Pryor’s amendments struck down in Ways and Means Committee

Today, Feb. 17, State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) offered several amendments to the state budget during the House Committee on Ways and Means. These amendments were focused on increasing the quality of life of working Hoosiers, first responders and new mothers. 

Three of the amendments Pryor offered focused on supporting working Hoosiers by expanding the allocation for mass public transportation from $45 million to $65 million, increasing the renter’s deduction by $1,000 and exempting breastfeeding items from state sales tax. 

“Indiana recently ranked as the 6th highest state in the nation for the percent of adults who experienced difficulty keeping up with everyday expenses,” Pryor said. “Part of this affordability crisis comes down to the high cost of renting and lack of access to public transportation. 

“Indiana is one of the worst states in the nation to be a renter. I offered an amendment to give Hoosier renters some relief with an increased renter’s deduction. In Indianapolis, a quarter of all renters are severely cost-burdened, meaning they are forced to spend half of their income on rent. When people are paying a majority of their income to keep a roof over their heads, they struggle to keep up with the increasing cost of living in terms of utilities and groceries. This amendment would have put money back into the pockets of Hoosier renters. 

“Additionally, I offered an amendment to increase the allocation for mass public transportation. With the increasing cost of living, many people simply cannot afford the cost of owning a car and paying for gas. This is why it is so important to make sure that we have adequate public transportation. Access to public transportation has been shown to significantly increase quality of life as people can reach employment opportunities, grocery stores, resources, doctor's appointments and more. 

“I also offered an amendment to make breastfeeding items exempt from the state sales tax. Charging a sales tax for necessary items such as breast pumps creates barriers for new mothers that increases the difficulty of an already challenging time. These items provide the basic need of food to our newborn babies.”  

Pryor also offered an amendment using the language from House Bill 1352, authored by State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond), to establish the Indiana first responders mental health wellness fund and program. 

“The rate of suicide amongst first responders is significantly higher than the rest of the population. These brave individuals put themselves in harm's way to protect their communities. From running into a burning building, to resuscitating someone after a car accident, to showing up to a crime scene, first responders regularly experience traumatic situations. This amendment, which inserts language from HB 1352 authored by Rep. Carolyn Jackson, would establish a fund to help first responders access mental health resources that could save their lives.” 

All of Pryor’s amendments were struck down by the Republican supermajority. 

Dant Chesser bill to create options for Medicare Supplement Insurance heads to the Senate

Today, Feb. 17, House Bill 1226 passed a vote on the House floor and heads to the Senate for consideration.  Authored by State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville), this bill provides cost-saving opportunities to seniors by allowing them to take advantage of “The Birthday Rule.” This allows those enrolled in Medigap coverage the chance to shop for Medical Supplement Plans without underwriting within 60 days of their birthday, as long as they maintain the same type of plan. 

Dant Chesser gave the following statement:

“I’m excited that this bill passed the House and is headed to the Senate. I authored this legislation after hearing from a constituent who needed to find affordable insurance. Jeffersonville is on the state border, and ‘The Birthday Rule’ exists in Kentucky but not our state. Thanks to those who brought this forward to close Indiana’s gap in our Medicare coverage. 

“Our health care system is extremely difficult to navigate. Insurance is confusing, and it gets even more convoluted when states have differing protections. HB 1226 will streamline the process of Medicare Supplement insurance and cut costs for our seniors. In other states where ‘The Birthday Rule’ exists, seniors have saved close to $800, which makes a difference to those on a fixed income. They’re able to shop around for a program that works best for them, and this bill protects them from discriminatory prices due to medical history or health status. 

“I promised myself I would do something to provide our seniors with some relief. For those dependent on Medicare coverage, HB 1226 can streamline Medicare Supplement insurance and make it a little bit more cost-effective. I look forward to the consideration of my bill in the Senate.” 

Shackleford’s HB 1065 passes out of the House of Representatives

Today, Feb. 17, State Rep. Robin Shackleford’s (D-Indianapolis) House Bill 1065, which aims to ease the financial burden for cancer patients participating in clinical trials, passed out of the House of Representatives and will go to the Senate for further consideration. If passed into law, the bill would create the Cancer Clinical Trial Participation Program. This program would allow independent third parties, such as patient groups, corporations or government entities, to cover ancillary costs for patients taking part in clinical trials in Indiana.

“Every year, millions of Hoosiers face a cancer diagnosis. The extreme emotional and physical burden that comes with a cancer diagnosis should not be accompanied by financial hardship. The Cancer Clinical Trial Participation Program would provide funding for people who wish to travel to take part in a potentially life-saving clinical trial. Several other states have started programs like this and had great success. No one should miss out on the opportunity for live saving treatment because of the financial burden,” Shackleford said.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Indiana, with an estimated 2.4 million Hoosiers, or approximately two in five people, eventually facing a diagnosis. Despite the importance of clinical trials in discovering new treatments, less than 7% of eligible patients currently participate. Barriers to participation include the cost of travel, lodging, and missed work, which can be a significant burden on patients and their families.

"This bill is an example of how bipartisanship can work to bring tangible benefits to our constituents," Shackleford continued. "My hope is that the two parties can continue to work together on issues like this so we can improve public health in our state for all people."  

Errington’s HB 1297 passes unanimously out of the House, moves to the Senate

Today, Feb. 17, State Rep. Sue Errington’s (D-Muncie) House Bill 1297 passed unanimously out of the House. The bill creates a voluntary Yellow Dot Motor Vehicle Medical Information Program, designed to provide first responders with vital medical information during automobile accidents. The program includes a yellow decal for the vehicle’s rear window and an envelope with medical details to be kept in the glove compartment.

Errington released the following statement on the bill’s passage:

“The Yellow Dot Program is a life-saving initiative that helps first responders access critical medical information quickly, especially when accident victims are unable to provide it themselves. The program is already active in 22 other states, offering added benefit for Hoosiers traveling out of state.

“I want to thank the constituent in my district with Parkinson’s Disease who brought this idea to my attention, as well as our dedicated first responders who serve as heroes in our communities.

“While this program will primarily benefit older residents, it’s designed for individuals of all ages, both healthy and those with medical conditions.”

As HB 1297 heads to the Senate, Errington expressed her hopes for continued bipartisan support to improve the lives of Hoosiers and support first responders in their critical work.

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. To follow HB 1297, click here.

Johnson announces 2025 Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship applications now open

State Rep. Blake Johnson (D-Indianapolis) is inviting graduating seniors to apply for the 2025 Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is granted to a high school student in House District 100 who demonstrates their commitment to community and public service. The one-time, $5,000 scholarship is awarded each year by Johnson and his wife, Natalie. It was created and named in honor of former Indianapolis City-County Councilor and dedicated public servant, Mary Moriarty Adams, who passed away in 2018.   

A successful applicant will demonstrate an exemplary record of community engagement and academic achievement. Particularly, students interested in pursuing a career in public service are encouraged to apply. Graduating seniors or those planning to enroll in postsecondary education for the first time who live in or attend school in House District 100 are eligible to apply. A map of the boundaries can be found here. 

“Supporting students who aspire to a life of service is one of the most meaningful ways to invest in the future of our city and our state,” Johnson said. “Natalie and I are grateful that so many young people in our community are taking the time to give back, and this is our small way of celebrating and lifting up their efforts.” 

 The application is open now until Sunday, April 13. To apply, view the form here or go to Johnson’s page on the Indiana House Democratic Caucus website. 

Porter unimpressed with House Republican budget, thankful for the reinstatement of critical commissions

Today, Feb. 17, the House Ways and Means Committee amended and passed House Bill 1001 along partisan lines 14-7. The main topic of discussion was Chairman Jeff Thompson’s (R-Lizton) amendment to the proposed budget. The committee accepted one amendment from State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D–Indianapolis) that restores the 15% cut to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission (ICRC), reinstates the Indiana Native American Indian Affairs Commission (INAIAC) and provides a $1 million increase for the Minority Health Initiative. 

“First off, I am thankful my amendment passed to restore critical funding to the ICRC, reinstate the INAIAC and provide some additional dollars for minority health. This state budget has to include provisions for all Hoosiers, including our marginalized communities. 

“But the majority’s amendment is lackluster and leaves a lot to be desired. The funding for our K-12 public schools is inadequate with many corporations receiving cuts. Higher education is flat-funded even though our college-going rate is a dismal 53%. There’s no mention of the roughly 10,000 vulnerable Hoosiers on the Medicaid waitlists. There’s no money for our trails or land preservation. 

“Money is tight, but we should prioritize funding for programs that benefit Hoosiers. We have a long way to go until this budget is truly beneficial.”  

Shackleford’s unoffered amendment to HB1604

Yesterday, Feb. 13, State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) was set to introduce her amendment to House Bill 1604 on the House floor, expecting a lack of Republican support. However, following a productive meeting with the Chairman of the Insurance Committee, Shackleford agreed to work collaboratively on the amendment's language and bring it to the committee for further discussion before it reaches the floor for a vote.

The underlying bill allows consumers to apply out-of-pocket medical purchases, such as those for medications and medical devices, toward their annual deductibles.

Shackleford’s unoffered amendment would have expanded on this by ensuring that the full cost of prescription drugs, including amounts paid through manufacturer copay savings programs, discounts, or coupons, counts toward both the patient’s annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximum costs.

Shackleford issued the following statement on the amendment:

“Nearly half of Americans are now enrolled in high-deductible health plans through their employer, and almost half of all commercial plans include a separate pharmacy deductible.

“This language is essential to protect Hoosiers from unexpected costs when their savings don’t count toward their deductible and to help ensure that they can afford their medications, no matter the challenges life throws their way.

“I’ve heard from many constituents and clients about this issue, and I’ve experienced it firsthand. To get the costly medication I need, I rely on a manufacturer's copayment card that reduces my payment. After that, I'm left with the remaining price of the drug until I meet my deductible. Unfortunately, the manufacturer’s share doesn’t apply to my annual deductible. Like many Hoosiers, it's frustrating to pay so much every month without seeing any progress toward meeting my deductible.

“Nineteen states have already taken action against copay accumulator programs, which prevent patients’ savings from counting toward their deductible. These programs boost insurers' profits while leaving patients with higher out-of-pocket costs, often without access to necessary medications. The harm caused by these programs is so significant that the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan recently announced it would no longer accept any plans that use them.

“Fortunately, efforts are underway to address these harmful practices. Legal challenges to copay accumulator programs are already in progress, such as the Copay Accumulator Case 2023, highlighting the growing push to eliminate these harmful policies and protect patients. I look forward to continuing to work with committee members on this issue to ensure Hoosiers are no longer penalized for using savings programs that help them afford their medications.”

Garcia Wilburn bill to grow family recovery courts halted in Ways and Means, leaves recovery courts in limbo

A bill authored by State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) to establish a fund for family recovery courts and grow their presence around the state passed its first hurdle earlier this week but as the House faces key deadlines, its future is uncertain. The House Judiciary Committee approved House Bill 1107 unanimously.

HB 1107 would establish the Family Recovery Court Fund to grow the presence and capacity of family recovery courts around the state. Family recovery courts are certified problem-solving courts that target cases of abuse or neglect wherein a parent or primary caregiver suffers from a substance use disorder or co-occurring disorders.

However, it remains stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee without a scheduled hearing as the House approaches the final deadline for House bills to pass committee on Monday, Feb. 17. The bill was recommitted to Ways and Means because it creates a monetary fund, even though it does not appropriate any money into the fund.

Garcia Wilburn issued the following statement on the importance of the bill and this disappointing setback for families dealing with substance use disorder:

"Family recovery courts apply a non-adversarial, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary approach targeting the disease of addiction at a familial level and along a continuum of care. They reduce taxpayer costs by working to solve the problem of addiction outside of the courtroom and prison system. As Indiana continues to fight the opioid epidemic in our communities, funding family recovery courts would be an excellent use of our opioid settlement dollars, which is why I authored this bill.

"Thank you to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Chris Jeter for granting HB 1107 a hearing and to my fellow committee members for supporting this legislation. Amid mental health and certified community behavioral health center (CCBHC) funding uncertainty, I was disappointed to learn that this bill that does not cost the state anything will not receive a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee before our key committee hearing deadline – meaning that it is now dead in the water in its original form. I will continue to work tirelessly with the Senate to find alternatives.

"We have made progress in our state on reducing overdose deaths in recent years. But I have grave concerns that without continuing to fund evidence-based efforts like CCBHCs or creating a new funding source for family recovery courts like HB 1107, we will backslide and leave more children without parents and more families without their loved ones. I came to the General Assembly to get real work done for our community, and that doesn't stop with this bill dying."

Judicial officers around the state expressed support for this legislation.

As Allen County Magistrate Sherry Hartzler said of the county's family recovery court, "We have had approximately 10 babies born substance free since we started in February 2019. The births occurred either during their participation or after they graduated as we’ve kept up with a lot of our grads. I was curious and looked at the lifetime monetary costs for substance-exposed infants and saw one study from 2002 that ranged from $750,000 to $1.4 million.  Astounding and these numbers are 20 years old." 

Knox County Judge Gara Lee shared: "During the existence of the Knox County family recovery court we have had at least five, if not six, babies born clean to participant mothers in our program. I believe that the cost savings of having a child born substance free to be immeasurable."

Garcia Wilburn will continue working with family recovery court judges to find a solution this legislative session and ensure Hamilton County Courts have the opportunity to explore family recovery courts for our communities.

Pryor’s efforts to lower utility costs struck down by supermajority

Today, Feb. 13,  State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) offered two amendments to House Bill 1459 that aimed to cut costs for ratepayers. These amendments would have provided relief for those struggling to pay their utility bills by prohibiting utility companies from charging reconnection fees or raising their rates for one year. The amendments would have also ensured that utility companies could not disconnect services during the hottest and coldest times of the year and required them to offer reasonable payment plans. 

Another component of the amendments was the requirement for utility companies to submit data on the number of disconnections they have each month. Under a settlement agreement with the Office of the Utility Counselor and the IURC, the 5 largest utilities were required to report this same data until early 2024. That data showed that thousands of households are being disconnected from utility services every month due to non-payment.  Both amendments were voted down by House Republicans. 

“I proposed these amendments because Hoosiers are getting billed to their breaking point,” Pryor said. “Utility companies in our state continue to raise rates despite making record profits. It is unacceptable that 13% of Hoosier households experience at least one disconnection annually.” 

“Because utilities operate as a regulated monopoly in Indiana, our constituents rely on us to protect them from predatory pricing. The aggressive price hikes that utility companies are pushing are too much for people to keep up with. The amendments I proposed would have given Indiana residents some time to catch their breath from the rising cost of living in our state. Utilities in our state should be affordable for everyone, and I will keep fighting until that is a reality.” 

Burton’s utility accountability amendment added to HB1459

Today, Feb. 13, State Rep. Alex Burton’s (D-Evansville) amendment to House Bill 1459 passed unanimously in the House. The bill outlines new rules for water and wastewater utilities in Indiana that aren’t currently regulated by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC).

Burton's amendment adds a requirement for utilities that aren't regulated by the IURC. These utilities must report any consent decrees (agreements they’ve made with the government) or federal mandates to the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA). They must do this according to the reporting schedule mentioned in the bill.

Burton released the following quote on the amendment’s passage:

“Historically, Evansville has solved its infrastructure problems independently and has not asked the state for much assistance. This is a small step that I hope will one day lead to the state providing resources to communities like Evansville to address federal mandates and consent decrees.”

Boy’s amended opioid overdose reversal bill passes out of House Education Committee

Today, Feb. 12,  State Rep. Pat Boy’s (D-Michigan City) House Bill 1376 passed unanimously out of the House Education Committee. The original version of the bill, which aimed to supply opioid overdose reversal medication in schools across the state, has been significantly altered. The amended bill now only includes a redefinition of “naloxone” in the Indiana Code, defining it as “a federal Food and Drug Administration-approved opioid overdose reversal medication, including nasal spray.

Boy released the following statement on the amended bill’s passage:

“While today’s amendments alter the original intent of the bill, I recognize that this change may open the door to more conversations about the opioid crisis and how we can address it in our schools and communities. The redefinition of naloxone is a small, but important step in acknowledging the need for better resources to combat opioid overdoses. However, we cannot stop here. This is not enough to protect the lives of our young people. We are facing an epidemic, and the urgency to act has never been greater.

“The statistics speak for themselves: The National Institute on Drug Abuse, in a report from May 2024, revealed that law enforcement seized 2,300 times more fentanyl pills in 2023 than in 2017—115,562,603 pills compared to 49,657. This surge in fentanyl distribution is putting our youth at an unprecedented risk. According to the American Medical Association in 2023, the conversation has grown louder—it's time to put opioid overdose reversal medication in schools, where it can save lives.

“We owe it to our youth to take immediate and decisive action. We cannot afford to wait. We must work together to create a safe environment for our students, one where they have the resources to stay alive and thrive. Today’s amendments are a start, but we cannot stop here. I am committed to pushing for stronger legislation that will address this public health crisis and protect future generations.”

HB 1376 will now move to the House floor for further consideration.

Smith bill to increase reporting for incidents of bullying passes in Education Committee

Today, Feb. 12, House Bill 1539, authored by State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary), passed the House Education Committee. The bill expands the definition of bullying to include severe, one-time acts, not just repeated offenses. It also requires school corporations to report incidents of bullying no later than one business day to the parents of the alleged perpetrator and targeted student. HB 1539 also updates the legal language for students who transfer schools. 

Smith released the following statement about the committee's passage of his bill:

“Education is an essential part of childhood, and we want our schools to be a safe haven. Sometimes coming to school is the only way a student gets a hot meal, chats with a positive adult influence or sees their cherished friends. Our children deserve to be safe in the school building. 

“Current law allows schools to report no later than five business days, but this is far too long. Parents deserve to know about a bullying incident as soon as possible. In some cases, it’s the difference between life and death. Students who experience bullying have an increased risk for depression and anxiety. I want our students to believe in the system of reporting. I want them to know that if they speak up things will get better for them. I believe my bill protects our students and ensures their voices are heard and respected. 

“I think as it moves forward, we need to continue to discuss cyber-bullying and protections for our children online. I’m grateful that this bill passed in the House Education Committee, and I look forward to its vote on the House floor.”