No one's living on a tropical island, and no one will be given immunity, but plenty of contestants will be voted out before the end of April.
State legislators have entered this year's General Assembly armed with more than 1,000 bills. They have until Feb. 27 to secure a hearing for their bills on either the Senate or House floor, or else they'll have to wait until next January.
Though the budget bill will eclipse all other issues, a number of bills have been drafted that could affect students. Most have yet to make it out of a committee, but there's still time.
For more details about these and other bills, log on to www.in.gov/legislative and click on the "Bills & Resolutions" link.
1. "Sin" bills
Taxes on beer and cigarettes are commonly referred to as "sin taxes." Likewise, legislators have also released a number of bills dealing with cigarettes and beer.
Senate Bill 30
Author: J. Murray Clark R-Indianapolis
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Pensions and Labor
What it does: Allows an employer to limit an employee's off-duty use of tobacco or partially base employees' compensation, benefits or terms of employment on their off-duty use of tobacco.
Senate Bill 84
Author: Tom Wyss, R-Fort Wayne
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
What it does: Any driver with an open container of alcohol, such as bottles and cans, would commit a Class B infraction. Under current law, the driver must have .04 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood to commit the infraction.
House Bill 1800
Author: Bob Kuzman, D-Crown Point
Where it is: the House Committee on Ways and Means
What it does: Allows the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays.
2. The buck stops here
While all eyes may be focused on the two-year budget bill, legislators also have their own fiscal plans for the state.
Senate Bill 346
Author: Glenn Howard, D-Indianapolis
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Pensions and Labor
What it does: Increases Indiana's minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.15 per hour.
House Bill 1109
Author: Brian Hasler, D-Evansville
Where it is: the House Ways and Means Committee
What it does: Provides a sales tax exemption each year for school supplies and clothing that cost less than $100 each. The holiday will last 10 days and begin on the first Friday in August.
House Bill 1194
Author: Mark Lytle, D-Madison
Where it is: the House Ways and Means Committee
What it does: Allows Delaware County's county council and Muncie's city council to impose a local gross retail tax of up to 0.5 percent on retail sales. The tax revenue would go to capital projects or tourism. Another bill would levy a 1 percent sales tax.
House Bill 1318
Author: Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn
Where it is: the House Ways and Means Committee
What it does: Eliminates state and local income taxes on interest made on savings accounts and certificates of deposits. The bill would take effect after Dec. 31.
House Bill 1349
Author: Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville
Where it is: the House Committee on Education
What it does: Undergraduate students could prepay tuition, room and board, or both at a guaranteed fixed cost. In the tuition plan, students at most can prepay for all credit hours needed to get a bachelor's degree. Under the room and board plan, students could pay in advance for a maximum of 10 semesters provided they maintain a full-time schedule.
House Bill 1497
Author: Dennis Avery, D-Evansville
Where it is: the House Committee on Ways and Means
What it does: Students and parents, when calculating their Indiana adjusted gross income, can subtract the federal gross income that is received as a scholarship to pay for room and board at a university.
House Bill 1976
Author: William Friend, R-Macy
Where it is: the House Committee on Ways and Means
What it does: Levies an excise tax of 2 cents per liter on bottled water sales. The money would support the Clean Water Indiana fund, which would use the revenue to raise matching funds for soil conservation, water quality or agricultural programs.
3. On the road again
Indiana is known as the Crossroads of America, and legislators are paving the way this session with a series of bills regulating Hoosier motorists.
Senate Bill 105
Author: Rose Ann Antich, D-Merrillville
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
What it does: Drivers who want to turn left into an intersection would have to yield to an oncoming vehicle if it's signaling to turn right. Currently, the law only specifies that the driver turning left yield when oncoming traffic is "within the intersection or so close ... as to constitute an immediate hazard."
Senate Bill 110
Author: Rose Ann Antich, D-Merrillville
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
What it does: Makes driving while using a mobile telephone a Class B infraction with a fine of $1,000, unless it is an emergency. The bill asks other motorists to report any violations to the state police. The police would then issue a notice to the registered owner of the motor vehicle.
Senate Bill 157
Author: Marvin Riegsecker, R-Goshen
Where it is: the Senate Committee on Finance
What it does: Repeals the requirement that distributors and retail merchants prepay the sales tax on gasoline and special fuel.
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