Garcia Wilburn bill to keep kids in DCS system safe passes out of committee

Today, Jan. 26, House Bill 1036 passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee. Authored by the committee's ranking Democrat State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), the bill requires that Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworkers must see a child in person within 30 days before a case closure or discharge.

This legislation was drafted in response to tragedies like the death of Kinsleigh Welty, a five-year-old who died of starvation, and is aimed at ensuring children are safe before investigations and cases by DCS are closed.

Garcia Wilburn issued the following statement after the bill's committee passage:

"House Bill 1036 was written in the memory and in the honor of Kinsleigh Welty, a 5-year-old Indianapolis girl who died tragically and whose story was shared by her grandfather Brian via written testimony today. This legislation aims to close a dangerous gap in child safety oversight with codifying one simple protection – the necessity of an in-person visit by a DCS caseworker before a case closure. This is a commonsense protection that guarantees decisions are based on the child’s current condition, not outdated information. A caseworker’s last visit may be the only physical verification of a child’s safety.

"Children deserve more than assumptions. They deserve to be seen. This bill ensures that before Indiana closes a case or steps away from a child's life, the department has laid eyes on that child and verified their safety. No child should fall through the cracks. This is a simple, powerful step toward a safer and more accountable child protection system. 

"I'm thankful to the House Judiciary Committee for their unanimous support of my legislation today and to my co-authors Reps. Alex Burton, Lori Goss-Reaves and Julie McGuire. I also appreciate Braelynn Yerington, a former foster parent and founder of Champions for Children, for testifying in favor of the bill and sharing Kinsleigh and Brian's story. I look forward to advocating for HB 1036 to advance further in the legislative process so we can keep more kids safe."

The bill now heads to the House floor for further consideration.

Garcia Wilburn files 2026 legislation to keep Hoosiers safe and healthy

Today, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) introduced her 2026 legislation aimed at keeping Hoosiers safe and healthy and putting money back in people's pockets.

Her authored legislation includes:

1. House Bill 1016: Allows health insurance recipients who are required to select a primary care provider to select a physical therapist or occupational therapist. More freedom in selecting a primary care provider means more targeted and effective care for Hoosiers.

2. House Bill 1017: Requires Indiana's universities to develop a process for students to designate a medical emergency contact for emergencies that occur on campus and requires the institution to notify a student's emergency contact if it has knowledge of a medical emergency that occurs on campus. This will keep parents better informed of health crises that occur on campus.

3. House Bill 1036: Requires the Department of Child Services to conduct an in-person assessment before closing an investigation into whether a child is a child in need of services (CHINS) or recommending discharge of a child who is the subject of a CHINS case in juvenile court. This legislation was drafted in response to tragedies like the death of Kinsleigh Welty, a five-year-old who died of starvation, and is aimed at ensuring children are safe before investigations and cases by DCS are closed.

4. House Bill 1037: Requires the state Insurance Commissioner to consider affordability when weighing whether to approve or deny a health insurance premium increase. Currently, the commissioner does not have to consider whether insurance premiums are affordable when reviewing premium rate increase requests.

5. House Bill 1060: Exempts degree programs primarily focused on emergency medical services from the 2025 state budget provision that state educational institution degree programs below a certain number of enrolled students must be eliminated. This will ensure that public safety is not compromised as the degree elimination provision is implemented by state universities.

6. House Resolution 1: Honors John Kautzman, an attorney who passed away last year at the age of 66. He spent his career advocating for and defending police officers and was recognized by the national Fraternal Order of Police in 2023.

Garcia Wilburn's co-authored legislation includes:

1. House Bill 1012: Protects Medicaid disability recipients against fraud and abuse without compromising their access to care. This legislation establishes standards of transparency and accountability for the state, Medicaid providers, and Medicaid recipients.  

2. House Bill 1046: Establishes the family recovery court fund to fund family recovery courts and safe baby courts, thus promoting recovery and problem-solving in the judicial system. This follows Garcia Wilburn's work on House Bill 1107 last year, which passed out of committee but did not advance further in the legislative process.

3. House Bill 1223: Deters violent crimes against law enforcement officers by creating sentencing enhancements for crimes that result in serious bodily injury or death to a law enforcement officer.

4. House Bill 1271: Increases transparency and reduces the burden of medical debt by requiring hospitals to post and share information about the terms of and how to enroll in hospital payment plans. It also prevents insurance companies from inappropriately clawing back or reducing payments to health care providers for necessary health care services.

"This legislative session, I'm focused on keeping Hoosiers safe and healthy," Garcia Wilburn said. "My authored and co-authored legislation is crafted in response to concerns I hear from constituents about how expensive health care has gotten and a desire for the state legislature to prioritize public safety. From growing the emergency responder pipeline and protecting health care for our disability community to cracking down on violent crime against our brave law enforcement officers, these common-sense bills will improve Hoosiers' lives.

"Additionally, in the interest of saving more of your hard-earned money, I want to require the state Insurance Commissioner to take the affordability of premium rates into account when approving or denying rate increases. Insurance companies have a role to play in bringing down health care costs, and I want to make sure they're accountable to consumers."

Garcia Wilburn honors Sandy Hook victims, calls for common-sense gun safety measures

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) today hosted a Sandy Hook Remembrance Day event at the Statehouse to honor the victims of school shootings and advocate for stronger gun safety laws to protect Hoosier children.

The event, held in advance of the 13th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting this weekend, brought together lawmakers, advocates, faith leaders and community members to remember the hundreds of students who have senselessly lost their lives to gun violence in schools across America.

"Thirteen years ago, 20 children and six educators were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since then, countless more young lives have been stolen by gun violence in school shootings, on the streets and in homes. Indiana has made it easier, not harder, for guns to fall into the wrong hands," Garcia Wilburn said.

"The state legislature eliminated permit requirements for carrying handguns allowing more guns to land in the hands of the wrong people, like those who have taken the lives of precious school children. 

"Today was about remembering lives lost and recommitting ourselves to creating a future with fewer of these preventable tragedies. We should not have to accept school shootings as the new normal or hold our breath for the next tragedy. The defeat of the mid-decade redistricting bill this week showed Hoosiers that bipartisan, common-sense wins are possible if we use our collective voices.

"We can protect Second Amendment rights while being serious about gun safety. It's time for Indiana to pass common sense gun laws—because remembering victims means taking action to prevent the next tragedy."

The event featured remarks from advocates and lawmakers, music, multi-faith prayer, opportunities to connect with gun violence prevention organizations and a children's shoe drive benefiting Grace Care Center in memory of children lost to gun violence.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, more than 4.6 million children live in homes with at least one loaded, unlocked firearm and nearly 360 children unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else every year. Research shows that safe storage laws—which require firearms to be stored securely and inaccessibly to children—significantly reduce unintentional shootings, youth suicides and school shootings.

Garcia Wilburn reacts to the House passage of gerrymandered congressional maps

Today, Dec. 5, the Indiana House majority passed House Bill 1032, a gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. The map carves up like-minded communities to give one faction of the Republican Party an advantage in all nine of Indiana’s congressional elections, a sentiment that was disclosed fully by the bill’s author. HB 1032 heads to the Senate for their consideration next week. 

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) released the following statement: 

"As an elected official, my job is to listen to the will of the people, not the desires of one particular political party. I was disappointed to hear the author of HB 1032 repeat over and over that the majority's intent was to redraw Indiana's congressional districts 'purely for political performance' of the Republican Party. The bill author repeated variations of this phrase to enter into the legal record a perception that these maps fall squarely in with the Supreme Court of the United States' Rucho v. Common Cause ruling that partisan gerrymandering is acceptable.

"In response to that, I’ll share a piece of advice that my father has shared with me for as long as I can remember: 'Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.'

"The Founding Fathers created our great constitution in part to preserve a permanence of differences in a free society. This is why all states, no matter their population size, have two U.S. Senators representing them, as well as a number of U.S. Representatives representing them proportional to the most recent U.S. Census. A permanence of differences…9-0 congressional maps blatantly in favor of one faction of the Republican Party are hardly a display of the constitutional spirt of a permanence of differences. When you consolidate power, you threaten liberty. Alexander Hamilton was concerned that an unprincipled man would mount the horse of popularity, incite citizens to betray the American experiment and throw things into confusion. And here we are, staring at the doorstep of what one of our cherished forefathers warned us against.

"I voted no today because I have received nothing short of an outpouring of calls and emails from constituents over the past five months opposing this proposal. For constituents wondering what happens next, I encourage you to reach out to your state senator to share your thoughts on the maps as the state senate will consider them next week."

Garcia Wilburn calls for action on cost of living, not partisan maps

Today, Gov. Mike Braun signed a proclamation requesting the Indiana General Assembly to convene a special session on Nov. 3 to redraw Indiana's congressional maps in the middle of the decade, going into effect for next year's midterm elections.

This unprecedented action follows the majority party of the Indiana General Assembly redrawing Indiana's congressional maps in 2021 following the 2020 U.S. Census, and maps which the majority party touted to be fair and representative of the people.

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 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. 

On the heels of House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta's statement, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) released the following statement in response:

"It is first important to note that we in Indiana hold close our traditions. Our tradition, and our long-held process, has been for decades that our redrawing of state and federal district maps has been held after the results of national census. This predictable process has been what Hoosiers have come to expect, and it was what they deserve. A sentiment often said in both the House and Senate chambers is that our state government is in no way like the politics of Washington, D.C. This is no longer true, and working families in our district are struggling to get by right now. They're struggling to pay their energy bills. They're struggling to pay their property tax bill. They're struggling to pay for health care. This isn't the time to play political games by pursuing an unprecedented redrawing of our congressional maps in the middle of the decade. Instead, our state government should be focused on the very real problems that Hoosier families are facing. That is what I have been doing and that is what I will continue to do, and this special session will only take me away from the very important work that I am privileged to do.

"I urge Hamilton County legislators to pose a united front and take a strong stance against redistricting. We can be patriots who are committed to our constituents and who are loyal to the importance of letting voters choose their representation. The leadership in our county is proof that there is a higher road our state can take instead of partisanship for partisanship's sake."

Ford and Garcia Wilburn release statement on denial of vote centers in Hamilton County

State Senator J.D. Ford (D-Carmel) and State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) issued the following joint statement after the Hamilton County Election Board failed to reach the unanimous vote needed to move to countywide vote centers for future elections:  

"We are disappointed with the result of yesterday's Hamilton County Election Board meeting, which struck down the possibility for Vote Centers in Hamilton County despite the measure being approved unanimously by both the Hamilton County Commissioners and County Council and receiving widespread public support. 

"Hamilton County families are busy people. From driving kids to soccer or band practice to commuting to work, it can be difficult for families to find the time to make it to their assigned polling place to cast their vote on Election Day, even though they know how important it is to be civically engaged.

“During the last primary election, Indiana ranked 50th in the nation for voter turnout. By advancing vote centers, Hamilton County would have been rolling out a proven method to make voting more accessible for all of those families who call Hamilton County home. 

"These are not new. Sixty-seven out of Indiana's 92 counties have adopted vote centers, and there is ongoing discussion to implement them statewide. 

"Furthermore, this move would have saved Hamilton County money in a time when our local governments are having to tighten their belts.  

"By allowing people to vote at any voting center in the county, Hamilton County would have reduced the number of needed polling centers from 235 to 57, reducing spending by thousands of dollars each election. Hamilton County is on the cutting edge of so many governmental reforms and programs, and we take pride in that fact. That's why it's disappointing to us that our community won’t benefit from this model that makes it easier for working families to make their voices heard during the 2026 elections. 

"We remain focused on finding ways to ensure secure, safe and free elections while also finding paths to increase turnout and accessibility." 

Bipartisan Leaders Beau Baird and Victoria Garcia Wilburn Condemn Murder of Charlie Kirk, Call for End to Political Violence

State Reps. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) and Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), co-chairs of the Indiana Future Caucus, shared their united condemnation of the murder of activist and commentator Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah yesterday. The Indiana Future Caucus brings together bipartisan lawmakers 45 years of age and under.

The co-chairs released the following statement condemning the shooting and calling for civility:

“Political violence is never okay. Taking someone’s life is never an acceptable way to settle differences of opinion.

“Earlier this year, our bipartisan caucus spoke out against the tragic murder of a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband. Today, we unequivocally condemn the murder of Republican activist and commentator Charlie Kirk.

“As a nation, we must move beyond this horrifying trend of harming or killing those you disagree with and return to a culture of spirited debate and respect for different viewpoints. The Indiana Future Caucus represents the bright tomorrow we can create for Hoosiers — and political violence should not exist in that future.

“Our prayers are with Charlie’s wife Erika, his children, and all who loved him during this heartbreaking time.”

The Indiana Future Caucus connects Gen Z and millennial lawmakers committed to working across party lines to deliver results for their communities. Currently, 32 millennial lawmakers serve in the Indiana General Assembly.

A forthcoming release will share more details about the caucus’s recent leadership transition.

Bauer and Garcia Wilburn condemn unprecedented NDAs, Call for transparency on Governor Braun’s ABA working group

Today, State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) and State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), both members of the Indiana House Public Health Committee, are calling on Governor Braun to end the secrecy surrounding his newly created Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy working group.

The “organized working group," established through Executive Order 25-31 amid rising Medicaid costs, is tasked with reviewing autism therapy service expenses in Indiana. However, lawmakers are concerned with how it is being carried out.

Garcia Wilburn submitted a formal letter requesting to serve on the working group but received no response. In a more recent development, the lawmakers confirmed that members are required to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in order to participate — an unprecedented step for such a policy review, effectively keeping the process hidden from both legislators and the public.

“Families across Indiana depend on Medicaid services to access life-changing therapies. They deserve transparency and accountability, not secrecy,” Bauer said. “It is deeply concerning that decisions affecting real people are being made out of the public eye. If the governor truly values transparency, he should immediately remove the gag orders placed on this group and open the process to the families it impacts."

“Autism services are too important for closed-door politics,” Garcia Wilburn said. “This should be an open, bipartisan conversation, not one limited by NDAs. Hoosier families deserve to know what’s at stake and how decisions are being made. Especially when those decisions are being justified as cost-cutting fiscal conservatism, instead of centered on children’s needs."

“This is not the time to shut out voices or restrict information,” Bauer and Garcia Wilburn said in a joint statement. “We call on Gov. Braun to open the doors of this working group, invite bipartisan input, and put Hoosier families first.”

Garcia Wilburn stands with disability advocates against Medicaid waiver service cuts

Today, Aug. 15, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) held a press conference with disability advocates to oppose the State of Indiana's proposed Medicaid waiver service cuts to recreational therapy.

Recreational therapy allows individuals with disabilities to build confidence, strengthen social connections, reach greater independence and more. The State is proposing capping recreational therapy service hours to just six hours a month for individuals on the Medicaid Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) waiver, which would be a devastating blow to the Hoosiers who use these services and their families. Public comment for these changes closed last week after dozens of Hoosiers submitted testimony asking for the cuts to be reversed.

Garcia Wilburn was joined by Ashley Searcy, the mother of Sadie, a waiver recipient; Tyler Neimeyer, a certified recreational therapeutic specialist (CTRS); and Lori Schweyer, a CTRS. Advocates also attended the press conference to show their support for recreational therapy services.

"Recreational therapy services are not optional," Garcia Wilburn said. "Rather, they are a vital part of ensuring Hoosiers of all abilities lead their richest, most vibrant possible lives. The need for continued access to recreational therapy is urgent, and we simply cannot 'do more with less' when we essentially have been left with nothing. 

"My constituents with disabilities and their families benefit directly from recreational therapy and other disability services, especially when their child “ages out” of their parents’ health insurance and find themselves now in an income-qualified situation. They will be reliant on Medicaid for these services.

"For our disability community, health care is an issue that transcends income. If these cuts go through, families will need to start choosing between these vital services and other essentials like groceries and gas. That is unacceptable.

"These proposed caps may not even be legal. Previously when the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration tried to implement caps on therapy services, the proposal was found to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The court found that these arbitrary limits would cause people with disabilities to be segregated from their community.

"Finally, I want to talk about misplaced priorities and how this issue presents an opportunity for Indiana to find our way again. You will probably hear from the administration that these cuts were necessary amid a budget shortfall and the Medicaid shortfall from two years ago. However, we continue to find and use state dollars for creating more government oversight, and governmental roles in the executive branch.

"The money is there – it's just a question of whether we have the bravery to spend it where Hoosiers really need it or whether we will continue bending to the will of special interests. My friends in the disability community today have presented a compelling case for why they need to be a priority. Today, I call on Gov. Braun and his administration to do the right thing and prioritize Hoosiers. We can have a state where Hoosiers with disabilities lead their fullest possible lives – but only if we have the courage to put them first."

Garcia Wilburn calls for dignity and respect in immigration conversations, enforcement

Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that Camp Atterbury, a military training facility licensed to the Indiana National Guard, will soon be used as an immigrant detention facility. Nationally, concerns have been raised about inhumane conditions at a Florida detention center, raising the question of whether federal authorities will treat detainees with dignity at Camp Atterbury.

In the wake of the Camp Atterbury announcement, State Rep. Andrew Ireland (R-Indianapolis) posted on X celebrating the news and suggested that Indiana's detainment facility be called "Cornfield Clink," a nod to President Trump's decision to refer to the Florida facility with inhumane conditions as "Alligator Alcatraz." In a follow-up post, he made a meme out of the supposed joke.

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), a law-and-order advocate, daughter of migrant farmers and person of faith, released the following statement calling on State Rep. Ireland to uphold the decorum of his office:

"As elected officials, we are tasked with upholding the Indiana Constitution and the U.S. Constitution as well as a standard of decorum befitting a public servant elected to represent over 60,000 Hoosiers. Given the reports out of Florida and elsewhere about inhumane, overcrowded conditions in immigration detention centers, it's disappointing to see State Rep. Ireland making a tasteless joke applauding another one of these facilities opening south of Indianapolis.

"I'm sad that one of my colleagues believes it appropriate to laugh at families being torn apart with no respect for the due process afforded to all people in our country. I believe in law and order carried out with care, concern and dignity. The casual dismissal of due process by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in arresting and deporting people without cause is a gross betrayal of our judicial system, institutions and the Constitution we are tasked to hold dear as public servants. New reporting from Axios released today showed that ICE has significantly increased its arrest of people with no criminal charges in Indiana over the past six months, up from 6% of arrests in January to 23% of arrests in June.

"Unfortunately, this hateful, anti-Christian attitude seeped into the legislative process this year during the discussion of immigration enforcement legislation. During the House Judiciary Committee's discussion of House Bill 1531, one testifier said that he was opposed to all immigration, not just undocumented immigration. At the time, I sounded the alarm that the tenor of this discussion would bear out unintended consequences for our state and precipitate hate against all immigrants, and I am sad to have been proven correct.

"I am generations of Americans. My family grew up poor, and my parents, if they were working today, could have been in Indiana's farm fields amid the ICE arrests of migrant farm labor. As American citizen stories of careless deportation are emerging, my parents could have been among them. I have been told time and time again by my legislative colleagues that Indiana is a pro-life, Christian state. I struggle to understand how belittling the real and devastating challenges faced by immigrants is befitting of any lawmaker representing a supposed pro-life, Christian state.

"I call on Rep. Ireland and my other General Assembly colleagues to recommit to a culture of respect for human dignity, civility and decorum befitting the office. We have many debates about tough topics at the General Assembly in which lawmakers can have legitimate, principled disagreement, but there is no need for those conversations to be cruel and hurtful.

"Finally, I want to close by sharing remarks from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). As a Catholic, I appreciate his moral call during this difficult time for immigrants and those who know and love them:

"'Law enforcement actions aimed at preserving order and ensuring community security are necessary for the common good. However, the current efforts go well beyond those with criminal histories. In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent. The situation is far from the communion of life and love to which this nation of immigrants should strive. …

"'On behalf of my brother bishops, I want to assure all of those affected by actions which tear at the fabric of our communities of the solidarity of your pastors. As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour.'"

Garcia Wilburn comments on passage of federal bill stripping health care from thousands of Hoosiers

Upon the U.S. House of Representative's vote to send the "Big Ugly Betrayal" bill to President Trump's desk for signing, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) issued the following statement in response:

"As a member of the Indiana House Committee on Public Health and a health professional, I understand the critical role that Indiana's Medicaid programs, including Hoosier Healthwise, the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) and home-based waiver services play in keeping Hoosier families, children and seniors healthy. Thanks to the 'Big Ugly Betrayal' and other federal health care policy changes, 17 million Americans will become uninsured over the next decade, including an estimated 267,996 Hoosiers.

"Let's be perfectly clear: The vast majority of Medicaid recipients work and contribute to their communities. Most others in the program are disabled, elderly, blind or are simply children. The administrative burden that will be placed on the State of Indiana to execute these cuts will slow down eligible Hoosiers' ability to receive care in a timely manner. This will exacerbate existing, treatable conditions and ultimately drive up the cost of care for the state without improving outcomes. Hoosier families struggling to get by want a helping hand, not a handout. These cuts pull the rug out from under them.

"Additionally, 12 rural Indiana hospitals have been identified as potentially closing because of the Medicaid cuts in this bill. In a year when Indiana has already significantly cut its successful county-based public health program, I have grave concerns for the direction our state's health statistics will head if more rural health care deserts are created.

"I have been vocal all year about the danger in sweeping changes to our hospitals, our Medicaid and the lack of patient-centered decision-making in the drastic changes to how we provide care to those with autism. These federal changes will undoubtedly hurt all Hoosiers, irrespective of insurance type. The state will be left to pick up the pieces and once again 'do more with less.'" 

Garcia Wilburn celebrates opioid settlement win, calls for investment in recovery courts

Indiana will receive up to $100 million in new opioid settlement funds following action by 55 attorneys general, including Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, to secure a $7.4 billion settlement from the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma for their role in America's opioid epidemic. This money will be disbursed over the next 15 years to state and local governments to combat the effects of the opioid crisis, according to a press release from Attorney General Rokita.

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), a behavioral health professional and recovery advocate, renewed her call for Indiana to establish a Family Recovery Court Fund, which could be funded by opioid settlement dollars. 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, but they struggle to receive consistent funding and have often relied on counties prioritizing them in their budgets. This legislative session, Garcia Wilburn passed House Bill 1107 unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee to create such a fund, but it subsequently stalled out in the House Ways and Means Committee – meaning that it did not become law this year.

Garcia Wilburn released the following statement on the new settlement dollars and how they could be put to good use in recovery courts:

"First, I'm thankful that Indiana will receive $100 million in new opioid settlement dollars, and I thank Attorney General Rokita and his fellow attorneys general across the country for their work to secure this outcome. These dollars can be put to use in our communities for addiction recovery, prevention and solutions, including recovery courts.

"Family recovery courts reduce the cost of addiction to the taxpayers by solving addiction outside of our courts and prison systems. They're a great investment that have resulted in many success stories across our state of babies born substance free and families made whole again. The 2026 legislative session is the time to take action and create a family recovery court fund. This will allow courts across the state to fund family recovery courts sustainably into the future. Amid a state budget shortfall and this new infusion of settlement funds, setting up this recovery court fund won't take money out of our state budget but will help Hoosiers reach recovery with existing dedicated funds. That's a win in my book – and one that's entirely achievable during the 2026 legislative session."