Behning (House)
- 2025-01-08: First reading: referred to Committee on Education (House)

## Bill text

- House Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/HB1201/versions/HB1201.02.COMH?format=pdf)
- Introduced House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/HB1201/versions/HB1201.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 324: Criminal procedures. (signed)
- SB 231: Various corrections matters. (signed)
- SB 80: Code publication. (signed)
- SB 453: Various tax matters. (signed)
- SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit. (signed)
- SB 371: Workforce matters. (signed)

## Sources
- [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/HB1201/versions/HB1201.02.COMH?format=pdf)
- [Introduced House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/HB1201/versions/HB1201.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related
- [SB 324: Criminal procedures.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB324-2025)
- [SB 231: Various corrections matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB231-2025)
- [SB 80: Code publication.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB80-2025)
- [SB 453: Various tax matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB453-2025)
- [SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB464-2025)
- [SB 371: Workforce matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB371-2025)
- [Indiana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana/bills)
- [Indiana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1201-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).