Hits and misses from the 2019 Legislative Session

Dear Friends:

The 2019 legislative session has ended, and I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions over the past four months.

There were bright spots along the way. We passed an amendment into the budget that makes sure Hoosiers with pre-existing medical conditions are covered by all health insurance plans in Indiana, defeated a plan that would have drastically increased interest rates on short-term loans and took the first steps toward lowering prescription drug prices. I was pleased to support all of those efforts.

I was disappointed we didn’t do more in some areas important to Northwest Indiana residents. For instance, I supported more funding for students and schools; better pay for teachers; increased efforts to help at-risk children; and a robust plan to help working families that addressed wages, health care and college affordability. The majority did not share my opinion in those matters.

Finally, as you might imagine, some topics require more than one session to reach a consensus. I will continue to work on two items that seem particularly important to residents of our district:    

STRENGTHENING UNEMPLOYMENT: A HOOSIER SAFETY NET

Indiana's unemployment system protects local economies from the downward spiral of mass layoffs. Currently, Indiana's unemployment fund is less than what the United States Department of Labor recommends. We need to strengthen Indiana's unemployment fund to ensure our working families, local businesses and local economy are protected.

TAX AND PAYROLL FRAUD

When unscrupulous contractors avoid paying payroll taxes, we need to ensure law enforcement has the tools necessary for enforcement of penalties. Lost payroll taxes negatively impact local and state operations while compromising workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance.

I hope to see you soon at one of the various events in our district. Please contact me if I can be of assistance to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Lisa Beck