Harris calls on FSSA, Braun to pause Medicaid disenrollments for Hoosiers in disaster zones

‍State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) is calling on the FSSA and Gov. Mike Braun to ensure Hoosiers in disaster-affected areas of the state can keep their Medicaid coverage and in-home care in the wake of severe weather.

On Aug. 11, multiple parts of the state were hit by a derecho and historic flooding, killing at least seven Hoosiers and displacing more than 1,000. President Trump declared a federal major disaster declaration for 21 counties on Aug. 15. In Northwest Indiana, the storms caused the largest power outage in NIPSCO's history. Tens of thousands of residents in that area remained without power for nearly two weeks.

Harris is joining other House Democrats in calling on the state to take three specific actions for residents in the affected counties:

• Pause procedural Medicaid terminations. Direct FSSA to suspend disenrollments for beneficiaries in disaster-declared counties who cannot complete a renewal or return requested paperwork because of the storm, so no eligible Hoosier loses coverage over a form that was washed away, a notice that never arrived or lack of access to the virtual FSSA Benefits Portal.

• Extend deadlines for waiver level-of-care assessments. Extend the deadlines for level-of-care assessments and reassessments under Indiana's Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers, and allow them to be completed by phone or video, so seniors, people with disabilities and medically fragile Hoosiers do not lose in-home service.

• Use every available tool to do it. Move now on the steps the state can take on its own, and pursue federal flexibilities, including an 1135 waiver and a disaster relief state plan amendment, that make these protections airtight.

"Two weeks after these storms rolled through Northwest Indiana, many of us are just getting back to some sense of normalcy," Harris said. "It's cruel to even consider kicking an eligible person off of Medicaid or to remove in-home care after what many of our neighbors have been through. Since Aug. 11, many Hoosiers have simply been trying to survive in their homes. People have lost food and medication, and some have had thousands of dollars' worth of damage impact their homes. It's hard to blame them if they forgot — or simply lost — paperwork in the wake of this disaster. The least we can do as a state is ensure vulnerable Hoosiers don't lose yet another necessity as a result of these storms." 

Northwest Indiana lawmakers call for legislative investigation into NIPSCO’s storm response

Northwest Indiana's Democratic House delegation, joined by the ranking minority member of the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee, today called on Speaker Todd Huston to direct the General Assembly to investigate NIPSCO's response to the Aug. 11 derecho that left hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers without electricity — thousands for more than two weeks.

In a letter sent to the Speaker, Chair of the Legislative Council, the lawmakers urged the Personnel Subcommittee of the Legislative Council to assign the topic to the Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications interim study committee under SECTION 2 of Legislative Council Resolution 26-01, and to hold public hearings in the affected communities of Northwest Indiana.

The delegation specifically asked that the study committee (1) take public testimony in the Region rather than only at the Statehouse, so that members hear directly from residents and small businesses who went without power, and (2) require NIPSCO to appear before the committee for questioning.

“Northwest Indiana residents have endured more than two weeks without electric service,” the lawmakers wrote. “Those residents are frustrated that despite paying ever-higher rates to NIPSCO, the utility struggled to restore service while Illinois utilities restored service within four days of the disaster.”

Reports have circulated of out-of-state line crews providing aid who described the emergency response as poorly coordinated.

The House Democrats cited the General Assembly's independent responsibility to examine what went wrong and to be prepared to file legislation when the session convenes in January.

“The General Assembly has a responsibility to perform its own independent, public investigation of NIPSCO’s response to ensure it is prepared to introduce any necessary legislation during the upcoming legislative session,” the letter stated. “We should be acting with a sense of urgency to ensure any shortcomings in the response to this natural disaster are not suffered again by Northwest Indiana or any region of our state.”

A copy of the letter is available here.

Signed by: State Reps. Carolyn Jackson (HD 1-Hammond), Earl Harris Jr. (HD 2-East Chicago), Ragen Hatcher (HD 3-Gary), Randy Novak (HD 9-Michigan City), Chuck Moseley (HD 10-Portage), Mike Andrade (HD 12-Munster), Vernon G. Smith (HD 14-Gary), and Matt Pierce (HD 61-Bloomington), ranking member of the House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications.

IBLC outlines next step in determining economic fallout from Braun’s ending of M/WBE program

During a press conference today, Aug. 17, members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) were joined by several business owners and community leaders to discuss the impact of Gov. Mike Braun's executive order last month ending the Minority and Women's Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program. Created by the legislature in the 1980's, the program worked to ensure state contracts were equitably distributed among women and minority-owned businesses. Braun's executive order followed Attorney General Todd Rokita's legal opinion that the program violated the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution. This opinion was unprompted by any legal challenge to the M/WBE program.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the IBLC, issued the following statement:

"This executive order, which we believe to be overreach from the governor, has the potential to not just devastate minority and women-owned businesses, but Indiana's competitive economy as a whole. The more qualified businesses you have competing for the same contract tends to get better pricing for the state. When you take away the outreach and participation pieces that keep that pool diverse, that pool will inevitably shrink.

"Beyond the financial impact, there are possible legal ramifications for ending this program through an executive order."

Sen. Greg Taylor (D-Indianapolis), shared his legal concerns about last month's executive order during the press conference:

"There are legal ramifications if someone who owns a small business wants to pursue this matter. We need someone and some businesses to come forward. Have no doubt that what has happened to small businesses needs to be addressed. We need people coming forward to talk to their legislators. If you were under contract with the state and that contract deleted its participation goal, please contact our office."

During the press conference, the IBLC called on Gov. Braun to continue the state's disparity study, which has not yet been conducted under his administration.

"This tells us everything we need to know," Harris said. "This move wasn't about economic fairness, it was about appeasing the fringes of his party's base by stoking the flames of a culture war because [Braun] knows he's failing to deliver a stronger economy and improved quality of life for Hoosiers."

Harris: Dismantling the DBE program slams the door on minority- and women-owned businesses

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement in response to Gov. Mike Braun's move to eliminate race- and gender-conscious goals from the Diversity Business Enterprises (DBE) program:

"Gov. Braun's decision erases opportunities for Black Hoosiers, women and other minority business owners who have historically been shut out of contracting — not because they lack merit or talent, but because the system was built to exclude them.

"The DBE program is not discriminatory. It exists because 'race-neutral' policies failed for decades to ensure marginalized communities were given equal opportunities. Minority- and women-owned businesses still face very real barriers: limited access to capital, exclusion from professional networks and a small fraction of government contracting dollars. Removing these protections does not eliminate those barriers. It simply relieves the state of our obligation to acknowledge them.

"Let's be clear about what this program actually does. It has never guaranteed anyone a contract based on race or sex. Its purpose is to broaden access to public contracting so that qualified businesses from every background have a meaningful opportunity to compete. When more firms can bid, competition goes up, costs come down and innovation follows. And when small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses win contracts, those dollars create jobs and investment in communities that have historically seen the least economic development.

"Gov. Braun claims to be a pro-business governor, but you cannot claim to support fair competition while dismantling the tools that make the competition fair in the first place. Shrinking the pool of qualified bidders will cost the state more on contracts, weaken competition and make Indiana's economy less inclusive.

"The governor says he is replacing DEI with 'MEI' — merit, excellence and innovation. My question is simple: Who decides what counts as merit, and how? For generations, 'merit' was defined in ways that kept Black Hoosiers, women and other minority owners out of the room entirely. This latest move, like so many of the governor's actions on diversity, equity and inclusion, will only drag Indiana backward."

IBLC: 160 years of Juneteenth, 250 years of Black history

Today, Black Americans throughout the country are celebrating Juneteenth, commemorating the anniversary of the last enslaved African Americans in Texas learning of their freedom years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement:

"While it hasn't always been as widespread a celebration as it is today, African Americans have recognized Juneteenth as a day of freedom, faith and resilience for 160 years. Juneteenth is a stark reminder that we aren't free until we're all free. While it's a day to celebrate, it's also a day to reflect and honor those who never saw freedom and to find ways to recognize the tragedies and celebrate the joys of Black Americans' history in the United States.

"This is especially important this year. As the country prepares to honor the 250th anniversary of America, I know many people are struggling to feel celebratory with the state of our nation. It's easy to feel defeated when we're watching our nation regress so much in terms of civil liberties and our protections of marginalized people. This Juneteenth, it's worth recognizing that African Americans throughout the last 250 years have fought to improve the United States for themselves, their families and future generations, and now, we must continue the work. It's never an easy task, but it is a necessary one to ensure we leave behind a stronger nation than we inherited."

Harris: ‘Today is a monumental day for Northwest Indiana’

Today, the Chicago Bears announced they will be moving the team to Hammond. This move was enabled, in part, thanks to State Rep. Earl Harris Jr.'s (D-East Chicago) House Enrolled Act 1292 in 2025, which established the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission. Last session, the bipartisan Senate Enrolled Act 27 passed through both chambers, establishing the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to acquire funds for a new stadium for the Chicago Bears. Harris was a leading House sponsor of this legislation.

Following the announcement, Harris issued the following statement:

"Today is a monumental day for Northwest Indiana. Bringing any professional sports franchise, much less one as revered as the Chicago Bears, will have an enormous impact on The Region for generations to come. From job creation to an economic boom from tourism, the Bears' presence in our community is part of continued growth happening in Northwest Indiana. 

"This is a common-sense next step in the evolution we've seen in The Region over the past several years. From the Hard Rock Casino in Gary to the Gary Chicago International Airport and the development of the Lake County Convention Center to the expansion of the South Shore Line, Northwest Indiana leaders have been building our county into destination cities. Bringing the Chicago Bears to Hammond will not only bring more visitors to our community, but will help us retain talented workers and students who were raised and educated here in Northwest Indiana. All of these factors will make Hammond – and The Region – a better place to live, work and visit.

"Today is also a significant moment for my family. My late father, Earl Harris Sr., was a champion for bringing the Bears to Northwest Indiana when he served at the Statehouse. He saw the potential that Northwest Indiana had and fought to ensure our community had the resources it needed to both thrive and to grow. I know he would be thrilled by today's announcement, and it has been an honor to carry on his work at the General Assembly.

"We were able to bring the Chicago Bears to Hammond only because Indiana legislators were willing to work across the aisle to get this project to the end zone. Good policies are those that will benefit as many people and communities as possible, and good policies are always bipartisan. I'm thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who worked together to make this happen.

"The Chicago Bears moving to Hammond, Indiana will not just have a great impact on Northwest Indiana, but the state as a whole. Thank you to the Chicago Bears leadership for giving The Region this opportunity. I look forward to seeing the wonderful impact this move will have for Hammond, the Bears and the state of Indiana.”

Media Advisory: Indiana Black Legislative Caucus to kick off interim town hall series in Indianapolis

On Saturday, May 30, members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus will kick off their annual interim town hall tour with an event at the Julia M. Carson Government Center. The town hall will focus on bills that were heard during the 2026 session of the Indiana General Assembly and local concerns. Guests will also have a chance to ask questions of the IBLC members. The town hall series will include eight events throughout the state, all free and open to the public.

 WHO: State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), members of the IBLC

WHAT: Indianapolis interim town hall

WHERE: Julia M. Carson Government Center, 300 E. Fall Creek Parkway, Indianapolis, IN 

WHEN: Saturday, May 30, noon-2 p.m. EST

IBLC decries Supreme Court decision gutting Voting Rights Act

Today, members of the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to require Louisiana to redraw its congressional maps to undo efforts to give Black voters equal representation following the 2020 census. The most recent map gave Louisiana– where Black residents represent roughly 33% of the state's population – two majority-Black districts. A Trump-backed lawsuit argued that the maps created districts based on race, which the group argued was a violation of the 14th Amendment. The court ultimately agreed, a decision that further guts the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"The basis of the Voting Rights Act was to ensure that African Americans had both equal access to the polls and equal representation in governmental bodies. Today's decision is yet another blow in a decades-long attack on the Voting Rights Act and on minority Americans' ability to have a voice in their communities and national government.

"This decision will not just impact Louisiana. Throughout the country, Louisiana v. Callais will be used to silence minority voices and uphold the violent white supremacy that has marred our nation from its inception.

"This was an opportunity for the Supreme Court to affirm every American's right to be fairly represented in their government. Instead, they chose to take our country back decades. The harm that this decision will cause cannot be overstated. This is a sad day for our democracy, but the IBLC is committed to continuing our work to advocate for fair maps that give everyone a voice."

IBLC comments on CCDF funding

Today, April 14, Gov. Mike Braun announced that he will augment to Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth (FROG) Fund to expand enrollment for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"I'm glad to hear that the outcry of Hoosiers is making a difference. CCDF vouchers are crucial for working families, and Indiana benefits when more parents can reenter the workforce by securing stable child care.

"With rising prices, Hoosiers across the board are struggling to make ends meet. This funding diversion could not have come at a better time. This funding will help daycares stay open, ensure that child care facilities are able to provide quality care for our children and help more parents get into the workforce to help support their families. While I wish this funding would have come sooner, it will make a world of difference for thousands of Hoosier families. However, over 21,000 children will be left on the waiting list despite this funding. There's still more work to do, and hopefully we can find a way to fund the remaining young people on the waitlist in the future."

Harris celebrates the passage of SB 27

Today, Feb. 24, Senate Bill 27 passed the House with a final vote of 95-4. Since the bill was amended by the House, it now heads back to the Senate for final approval before going to Gov. Braun’s desk to be signed into law. 

SB 27 creates the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, establishing a method for acquiring and financing a Chicago Bears stadium in The Region.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) issued the following statement:

“One of my father’s priorities during his tenure in the Statehouse was bringing professional sports to Northwest Indiana. The passage of SB 27 is a great step towards that goal. As I’ve said previously, the economic benefits of bringing a National Football League team and stadium to The Region will set Northwest Indiana on a path to prosperity for decades to come.

“SB 27 works hand in hand with House Enrolled Act 1292, which I authored last year. HEA 1292 established the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission to bring professional sports to the community.

“SB 27 perfectly lays the groundwork to welcome the Bears into The Region and provide the infrastructure to do so properly. This will boost our local and state economies by creating jobs, attracting tourists and generating millions in tax revenue.

“I’m incredibly proud of the bipartisan effort around SB 27 to build the Chicago Bears a new den in Northwest Indiana, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”

Harris: SB 27 creates a path toward prosperity in Northwest Indiana

Today, Feb. 19, Senate Bill 27 was amended in the House Ways and Means Committee and now heads to the House floor. The bill establishes the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to acquire and finance facilities in The Region.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), issued the following statement:

"Bringing professional sports to Northwest Indiana – and all the economic benefits that come with them – was a priority for my father when he served in the Statehouse, and I'm proud to take part in continuing that work. As amended in the Ways and Means Committee, Senate Bill 27 prioritizes the growth of Northwest Indiana and the laborers who, quite literally, lay the foundation for said growth.

"In 2025, I authored House Enrolled Act 1292. This legislation established the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission for the purpose of bringing professional sports to our community. Senate Bill 27 continues the work of bringing the Bears to Northwest Indiana. Bringing teams to Northwest Indiana and creating the infrastructure to support them will ultimately boost our local and state economy by creating jobs and bringing tourists to The Region.

"Senate Bill 27 is a bipartisan effort that creates a path toward prosperity in Northwest Indiana, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to get this to the governor's desk."

IBLC mourns passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson

Following the news of civil rights leader and politician Rev. Jesse L. Jackson's death on Feb. 17, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"Rev. Jackson dedicated his life to the service of others, from the Rainbow Coalition to protesting injustice in the United States to promoting democracy and human rights around the globe. He was led by his love for his fellow man and the belief that we're all better off when everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

"In the wake of this profound loss, I hope Rev. Jackson's life and work inspires us all to move through life with a moral compass calibrated toward justice and the resolve to work toward a better world for everyone."