republic-os/legislation/us/states/in/2023/hb-1609.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Workforce development matters."
description: "Repeals provisions concerning the work Indiana program. Defines \"adult education and literacy activities\" and requires that certain money appropriated by the general assembly be used for workforce preparation activities and integrated education and training. Removes or amends certain provisions regarding: (1) reimbursements to eligible providers for adult education that is provided to certain individuals; and (2) adult education grants provided to employers of eligible employees. Allows the department of workforce development to grant a specified diploma to an individual who demonstrates high school level skills through certain competency based assessments and obtains an industry recognized credential. Specifies the meaning of \"authorization\" for the purpose of certain provisions related to postsecondary proprietary educational institutions. Makes conforming changes."
jurisdiction: "us/states/in"
legislature: "Indiana General Assembly"
session: "2023"
identifier: "HB 1609"
citation: "Indiana HB 1609 (2023)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["HIGHER EDUCATION", "Adult Education", "LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT", "State Department and Agencies", "LITERACY", "SCHOOLS", "Vocational Education"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Jeff Raatz", "John Crane", "Kyle Walker", "Michelle Davis"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 23
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2023-01-19"
last_action: "2023-05-01"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a40ed938-fdff-46cd-8cd7-41eee11f89ca"
source_url: "http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1609"
source_hash: "ffa9c10bc4fd167aea71b6f5ed56b1cffc0e8deab5d3c6c9d0658512e2c13dcc"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-in"]
---

# Indiana HB 1609 (2023) — Workforce development matters.

Repeals provisions concerning the work Indiana program. Defines "adult education and literacy activities" and requires that certain money appropriated by the general assembly be used for workforce preparation activities and integrated education and training. Removes or amends certain provisions regarding: (1) reimbursements to eligible providers for adult education that is provided to certain individuals; and (2) adult education grants provided to employers of eligible employees. Allows the department of workforce development to grant a specified diploma to an individual who demonstrates high school level skills through certain competency based assessments and obtains an industry recognized credential. Specifies the meaning of "authorization" for the purpose of certain provisions related to postsecondary proprietary educational institutions. Makes conforming changes.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Enrolled House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2023/bills/HB1609/versions/HB1609.05.ENRS)
2. **House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2023/bills/HB1609/versions/HB1609.02.COMH)
3. **House Bill (S)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2023/bills/HB1609/versions/HB1609.03.COMS)
4. **House Bill (S)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2023/bills/HB1609/versions/HB1609.04.COMS)
5. **Introduced House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://in-proxy.openstates.org/2023/bills/HB1609/versions/HB1609.01.INTR)

## Votes

- HB 1609 - Raatz - 3rd Reading — **50–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Jeff Raatz — primary (person)
- John Crane — primary (person)
- Kyle Walker — primary (person)
- Michelle Davis — primary (person)
- Chuck Goodrich — coauthor (person)
- Cory Criswell — coauthor (person)
- J.D. Ford — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2023-01-19** Coauthored by Representative Goodrich
- **2023-01-19** Authored by Representative Davis
- **2023-01-19** First reading: referred to Committee on Education `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2023-02-20** Committee report: amend do pass, adopted `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-22** Second reading: ordered engrossed `reading-2`
- **2023-02-23** Senate sponsors: Senators Raatz, Walker K, Crane
- **2023-02-23** Third reading: passed; Roll Call 219: yeas 94, nays 0 `passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2023-02-23** Representative Criswell C added as coauthor
- **2023-02-24** Referred to the Senate `referral`
- **2023-03-06** First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2023-03-20** Senator Ford J.D. added as cosponsor
- **2023-03-23** Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations `committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2023-04-13** Committee report: do pass, adopted `committee-passage`
- **2023-04-17** Second reading: ordered engrossed `reading-2`
- **2023-04-18** Third reading: passed; Roll Call 452: yeas 50, nays 0 `passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2023-04-19** Returned to the House with amendments `receipt`
- **2023-04-20** Motion to concur filed `filing`
- **2023-04-20** House concurred in Senate amendments; Roll Call 464: yeas 92, nays 0
- **2023-04-24** Signed by the Speaker `passage`
- **2023-04-25** Signed by the President Pro Tempore `passage`
- **2023-04-26** Signed by the President of the Senate `passage`
- **2023-05-01** Public Law 157 `became-law`
- **2023-05-01** Signed by the Governor `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a40ed938-fdff-46cd-8cd7-41eee11f89ca`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Indiana legislature records).