Senate Bill
SB 523
School chaplains.
In plain English
Allows a public school principal or superintendent, including at a charter school, to hire or approve as a volunteer a school chaplain if certain requirements are met. Allows chaplains to give students secular advice and support, and nonsecular advice and support if certain conditions are met. Makes what a student tells a chaplain private and confidential, with some exceptions.
Written by AI from the official digest below, and checked only by automated rules. If they differ, the official digest and bill text control.
Official digest
Allows a principal or superintendent of a public school, including a charter school, to employ, or approve as a volunteer, a school chaplain if certain requirements are met. Allows a school chaplain to provide: (1) secular advice, guidance, and support services; and (2) nonsecular advice, guidance, and support services if certain conditions are met. Provides that, with exceptions, communications made by a student to a school chaplain are privileged and confidential.
Latest action: First reading: referred to Committee on Education, March 3, 2025Full text and history at iga.in.gov
Authors and sponsors
Stacey Donato, Jeff Raatz, Doug Miller
Co-authors and co-sponsors: Gary Byrne, Linda Rogers, Daryl Schmitt, Julie McGuire, Michelle Davis, Jake Teshka
Roll-call votes
1 recorded vote, oldest first. Third-reading votes decide whether a bill passes a chamber; amendment votes and procedural motions are listed too.
Senate · Feb 11, 2025
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: SB 523 - Donato - 3rd Reading
Passed
32 yes16 no2 did not vote
Republicans: 32 yes, 6 no, 1 did not voteDemocrats: 0 yes, 9 no, 1 did not voteNot matched to a current member: 0 yes, 1 no
How each member voted
Yes (32)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Chris Garten (R)
- Cyndi Carrasco (R)
- Daryl Schmitt (R)
- Ed Charbonneau (R)
- Eric Koch (R)
- Gary Byrne (R)
- Greg Goode (R)
- Greg Walker (R)
- Jean Leising (R)
- Jeff Raatz (R)
- Jim Buck (R)
- Jim Tomes (R)
- Justin Busch (R)
- Linda Rogers (R)
- Liz Brown (R)
- Michael Crider (R)
- Mike Gaskill (R)
- Mike Young (R)
- Randy Maxwell (R)
- Rick Niemeyer (R)
- Rod Bray (R)
- Ryan Mishler (R)
- Scott Alexander (R)
- Scott Baldwin (R)
- Spencer Deery (R)
- Stacey Donato (R)
- Travis Holdman (R)
- Tyler Johnson (R)
No (16)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Dan Dernulc (R)
- David Niezgodski (D)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- Fady Qaddoura (D)
- J.D. Ford (D)
- Kyle Walker (R)
- La Keisha Jackson (D)
- Lonnie Randolph (D)
- Mark Spencer (D)
- Mike Bohacek (R)
- Rodney Pol (D)
- Ron Alting (R)
- Shelli Yoder (D)
- Sue Glick (R)
- Unknown member
Did not vote (2)
- Greg Taylor (D)
- Vaneta Becker (R)
Source: Open States, compiled from the Indiana General Assembly's official roll calls. The official record at iga.in.gov controls. Spot an error? Let us know.