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