Hamilton statement on Statehouse workplace culture

House Democratic Caucus Chair Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement in light of this week's conversation on Statehouse workplace culture:

“I am grateful to House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta for his statement earlier this week affirming the Indiana House Democratic Caucus’ commitment to delivering on a respectful and professional workplace for all employees. As House Democratic Caucus Chair and a member of the House Ethics Committee, I want to ensure we have the latest best practices in place at the Indiana House of Representatives since we revisited them five years ago.

“The vast majority of individuals working in our legislature are dedicated professionals who serve our state with integrity and commitment. We owe it to them—and to the people we represent—to ensure that our workplace is a model of respect and accountability.

“It’s also important to understand that while the Indiana House and Indiana Senate both operate under the same roof, they are distinct legislative bodies with their own personnel policies and procedures. The current allegations involve the Senate, which operates independently under its own policies.

“Here in the Indiana House, I commend the bipartisan work of Speaker Todd Huston and his team in conjunction with our caucus to make it clear to members and staff that professionalism and mutual respect should never be political. In 2019, we made significant improvements to our harassment training and reporting policies. Now five years later, it is time to ask ourselves: Are there ways to improve the House’s harassment reporting system? How can we best support staff to come forward when they have experienced or witnessed inappropriate behavior?

“In light of Monday’s news about a Senate colleague, it is critical that we revisit these questions. I will be reaching out to my House Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Ethics Committee to work with me on this issue. Together, we can uphold the highest standards of professionalism and accountability in our workplace.”