GiaQuinta: Republicans seize power at the expense of constituents

INDIANAPOLIS – House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) today released the following statement regarding the General Assembly's decision to override the governor's veto on House Bill 1123:

“I'm disappointed to see that my colleagues across the aisle have continued to disregard the negative effects House Bill 1123 will have on the constituents they serve,” GiaQuinta said. “This needless scheme to seize power is simply counterproductive and will create more problems than it solves.

“Last year, as we watched many Hoosiers lose their loved ones, their jobs and their homes, there was a need for immediate action. Passing a bill like this could put the brakes on decisions that, by nature, must be made immediately. The General Assembly does not need to insert itself in places where it could do more harm than good.

“I know that when this pandemic first hit, there was a lot of confusion. In March, there wasn't even a consensus on whether masks were an effective way to slow the virus's spread. In a state of emergency, there are too many moving parts for one person to keep up with, let alone 150 people from all over the state.

“We must keep our constituents in mind when we make these decisions, and I don't think that was done today.”