Pryor: ‘This map silences minority voices’

Today, Dec. 2, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032 out of the House Committee on Elections and Apportionments by a vote of 8 to 5. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Minority Floor Leader and a member of the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment, issued the following statement: 

“House Republicans openly stated today that these maps took nothing into consideration besides boosting the political performance of their party. There was absolutely no consideration of the Voting Rights Act, the State Constitution, or the United States Constitution. This blatant power grab violates every principle of fairness in our democracy, and my colleagues across the aisle aren’t even trying to hide it. 

“Hoosiers do not want this. In the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment, we heard almost five hours of testimony from the public, and the sentiment was overwhelmingly in opposition. While I was glad to hear from the many people who came to testify today, the reality is that the vast majority of Hoosiers will be given no opportunity to weigh in. When the stakes are this high, people deserve the opportunity to make their voices heard, but this whole process has been shrouded in secrecy. 

“Let’s be very clear: these maps are racially gerrymandered. Dividing up the two most diverse communities in the state is a deliberate attempt to silence minority voices. Marion County is split into four different districts. Two of those span to Southern Indiana. It doesn’t just hurt Indianapolis to be divided in this way, but almost half of Indiana’s 92 counties will now be represented by people who also have to consider Indianapolis when advocating for their district. The necessary solutions to the unique challenges faced by communities across the state cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach.” 

Pryor comments on proposed maps

Today, Dec. 1, Indiana House Republicans released their proposed new congressional map hours before the House is set to convene for an extra session. After months of pressure from Washington D.C., the new map draws Indiana’s two congressional Democrats out of their seats. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Minority Floor Leader and a member of the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment, issued the following statement: 

“After months of having to guess what the newly gerrymandered map proposal would look like, we finally have it. Let me tell you, it’s even worse than I imagined.

“Marion County has been split into four separate districts. Part of my district has been lumped in with Newton and Jasper counties in Northwest Indiana. Slivers of Indianapolis are attached to districts that reach all the way down to the Kentucky border, right across the river from Louisville. 

“Make no mistake: this map seeks to silence Black voices. Marion County, the most diverse area of the state, has been split up so that we have no representation. The last I checked, we are still expected to pay taxes. This nation fought a war to end taxation without representation only to turn around 250 years later and oppress their own citizens in the same way. 

“In no way do Hoosiers benefit from this cracked map. How can congresspeople be expected to advocate for the needs of their district when the communities they represent are so far apart? House Republicans are focused on pleasing Washington and maintaining control, because they have failed policies and are clueless about how to help Hoosiers with the high cost of living they have created.   

“While minority communities have been deliberately targeted, all Hoosiers will suffer from this gerrymandered mess.” 

Pryor reacts to announcement of House convening on Dec. 1 to consider redistricting

Today, Speaker of the House Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tem. Rodric Bray announced the Indiana General Assembly will reconvene early for the 2026 session to discuss redistricting, starting Dec. 1.  

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Minority Floor Leader and member of the House Committee on Elections, issued the following statement in response: 

“After months of intense pressure from Washington, my Republican colleagues in the Statehouse have officially caved and the House has been called into session starting on Monday. This extra session is a performance to show that loyalty to the party matters more than the needs of Hoosiers.

“As a legislator expected to vote on these maps in a matter of days, I have yet to see a confirmed proposal. The public will have no chance to weigh in on an issue that directly impacts them. 

“Hoosiers have made it very clear that they did not ask for new maps. The General Assembly needs to redirect our focus from silencing our own voters to helping working families keep more of their hard-earned money. Gerrymandering does nothing to solve the real problems Hoosiers face like the affordability crisis.”  

Pryor calls on Braun to waive property tax late fees in light of record-setting government shutdown

Monday, Nov. 10, was one of the biannual property tax due dates in Indiana. Approximately 24,000 federal workers in Indiana have missed several paychecks due to the record-setting government shutdown. The fate of over 570 million Hoosiers' SNAP benefits and close to 155,000 mothers, infants and toddlers WIC benefits are unclear.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement calling on Gov. Braun to pause property tax late fees:

“Hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers have been greatly impacted by this government shutdown. Federal workers who own homes may not have the capacity to pay their property taxes to the government because their paychecks were withheld. Even with the agreement to reopen the federal government, it may take some time for workers to get back pay. Because of that, families who have lost critical benefits may be forced to choose between paying their property taxes and putting food on the table for their children. 

“On Oct. 27, I sent a letter to Governor Braun proposing a list of solutions to help Hoosiers impacted by the government shutdown. One of those items was to issue an executive order to waive penalties for families who cannot make their property tax payments on time. We saw former Gov. Holcomb take this action via executive order during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis. 

“Last year, Republicans finally recognized that property taxes had gotten out of hand and Hoosiers couldn’t keep up. However, their ‘solution’ failed to provide substantial relief for homeowners. Governor Braun campaigned on lowering property taxes. He even went so far as to propose a property tax freeze. 

“Since taking office less than a year ago, Governor Braun has issued 73 executive orders. The governor was willing to make bold declarations about lowering property taxes when he was courting people’s votes, but has failed to deliver. Waiving late fees for property taxes is the least we can do to help Hoosiers struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.”

Pryor comments on updated session timeline

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. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Minority Floor Leader and member of the House Committee on Elections, issued the following statement: 

“While the IBLC was holding a rally against redistricting, legislative leadership made their announcement that the general assembly will be convening Dec. 1 through Dec. 12 after Gov. Braun called a special session last week.

“It is mighty convenient that the dates announced overlap with the dates that some Black legislators were scheduled to be at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators' (NBCSL) annual conference. Many of us had made arrangements to attend the conference, some over a month ago. It is telling that the announcement for session was made during the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus rally and scheduled during the NBCSL conference. 

“I will cancel those arrangements to be here to fight against this partisan power grab that is targeting minority voters in two congressional districts. The two districts that Republicans seek to annihilate with these new maps are also the two most diverse areas of the state. Getting rid of congressional representation for Marion County and Lake County is an explicit attempt to silence minority voices. 

“However, in the statement released about these dates, leadership did not confirm whether or not they would be addressing redistricting. Hoosiers have made it clear that they do not want new congressional maps, they want an affordable Indiana. So far, our pressure has been working. I hope that we use this session to address the real ‘time sensitive issues’ of utility bills, rent, property taxes, healthcare, child care costs and the overall cost of living.” 

SNAP cuts will hurt everyone — not just those who rely on it, but also the economy

The federal government shutdown is about to enter the second month. In November, almost 600,000 Hoosiers are at risk of losing their reliable source of food if the federal government does not fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). One in every eight of those relying on SNAP in Indiana is a child. If this funding suddenly disappears, this will mean children going to school with empty stomachs, elderly citizens forgoing medications to be able to afford groceries and parents unable to sleep at night wondering how they are going to feed their families. 

Let me be clear about who will be hurt by this funding cliff: everyone. If you are fortunate enough to not have to rely on SNAP to put food on the table, you may think this issue will have no impact on your daily life. I am here to tell you that you are dead wrong. Obviously, the most pressing aspect of this issue is that people will face food insecurity and hunger. However, this sudden cut off of SNAP benefits could have downstream effects on the economy that will impact consumers no matter what tax bracket they are in. 

Think about it. Grocery stores across the state would lose 9% of their customers overnight. In Indiana, SNAP users spend $111.4 million a month on food and other essentials. That doesn’t just leave tons of food on the shelves, but removes millions of dollars in income for every part of the food industry. The grocery stores themselves, the shipping companies, the food manufacturers, the packaging manufacturers, all the way down to farmers – this pause in SNAP will derail the entire supply chain. 

SNAP funding could be the difference in grocery stores being able to keep their doors open. This means employees losing their job, decreasing their ability to spend money on other things and increasing unemployment throughout the state. Our state already has an issue with vast food deserts. Those food deserts would expand as stores in low-income communities will be hit the hardest. This means people in those communities having to spend time and money traveling long distances to meet their needs. Property values will also decline as commercial spaces sit empty and the community loses resources. This also leads to less sales tax collection which will decrease services that the state and local governments can provide. 

Many of you may have your thoughts on who get SNAP benefits. In reality, 31 out of 92 counties receive 5% to 9.2% of their income share from SNAP, with Marion County being on the low end of 5%. Rural communities are going to be hit just as hard if not harder than larger cities. 

SNAP isn’t just an essential lifeline for the most vulnerable Hoosiers it’s – a major economic stabilizer. Suddenly pulling the funding from this program will have cascading effects on our entire economy that will hurt all citizens, not just those who will be devastated by the impact of hunger. 

Pryor denounces special session to rig Indiana maps

Today, Oct. 27, Gov. Mike Braun signed a proclamation calling a special session for the General Assembly to convene on Monday, 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 redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps in 2021 following the 2020 U.S. Census.  

While 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 Monday and then gavel back out without redrawing the current maps. It can also take up business unrelated to Braun’s stated purpose for the session. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Democratic Floor Leader and member of the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment, issued the following statement:

"After months of stalling, my Republican colleagues have officially broken under the pressure of the Washington establishment. The legislature will be heading into a special session to try to preemptively overturn the will of the voters before they even get the chance to cast their ballots. 

“Indiana families are dealing with genuine hardships. They're facing crushing property tax bills, unaffordable health care, soaring utility cost, cuts to child care and local services being gutted, yet state leadership's priority is to burn through taxpayer dollars to further gerrymander already gerrymandered congressional maps. Indiana democrats are already underrepresented in our congressional delegation.  

"Apparently, this administration wants to silence our voices, the voice of 40% of voters that did not cast their ballot for a Republican. Hoosiers are starting to feel the impact of unkept promises and failed policies. The bottom line is, Republicans are afraid to defend their record, and they would rather turn our democracy upside down than stand on their policies that are harming our neighbors.  

"I'm calling on legislators who value integrity over political gamesmanship to stand with their constituents, reject this unnecessary map-drawing exercise, and tackle the urgent fiscal and healthcare challenges facing our state.”

Pryor comments on unfair AES settlement

Yesterday, it was announced that AES Indiana had reached a settlement with the City of Indianapolis and a number of large businesses and private interest groups with AES Indiana Industrial Group. This agreement was reached outside of official channels.  The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) has issued a statement in opposition of this settlement. According to Citizens Action Coalition, this deal would increase rates for residential consumers by at least 6.51% while commercial and industrial consumers will only increase by 3.19% and 4.12%, respectively. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), a member of the House Committee on Energy and Utilities as well as an outspoken opponent of the AES rate hike, issued the following statement: 

“This backroom deal might be great for the interests of corporations, but leaves one major group out to dry: the consumers. The scramble to pander to these major corporate players comes after Hoosiers from across the city showed up in mass to testify against this unfair rate hike. The OUCC has submitted over 7,000 comments from consumers in fervent opposition to yet another increase in their bills.

“The justification of improved service garners understandable doubt from residents as issues of concern before the last rate hike that went into effect just months ago have still yet to be fixed. And we are not talking about little problems. We are talking about people being charged three times what they should be or their bank account being withdrawn ten times without immediate compensation. We should not let AES expand their bottom line by one penny until these issues have been addressed. 

“People simply cannot keep up with utility costs that have gone up 34% over the last decade. This rate hike should be flat out rejected. Indiana is a regulated monopoly, and consumers cannot go anywhere else if they are unsatisfied with the price or service of our utilities. I urge the IURC to do the right thing for the citizens of Indiana and not allow this sweetheart deal to go through.”

Pryor reacts to JD Vance’s return to Indiana to bully GOP senators

Today, Vice President JD Vance returned to Indiana in an attempt to strong-arm Republican legislators into a special session to gerrymander the congressional maps. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Democratic Floor Leader and a member of the House Committee on Elections, issued the following statement:

“It has been almost two months since JD Vance first came here to convince Indiana Republicans to do his bidding and rig the next election to maintain political power. If one thing has become clear over these weeks, it's that Hoosiers don’t want this. The people of Indiana do not want their votes in the next election decided for them before it has even begun. 

“Our maps are already gerrymandered. In the 2024 election, the Democratic nominee for governor got 41% of the vote, but Democrats hold 22% of congressional seats. The two districts that the Washington establishment has decided to target represent the most diverse parts of the state. Any attempt to dismantle the fair representation of these communities is a direct attack on Black voters and other minority groups. 

“Instead of enacting policies that will help working families, Republicans on a state and national level have cut essential services and programs while giving tax breaks and benefits to the wealthiest among us. Hoosier families are struggling with high costs for utilities, housing, healthcare and groceries – all the things this administration campaigned on solving. Not only has the cost-of-living crisis not been solved, but it has also been made significantly worse by the disastrous tariffs. From farmers, to small business owners, to parents wondering how they are going to afford Christmas gifts for their children, people are feeling the devastating economic impact of this bad policy. And Republicans know that they have failed Hoosiers and failed this country. They are running scared from their own policy by trying to cheat and predetermine their own victory in the 2026 midterm instead of facing the voters. Just like a bully, they don’t want to operate by the rules because they know they will lose, so they have decided to change the rules altogether.

“VP Vance needs to go back to DC and work on the issues his administration promised to solve on 'day one.' It is telling that in the middle of a government shutdown, the vice president is in Indiana trying to bully Senate Republicans to assist in his power grab instead of actually trying to solve problems for the American people." 

Pryor commends OUCC recommendation to deny AES hike

Today, Sept. 10, the Indiana Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) issued its recommendations for the pending rate request from AES. The pending request would increase customers' bills anywhere between $21 and $30 per month if approved. After over 6,700 public comments were filed, the OUCC recommended that the request be denied, the company's return on equity be lowered to 8.5% and monthly customer service fees be reduced by $5.75.  

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement:

“Thank you to the OUCC for standing with Hoosiers who cannot afford higher utility bills.  Hoosier families should not have to choose between keeping their lights on and other needs. This is evidence of the power of the people and the importance of community. Our collective voice made an impact with thousands of Hoosiers standing up for their neighbors. On Aug. 25, I stood with my community and testified against these rate hikes, and I'm thankful for the OUCC for listening to what Hoosiers had to say.

“AES customers have watched their bills skyrocket over the past several years with little to show for it. Services have not improved, but the company’s investors continue to see their return on equity rise. AES has an ROE of 9.9%, the highest of any electric utility in the state, and its request would increase that number to 10.7%. Hoosiers should not be drowning in monthly costs to line the pockets of global investors. 

“I fully support the recommendations from the OUCC. This sends a clear message that the time for profit over people shouldn't rule the day.  Our voice was heard by OUCC, but ratepayers must keep pressure on the IURC to deny AES rate hike as well.” 

 The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will hold an evidentiary hearing on Nov. 3, 2025. A final decision from the Commission is expected by the spring of 2026. 

Pryor dismayed by passage of rigged Texas maps

In the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 23, the Texas legislature passed the newly drawn electoral maps into law that create five new Republican districts at the request of President Donald Trump. This comes after Texas House Democrats' fight to save democracy led them to leave the state earlier this month to delay the approval of these maps. The Trump Administration has set their sights on a number of other states, including Indiana, to rig their electoral maps to artificially strengthen the slim Republican majority in congress. Last week, Indiana House Democrats held an event with Texas House Democrats in Chicago to stand against this power grab.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Democratic Floor leader, a member of the House Committee on Elections and one of the speakers at last week's press conference with Texas Democrats, issued the following statement: 

“The situation we are in today should trouble everyone who believes in the sacred principle of Democracy. The effort to redistrict in the middle of a decade with the explicit purpose of giving the president more power is not only unprecedented, but morally corrupt. This is behavior you expect to see from nations who live under a dictatorship, not the United States of America. 

“In a single action, Texas Republicans have undone decades of progress and pulled on a thread that could unravel everything America has come to stand for. The Texas maps that passed today don’t only signal to every citizen that their vote doesn’t matter, but they intentionally silence Black and Latino voices. A single white Texan now has the voting power of five Black Texans. This is reminiscent of the days when Black Americans were literally told our lives and our voices were worth less than White Americans. And as this fight expands, this could happen across the country. I live in one of only two Democratic districts in Indiana. Any attempt to eliminate that district will divide the minority community and deny us the ability to elect someone who truly reflects our values and advocates for our best interests.

“Why are they doing this? Because they know their policies are failing. They know that throwing families, seniors and vulnerable people off of Medicaid and gutting SNAP and other vital programs are unpopular. Americans are feeling the impact at their kitchen tables, at the gas pump, in the doctors’ office, in the grocery store and everywhere in between. They know they can’t win with the cards they’ve dealt themselves, so they are trying to reshuffle the deck in their favor. That’s not democracy — that’s cheating.

“While Texas was the front line, Indiana may be next – and the list of states joining this trend is growing. On Tuesday, Indiana Republicans are set to travel to D.C. where they will undoubtedly be pushed to call a special session to rig Indiana’s maps. 

“I am proud of the stand my Democratic colleagues in the Texas legislature took against this attack on our democracy. Indiana Democrats do not have the numbers to break quorum as they did in Texas. However, as the fight comes to our doorstep, Indiana House Democrats plan to follow their lead and do everything we can to defend the power of Hoosier voters. The power must remain in the hands of the people.”

Pryor encourages constituents to join her at AES rate hike public hearing in district on Monday

On Monday, Aug. 25, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) is holding the third public field hearing in the AES utilities rate hike case. The event will take place in the auditorium of New Augusta North Public Academy at 6450 Rodebaugh Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268 and will begin at 6:00 p.m. EST. In June, AES Indiana submitted a request to raise prices for ratepayers by as much as 21% or $30 every month. State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), who has spent her legislative career fighting against increasing utility costs, will be in attendance as Monday’s hearing is in her district. 

“Hoosiers cannot afford to have AES raise their rates every single year. Over the last decade, AES has raised their rates by over 34%. While these previous rate hikes have been justified by claiming they will go toward improving infrastructure and service," Pryor said. "However, many issues remain unresolved, such as consumers getting charged 10 times for the same bill without an immediate refund. Yes, the cost of doing business has increased – but so has the cost of living. Hoosier families cannot simply force someone else to foot the bill to cover increasing expenses. For those living on a low-or-fixed income, the extra $30 a month could mean they have to sacrifice medication or food just to keep the lights on. 

“Over the last several years, I have worked on legislative solutions to give Hoosiers a break. All have been rejected by the Republican supermajority. In Indiana, utilities are a regulated monopoly. Consumers have nowhere else to turn if they are dissatisfied with the price or service AES is providing. That is why it is so important to make your voice heard during this public comment period.   

“I wrote a letter asking the IURC to hold multiple public hearings across Indianapolis to give residents ample opportunity to weigh in. While they are only required by law to hold one hearing, I appreciate that the IURC decided to hold four.  I will be present at Monday’s hearing in my district to testify against raising rates on my constituents. I encourage all who are able to join me on Monday to make it known that this rate hike is an unfair burden on consumers.” 

For those unable to attend Monday’s hearing, there will be another hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the Fort Event Center at Fort Harrison State Park, 6002 N. Post Road. Additionally, the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC), the entity responsible for representing consumer interests in rate cases, is accepting written public comment through Sept. 2. The link to submit a comment can be found here.