GiaQuinta: ‘Hoosiers should not expect an improvement in the cost of living from House Republicans’

Today, the Indiana House of Representatives concluded its action for the first half of the 2026 legislative session.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement at halftime:

"House Republicans say there's no time or money to give you immediate relief on your utility bills, lower your health care costs, keep kids in child care classrooms or protect your safety or freedom. But they somehow found time and money to give bigger tax bailouts to utility companies and data centers, eliminate teacher collective bargaining rights and shield the Indiana Economic Development Corporation from an investigation on misused taxpayer dollars.

"There have been a few bright spots, like bipartisan support for utility rate-making reform. But House Republicans still voted down House Democrats' efforts to strengthen House Bill 1002. All in all, Hoosiers should not expect an improvement in the cost of living from House Republicans. I want Hoosiers to know that it doesn't have to be this way. House Republicans continue to prioritize special interests and pointless culture wars over real relief for Hoosiers as costs continue to rise."

GiaQuinta reacts to 2026 State of the State

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement reacting to Gov. Mike Braun's 2026 State of the State address:

"House Democrats agree with Gov. Braun that Hoosiers are no better off than they were a year ago – and that’s thanks to him and the Braun supermajority. 

"If Statehouse Republicans wanted to lower costs, they would have already done that. They've been in charge for the past 20 years.

"Now that Gov. Braun is catching up to the fact that Hoosiers are struggling, he's talking about affordable utilities and child care. But his actions over the past year speak differently. Under Gov. Braun's watch, Indiana has seen the highest utility rate hikes in 20 years, doubled health insurance premiums for 300,000 Hoosiers, and dozens of child care centers close because of his voucher cuts.   

"Gov. Braun has failed at making life more affordable for Hoosiers while gutting the programs that help them get by, like health care, food assistance, child care, and public safety. The proof is in Hoosiers' wallets – they need real relief, not lip service without action."

Pryor announces support for Working Hoosiers Agenda

Monday, Jan. 5, the Indiana House Democratic Caucus announced its 2026 Working Hoosiers Agenda. The agenda centers on bringing down the cost of living and prioritizes measures to build an Indiana where Hoosiers can get ahead rather than get by.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) has filed her 2026 legislation with the Working Hoosiers Agenda in mind, specifically focusing on bringing down the cost of utilities and health care.

"Hoosiers across the state and all over the political spectrum can agree on one key fact: life has gotten too expensive," Pryor said. "I am focused on making life more affordable for Hoosiers by bringing down the skyrocketing cost of utilities, child care, health care, and housing."

House Bill 1111 would protect ratepayers from having to pay to reconnect their service and give ratepayers bill credits if they experience service disruptions. The bill also bars utilities from turning off service in residences that are home to people who are older than 65 or younger than 17. Additionally, it requires utilities to identify new residential customers who are 62 or older and provide them with information regarding relevant senior assistance programs.

"Protecting ratepayers has been one of my top priorities throughout my legislative career," Pryor said. "Since utilities are a regulated monopoly in Indiana, consumers have no choice if they are unsatisfied by the service they are receiving. This bill holds utilities accountable for providing that quality service by transferring the cost of disconnections and outages to the company, not the consumer. Additionally, this bill protects vulnerable Hoosiers from being exploited or facing unsafe living conditions if they are forced to go without power." 

House Bill 1112 requires state employee health plans to cover diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations. The bill also provides that diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations cannot be subject to any copays, deductibles or other cost-sharing requirement. House Bill 1114 prohibits health care providers that grant coverage for advanced, metastatic cancer and associated conditions from requiring patients to prove history of failure of other prescription drugs before providing coverage for certain prescription drugs.

"Screening for cancer increases the chance of early detection and therefore the chance of survival," Pryor said. "Hoosiers shouldn’t have to break the bank to receive a potentially lifesaving tests. For those who have been diagnosed with cancer, the burden of fighting that illness is stressful enough. Insurance companies should not be placing additional hardships on cancer patients by making them jump through hoops to get their prescriptions covered."

House Bill 1113 requires landlords repair or replace an essential item within 24 hours of being notified by the tenant that the item is missing or broken. It also provides that tenants can request an enforcement authority to conduct an inspection, replace or repair the essential item within 24 hours and order a civil penalty to be paid by the landlord. It also requires all new rental agreements include provisions allowing tenants to be reimbursed for lost deposits and have their rental agreements terminated if certain repairs aren’t made within seven days.

"Indiana has some of the weakest renter protections in the country. With rent prices placing significant strain on Hoosiers, the last thing they need is to end up living in poor conditions. This bill adds accountability for problematic landlords who do not keep their properties up to the adequate standards."

Finally, House Bill 1023 restores a property tax deduction for surviving spouses of WWI veterans. This deduction was deleted in Senate Enrolled Act 1 from the 2025 Session. Restoring this deduction will have minimal fiscal impact to the state and will make a big difference in the lives of the surviving spouses of those who fought in the Great War.

See the full Working Hoosiers Agenda below:

Priority 1: Provide immediate financial relief on utility bills

• Eliminate the sales tax on residential utility use

• Protect Hoosiers from being overcharged by limiting excessive utility company profit margins

• Pause skyrocketing rate hikes

• Get big utilities out of politics by ending the appointment of political cronies to consumer watchdog positions and banning spending on political contributions and gifts

Priority 2: Keep Hoosiers healthy through affordable health coverage and guardrails on medical debt

• Cap insurance premiums

• Implement a state health exchange

• Stop medical debt from impacting credit scores

Priority 3: Create generational wealth by empowering more Hoosier homeowners

• Help Hoosiers save for their first home by creating tax-free savings accounts for home purchases

• Establish a first-time homebuyer grant program funded by a tax on investor-owned properties

• Institute a property tax credit to deliver real and immediate relief for homeowners

Priority 4: Deliver accessible, affordable and safe childcare for working families

• Create a public-private partnership program to split childcare costs between employers, the state of Indiana and parents

• Save families money through a childcare tax credit

• Fully fund Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers to keep daycare centers open and parents at work

Priority 5: Keep Hoosiers safe in their homes and neighborhoods

• Fund the police, fire, and EMS by taking Senate Enrolled Act 1 back to the drawing board and inviting more public input

• Keep violent offenders off the streets

Indiana House Democrats introduce Working Hoosiers Agenda

Today, Jan. 5, the Indiana House Democratic Caucus announced its 2026 Working Hoosiers Agenda. The agenda centers on bringing down the cost of living and prioritizes measures to build an Indiana where Hoosiers can get ahead rather than get by.

Those measures include bringing utility costs down; lowering health care costs and protecting Hoosiers from medical debt; helping Hoosiers buy their first home through housing reform; delivering accessible, affordable and safe child care to working families; and keeping Indiana safe for all Hoosiers.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement on the Working Hoosiers Agenda:

"From utility bills and health insurance to housing costs and child care, Hoosiers are getting nickled and dimed to death. We're laser focused on bringing down costs across the board and we've offered solutions to do just that. Hoosiers need to come first in our state's regulatory pecking order – not big corporations, not Big Tech, not special interests.

"Indiana House Democrats’ Working Hoosiers Agenda is about leveling the playing field for the hard-working people who power our state. Hoosiers need a hand up, not a handout. Our agenda accomplishes this so that Hoosiers get real relief, not more lip service from the Braun supermajority."

See the full Working Hoosiers Agenda below:

Priority 1: Provide immediate financial relief on utility bills 

• Eliminate the sales tax on residential utility bills (estimated $350 average annual savings per household)

• Protect Hoosiers from being overcharged by limiting excessive utility company profit margins 

• Pause skyrocketing rate hikes 

• Get big utilities out of politics by ending the appointment of political cronies to consumer watchdog positions and banning spending on political contributions and gifts 

Priority 2: Keep Hoosiers healthy through affordable health coverage and guardrails on medical debt 

• Cap insurance premiums 

• Create a state health insurance exchange 

• Stop medical debt from impacting credit scores 

Priority 3: Create generational wealth by empowering more Hoosier homeowners 

• Help Hoosiers save for their first home by creating tax-free savings accounts for home purchases 

• Establish a first-time homebuyer grant program funded by a tax on predatory real estate investors 

• Deliver a property tax credit for real and immediate relief for homeowners 

Priority 4: Deliver accessible, affordable and safe childcare for working families 

• Create a public-private partnership program to split childcare costs between employers, the state of Indiana and parents 

• Save families money through a childcare tax credit 

• Fully fund Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers to keep daycare centers open and parents at work 

Priority 5: Keep Hoosiers safe in their homes and neighborhoods 

• Fund the police, fire, and EMS by taking Senate Enrolled Act 1 back to the drawing board and inviting more public input 

• Keep violent offenders off the streets and deter violent crimes against law enforcement officers through harsher sentencing 

GiaQuinta comments on Washington Post designation of Indiana as ‘State of the Year’

Today, the Washington Post Editorial Board designated Indiana as its inaugural 'State of the Year.' Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement in response to the editorial and its citation of policies passed by the General Assembly this year as 'worthy of emulation':

"I agree with the Washington Post Editorial Board that Indiana Senate Republican and Democrats' principled rejection of partisan gerrymandering is worthy of celebration. However, the rest of their analysis of policy changes made by the supermajority is an inadvertent testament to the importance of Indiana's local media outlets and journalists.

"The editorial board's celebration of property tax cuts and budget cuts was clearly made without consideration of the fallout from both of these decisions: the fact that many homeowners and renters will end up paying more than they save from the cuts in the form of local income taxes, wheel taxes, and more; the cancellation of important local projects and programs across the state, like a domestic violence shelter in Hamilton County; and the mass closure of child care facilities. Just a few weeks ago, a daycare center in my district announced it was closing its doors as a direct impact of the Braun administration's decision to cut Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers.

"As for education funding, the only reason it increased was because of the mass flow of money toward the private school voucher program. For the 9 out of 10 Hoosier kids in public schools, their school did not receive a huge influx of dollars. For most, funding was at or below inflation, and once you factor in property tax cuts, you start to realize that our public schools are really hurting.

"All in all, this editorial is yet another example of Washington elites failing to grasp the real situation on the ground here in Indiana. I am grateful for the Hoosier reporters who work hard to tell the complete story of the policies that come out of the Statehouse – the good and the bad."

GiaQuinta, House Democrats: ‘Let’s get to work for Hoosier wallets’

Today, the Indiana Senate defeated the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill by a 31-19 vote.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement in response:

"I am grateful that Hoosiers, not Washington, D.C., prevailed today. Today is proof that your voice matters in our state government.

"Now that the Senate has rejected mid-decade redistricting, it's time for state lawmakers to focus on solving what Hoosiers have been begging us to fix: the rising cost of living and impact of tariffs on our economy. Indiana House Democrats are ready to lower the cost of utilities, housing, health care and child care. Let's get to work for Hoosier wallets!"

House Republicans pass gerrymandered congressional maps after House Democrats fight for working families

Today, the Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 1032, the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill that is explicitly intended to give Republicans a 9-0 advantage in Indiana's congressional races, by a 57-41 vote. All House Democrats voted against the bill.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement upon the bill's passage:

"At every conceivable turn this week, House Democrats have offered House Republicans opportunities to address real issues that impact Hoosiers every day. From reining in sky-high utility costs to tackling jaw-dropping health care premiums, there's no shortage of problems we could be fixing. Instead, Republicans have rushed through cracked-and-packed maps that break up communities and dilute minority voices.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook for months – ever since we first started discussing the possibility of redistricting – and the overwhelming majority of people we've spoken to don't want new maps. They want us lawmakers to focus our energy on solving the problems that keep them up at night, not doing Washington, D.C.'s bidding. New political maps don't pay the bills, and Hoosiers are very aware of this.

"I'm hoping that the folks across the hall in the state Senate have the courage to stand up to this D.C. power grab and vote no on redistricting. This has been a distraction for far too long. House Democrats are ready to get to work to create a stronger economy and a better future for Hoosiers, not play political games that only serve to benefit party bosses."

Speaker Huston, Leader GiaQuinta issue joint statement condemning recent swatting, threats of violence against Senators

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) and Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following joint statement today condemning the recent swatting and threats of violence against Senators:

"The threats, swatting attempts and other criminal activity being directed at our colleagues in the Senate are abhorrent and completely unacceptable. This is no way to express political disagreement, and it must stop. We thank our local, state and federal law enforcement for responding to and investigating these crimes, and for keeping our elected officials and their families safe. This is incredibly harmful to those being directly impacted and to our entire state. We're praying for our colleagues, their families and neighbors, and our law enforcement partners. We hope to see swift justice for anyone responsible for these crimes." 

GiaQuinta comments on redistricting not moving forward

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement reacting to the news that Senate Republicans will not move forward on redistricting:

"Now that the topic of redistricting is behind us, I look forward to working on bringing down the cost of living for Hoosiers during the upcoming legislative session."

GiaQuinta reacts to special session timeline, calls for action on cost of living

Today, Nov. 3, Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) announced that the House of Representatives will meet during the first two weeks of December to address "time sensitive issues." This will be part of the 2026 regular session. Last week, Republican Gov. Mike Braun called a special session to start today, Nov. 3, to redraw Indiana's nine congressional seats to wholly represent Republicans instead of the 7-2 Republican-Democrat current map.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement in response:

"Whether the Statehouse comes back early for special session or regular session, House Democrats are going to be focused on the same thing: the skyrocketing cost of living here in Indiana. From health care premiums and utility bills to child care costs and property taxes, Hoosiers are struggling to stay afloat and need relief. Redrawing political maps won't solve any of these problems. House Democrats will be offering solutions, and I look forward to hearing from Statehouse Republicans about what their plans to make Indiana more affordable look like."

GiaQuinta decries redistricting scheme

House Democratic Leader urges supermajority to focus on cost-of-living issues, not partisan map rigging

Today, Oct. 27, Republican Gov. Mike Braun signed a proclamation calling a special session of the General Assembly to start on Nov. 3 to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps in the middle of the decade, to go into effect for next year’s midterm elections. 

This unprecedented action follows the General Assembly having redrawn Indiana’s current congressional maps in Oct. 2021 following the 2020 U.S. Census.  

While Republican Gov. Braun has called this special session, there is no enforcement mechanism that requires the General Assembly to answer his call and pass new maps. The legislature may gavel in on Nov. 3 onward and then gavel back out without completing any new business. It can also take up business unrelated to Braun’s stated purpose for the session. 

All Indiana House Democrats oppose the redistricting scheme. The full list of House Democratic members can be found here.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement in response: 

"Last week, Hoosiers learned that Senate Republicans did not have the votes required to pass a blatantly rigged congressional map. After that news broke, it didn't take long for D.C. elites to swoop in and bully Republican lawmakers into bowing to their demands to put partisanship before solving Hoosiers' actual problems.

"Our state government is owned by Washington, D.C., instead of the people who should actually drive its decisions: Hoosiers. Washington, D.C. is broken and dysfunctional. Why would we listen to them when Hoosiers oppose mid-decade redistricting?

“If Gov. Braun and Statehouse Republicans were listening to Hoosiers, the majority of whom oppose mid-decade redistricting, we wouldn't be going into a special session. We wouldn't be wasting taxpayer dollars to redraw maps the House Republicans drew four years ago and described as 'beautiful' and perfect.' Poll after poll after poll has shown that Hoosiers do not want the General Assembly to redraw our congressional maps this year.

"Hoosiers, there is still an opportunity to have your voice heard. Call or email your state representative or senator, now is the time to share your views about this.

“The House and Senate still can lead with courage and common sense by rejecting the governor’s call. There is no requirement that we pass new congressional maps just because Republican Gov. Braun caved to D.C. elites. I am grateful to Hoosiers who have voiced their opposition to this scheme. Hoosiers can stop these new maps from passing.

“There are massive problems in Indiana that demand leadership and action from the Statehouse, like property taxes, utility bills and health care costs. Our congressional districts are not one of them. Let’s keep the focus on Hoosiers and reject this effort from out-of-state elites to change the rules of the game at halftime.” 

To find your legislators and their contact information, visit the IGA Find Your Legislator web page.

GiaQuinta statement on IEDC audit

Following the release of a forensic audit into the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), IEDC Foundation and its partners, Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement:

"This is what happens when you don't have oversight. I like to be on the side of protecting Hoosier taxpayer dollars, always. Clearly the secrecy under which the IEDC has operated, which House Democrats questioned repeatedly, was not about maximizing economic development deals. Instead, it was about covering up the waste and excess of taxpayer dollars spent on lavish international travel, conflicts of interest and lack of competitive bidding on the LEAP project.

"Gov. Braun and the General Assembly must take on a deeper investigation of the far-reaching, questionable activities of the IEDC and look back further than 2022. It's hard to believe these ethical lapses only began in 2022. Hoosiers need to know more about the few elites who benefited from the IEDC's dealings and whether the law was broken. Many more questions need to be answered here before taxpayers have confidence in the IEDC's operations moving forward."