Indiana Black Legislative Caucus outlines ambitious 2015 agenda
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Black Legislative Caucus leaders today outlined an ambitious agenda for the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly that they said would provide greater economic, educational, and social opportunities for all residents.
According to State Sen. Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago), caucus chairman, the group will pursue a number of reforms, including improvements to the state school funding formula, having the state assume school textbook costs, creation of a small business and grocer investment program, and starting a pilot program to reduce recidivism.
“The members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus will be offering a series of proposals throughout this session that will be designed to meet our mission of lifting up all residents of our state,” Randolph said. “This will include improved educational efforts to close achievement gaps among students, enhanced public policies in areas like criminal and social justice, improved access to affordable health care, and targeted assistance designed to meet the needs of families struggling to obtain such basic necessities as housing, utilities, clothing, and food.”
Here are the components of the caucus agenda:
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Recidivism reduction pilot project (Senate Bill 300): Authored by State Sen. Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis), this measure would enable 10 counties across Indiana to participate in a three-year project designed to see what can be done to reduce the number of repeat offenders.
Study of former offender employment barriers (House Bill 1612): Authored by State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis), this legislation would create an interim committee to study the problems faced by offenders who are attempting to find employment after their release from prison.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Small Business & Grocer Investment Program (HB 1256): Authored by State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), the bill would establish a program that enables the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) to provide grants or loans to food retailers that increase local access to fresh foods, vegetables and other healthy foods in underserved communities.
Professional Development Sports Commission (HB 1376): Authored by State Rep. Earl Harris (D-East Chicago), the bill would establish a commission to explore the feasibility of attracting a professional sports franchise to northwest Indiana.
EDUCATION
“Our efforts in this area will begin with ensuring that our public schools are properly supported through the funding formula approved in this year’s state budget,” Randolph said. “That will include shedding a light upon the levels of support that public, charter, and private schools receive so the people of Indiana have an idea how their tax dollars are used.”
State payments for school textbook costs (SB 340): Authored by State Sen. Earline Rogers (D-Gary), the legislation would require that public schools provide curricular materials at no cost to students.
School discipline (HB 1558): Authored by State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis), the measure would ask the Indiana Department of Education to develop a model evidence-based plan for improving behavior and discipline in schools across the state.
HEALTH CARE
“Our members continue to maintain that affordable health care should be a right for all Hoosiers, and it is our belief that such an answer is found by the state of Indiana signing on to the Affordable Care Act,” State Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary) said. “While our governor dawdles on an expansion of the HIP 2.0 program, thousands of people across this state continue to be denied access to the kind of preventive health care that can protect themselves and their families. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Bias motivated crimes (HB 1330): Authored by State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis), the proposal would enhance the penalties for such crimes as battery, robbery, arson, and harassment if they are based on an individual’s race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. It also would require law enforcement officers to receive training in identifying, responding to, and reporting bias motivated crimes.
Racial profiling (HB 1284): Authored by State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), the bill would prohibit a law enforcement agency from engaging in racial profiling or conducting pretextual stops.
Self-defense (SB 46): Authored by State Sen. Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis), the legislation would specify that a person is not justified in using force against someone else if the person using force is the initial aggressor, has reached a safe place and immediately returned to the location of the attack, or is pursuing an attacker or trespasser who has retreated and no longer presents a threat.