IBLC unveils “Working Families, Winning Futures” legislative agenda

Today, Jan. 6, members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), announced their 2026 legislative agenda: "Working Families, Winning Futures." The multi-pronged agenda aims to lower the cost of living, ease the burden of medical debt, address rising utility fees and lower the barriers to homeownership.

"For years, we've heard our colleagues in the Republican supermajority tout the strength of Indiana's economy," IBLC chair State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) said. "Unfortunately, Hoosiers aren't seeing that strength when they look at their bank accounts. The supposed strength of our economy was built on the backs of our most vulnerable: our working class, our sick and disabled and our working parents. An economy that prioritizes the few over the many is not strong; it's predatory. We want a strong state for business and innovation, but we can have that without leaving our working Hoosiers behind."

The "Working Families, Winning Futures" agenda includes:

House Bill 1317, authored by State Rep. John Bartlett (D-Indianapolis)

House Bill 1100, authored by State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville)

House Bill 1135, authored by State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago)

House Bill 1324, authored by State Rep. Ragen Hatcher (D-Gary)

Senate Bill 152, authored by State Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis)

Senate Bill 153, authored by State Sen. La Keisha Jackson (D-Indianapolis)

House Bill 1126, authored by State Rep. Renee Pack (D-Indianapolis)

House Bill 1026, authored by State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis)

House Bill 1111, authored by State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis)

Senate Bill 20, authored by State Sen. Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago)

House Bill 1181, authored by State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis)

House Bill 1081, authored by State Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary)

Senate Bill 166, authored by State Sen. Mark Spencer (D-Gary)

House Bill 1050, authored by State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis)

"Too many Hoosiers are living paycheck to paycheck," Harris said. "This session, we're committed to helping Hoosiers thrive, not simply eke by every month. We're calling on Gov. Braun and the Republican supermajority to work with us to help all Hoosiers create a quality of life and economic opportunity for themselves."

Prioritizing child care is prioritizing Indiana’s economy and future

Every parent in the state knows that Indiana is in the middle of a child care crisis. In 2024, we were ranked the worst state in the nation for access to child care. With nearly seven million people in the state, Indiana has just 772 licensed child care facilities as of last year. Indiana only has enough child care providers to serve 61% of our state's children.               

                Since this report was released, Gov. Mike Braun's administration has stopped giving new child care vouchers and slashed the number of spots in the state preschool program in half. Last month, child care advocacy group Early Learning Indiana estimated that providers are losing around $3.8 million in funding statewide thanks to enrollment decline and cuts to their reimbursement rates from the state. This is unsustainable, and if we don't do something to fix it, we will likely see a catastrophic number of care facilities forced to shut their doors.

Unfortunately, finding reliable child care is only half the battle. Right now, Hoosier parents spend, on average, $677 each month for child care. That's about 6% of the average Hoosier's monthly income. At a time when many Hoosiers are struggling to make ends meet thanks to rising utility bills and an ever-growing cost of living, spending nearly $700 a month on child care is simply impossible for many of our neighbors. I've heard numerous times from my Republican colleagues that parents in need should simply rely on their families and friends to watch their kids. This not only downplays the child care crisis we're in, but it disregards the circumstances of the many Hoosiers who don't have the blessing of that familial safety net. The numbers speak for themselves: 40% of parents who left the workforce in 2024 cited a lack of reliable child care. Nationwide, women are typically the ones forced out of the workforce, being up to eight times more likely than men to have employment issues due to child care issues. Not surprisingly, Black women and Latinas are disproportionally impacted.

A parent being priced out of the workforce due to the high cost of child care can have long-lasting, devastating financial consequences for individual families. But it also has ramifications for the entire state. A 2024 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Early Learning Indiana found that the state loses roughly $4.22 billion each year due to child care issues. This includes $1.17 billion annually in lost tax revenue.

We don't have to live like this. This month, while the House of Representatives was debating House Bill 1032 – the redistricting bill – the House Democratic Caucus offered a minority report. This legislation would have stripped the bill of any language related to mid-decade redistricting and replaced it with policy to eliminate the waitlists for and fully fund the Child Care and Development Fund and fully fund On My Way Pre-K vouchers, among other items related to cost of living. House Republicans blocked the measure by a vote of 64-24. Just a few years ago, when Indiana Republicans rushed to be the first state in the nation to ban abortion after the fall of Roe v. Wade, I heard countless times that Indiana is a "pro-life state."

Our Republican supermajority can't call themselves "pro-life" while simultaneously blocking any effort to create a good quality of life for Hoosiers. Child care is a critical part of our cultural infrastructure, and we need to be doing whatever we can in this legislative body to ensure Hoosiers can access it.

When we come back for session Jan. 5, I plan on finding solutions to Indiana's child care crisis. Our families deserve a fighter in the Statehouse, and that's exactly what I intend to be. Hoosiers today and in years to come depend on us in the Statehouse working together to create a better system for all families.

IBLC: ‘It’s time to move on and fight for Hoosiers’

Today, Dec. 11, the Indiana Senate rejected a congressional map proposal that would have carved up the state of Indiana for the sole purpose of benefitting the Republican Party. House Bill 1032 was voted down by 31-19.

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

"Now that the issue of redistricting is finally behind us, it's time to move on and fight for Hoosiers. This has been a distraction for months, and now, I'm looking forward to working with my caucus and the IBLC to make life better for people throughout the state. The cost of living is simply too high, utility rates are soaring and child care is completely unaffordable – if you can find child care at all. There's no shortage of issues that Hoosiers are facing every day, and it's time we get to work to fix them."

Bartlett: ‘Rigging maps and silencing voices is no way to lead’

Today, Dec. 5, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032, their gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. The map carves up like-minded communities to make elections less competitive to benefit the Republican Party. HB 1032 now heads to the Senate for their consideration next week.

State Rep. John L. Bartlett (D-Indianapolis), issued the following statement:

"This week, we saw House Republicans shirk their responsibilities to the Hoosiers who elected them. They didn't pass these maps to benefit anyone living in our state, they passed them because folks in Washington, D.C. told them to. If this bill passes in the Senate, people throughout the state will be harmed. African Americans and minority Hoosiers will suffer the most, with two of the state's largest minority populations – Lake and Marion counties – being specifically targeted with this map. Despite losing representation, our communities will still be expected to pay taxes. The Boston Tea Party – and the idea that there should be 'no taxation without representation' – is a founding tenet of our country. House Republicans are undermining our systems, our democracy and our history with this map proposal. Rigging maps and silencing voices is no way to lead. If you have to cheat to win, you're not fit to hold office.

"On Thursday, our caucus offered 16 amendments – including one of my own – to prevent some of the harms that are guaranteed to come if this map becomes reality. The supermajority voted against all of them. They have no interest in helping Hoosiers, which is the only thing I'm interested in doing here at the Statehouse. I hope our senators have the backbone to stand up against this power grab and prioritize the needs of their constituents."

Harris: ‘Indiana Republicans have put politics ahead of Hoosiers’

Today, Dec. 5, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032, their gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. The map carves up like-minded communities to make elections less competitive to benefit the Republican Party. HB 1032 heads to the Senate for their consideration next week.

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

"There is nothing positive I can say about this map proposal or how House Republicans have conducted themselves this week. Democrats gave them every opportunity to reverse course and focus on issues such as health care, utility bills, child care – and other problems impact Hoosiers every day. Instead, they rushed their map through our chamber because they believe there would be political consequences if they didn't. They have put politics ahead of Hoosiers, and there is no forgiving that.

"If the Senate passes this map, it will have a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown Hoosiers, especially in Lake and Marion counties. As a lawmaker, I take great care to 'do no harm' when it comes to governing. The supermajority heard our concerns about the harm this map would do and voted for it anyway. This isn't leadership, it's a dereliction of duty.

"Beyond the suppression of Black and brown votes, we have no idea how much this map would end up costing local governments and counties. Yesterday, I offered an amendment to simply look at how much mid-decade redistricting would cost Indiana, and House Republicans couldn't even pass that. This is one of the most irresponsible pieces of legislation I have ever seen passed through this chamber. It's a sad day for Indiana, and I hope my colleagues in the Senate do the right thing and reject this power-grab."

IBLC condemns passage of House Bill 1032

Today, Dec. 5, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032, their gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. and Gov. Mike Braun. The map carves up like-minded communities – disproportionally impacting communities of color – to make elections less competitive to benefit Indiana Republicans' longstanding one-party rule. HB 1032 heads to the Senate for their consideration next week.

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

"This week, IBLC members in the House of Representatives sat and listened to our colleagues in the Republican caucus tout the need for a congressional map wholly favoring their party. Beyond the fact that this is disenfranchising the over 40% of Hoosiers who don't identify as a Republican, the bill's author admitted in committee that he didn't factor in the potential impact for Black and Brown Hoosiers while proposing the map. He also refused to tell his fellow committee members how much involvement officials in Washington, D.C. had in making the map. Disregarding the harm your legislation could pose to already marginalized people throughout the state is a horrific way to yield power. Members of our caucus offered several amendments on Dec. 4 to try to mitigate some of these harms, all of which were voted down by the supermajority. Other amendments to study the financial cost of mid-decade redistricting and alleviate the financial burden that will be faced by local governments and counties were also rejected by House Republicans. They are legislating with the misguided belief that they don't have to answer to Hoosiers.

"And for the last several months, our offices have heard from Hoosiers throughout the state. The overwhelming majority of the calls and emails our members have received have been in fierce opposition to mid-decade redistricting. Hoosiers don't want new maps. They want more affordable health care. They want someone to reign in the utility companies charging egregious rates each month. They want to be able to afford to feed their families without having to ration their medication. Members of the House Democratic Caucus offered House Republicans countless opportunities to focus our efforts on creating a stronger economy and quality of life for our constituents. Instead, Republicans remained committed to working for D.C., regardless of what Hoosiers need.

"As this bill heads to the next chamber, IBLC members in the Senate will remain committed to fighting back against this power grab and work toward a state where everyone has a chance to thrive. We hope that the Senate Republican Caucus prioritizes Hoosiers above political games and rejects this map. The future of Indiana depends on them."

Bartlett amendment to alleviate costs from mid-decade redistricting blocked by supermajority

Today, Dec. 4, State Rep. John L. Bartlett (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment to House Bill 1032 which would have required the state to absorb the cost of updating the 2026 election processes and materials. The Republican supermajority blocked the amendment from receiving a vote.

Rep. Bartlett issued the following statement regarding his amendment:

"During a committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Smaltz said his bill was done simply for 'political performance.' To be clear, he's saying this new map is not about helping Hoosiers, it's about rigging the next election in favor of the Republican Party. I don't think it's right that we burden our local governments and counties with the cost of a Republican power grab. Redistricting can cost anywhere from thousands to millions of dollars every 10 years. Republicans always claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility, and this amendment was a way to ensure the state takes accountability for the unnecessary costs mid-decade redistricting will cost counties. I'm disheartened, but not surprised, that they once again shirked their responsibilities to Hoosiers."

Harris amendment to study cost of mid-decade redistricting rejected by supermajority

Today, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) offered an amendment to House Bill 1032, which would have created a study to determine the true cost of mid-decade redistricting for state and local bodies. The amendment failed along party lines by a vote of 65-28.

Harris issued the following statement:

"What happened to Republicans being the party of fiscal responsibility? All this amendment would have done is examine the cost of mid-decade redistricting on local governments, including counties thrown into chaos by the creation of these new district lines.

"Here's the simple truth: Indiana Republicans rejected this amendment for the same reason they're rushing these new maps through our chamber. They know mid-decade redistricting is unpopular, and a study on the cost might force them to admit that their policies are both unpopular and costly to Hoosiers. Redistricting every 10 years, as we're supposed to do, can cost the state millions of dollars, much of which is shouldered by local governments. Now, Indiana Republicans are trying to push through two maps in less than five years. If they actually cared about fiscal responsibility, mid-decade redistricting would have been a non-starter. This should tell Hoosiers everything they need to know about where House Republicans' priorities lie. They don't care about saving taxpayer dollars, and they don’t care about the confusion that voters will face with these cracked and packed new districts.

"This week, Indiana Republicans have shown us that they don't care what Hoosiers want, they don't care about the process and they don't care about the cost if it means they get to retain power."

IBLC calls on General Assembly to reject new maps, prioritize needs of Hoosiers

Today, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), led a press conference following the first meeting of the Indiana House of Representatives to discuss mid-decade redistricting. House Republicans did not release their map proposal until the morning of Dec. 1.

Harris issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"For months now, we in the IBLC have been speaking out about the dangers of mid-decade redistricting. If passed, these new maps will weaken our democracy and silence the voices of countless Hoosiers. We've also been calling on the Republican supermajority to address the issues that are facing Hoosiers: an egregious cost of living, rising utility rates and a lack of access to child care, just to name a few.

"Instead of using this time to help Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans have called us back here early to vote on new congressional maps. Will these new maps help Hoosiers put food on the table? Will they help the Hoosiers who are forced to decide between rationing their medication or growing to the grocery store? The answer, of course, is no. This new map proposal is nothing more than a political game meant to appease the fringes of their base. Hoosiers don't want new maps. They want help making ends meet.

"It's worth noting that being back at the Statehouse in December will limit the amount of time during the regularly-scheduled session to address the real issues impacting our state. If Republicans aren't going to use this time to help improve our state, they're wasting our time, and, more importantly, Hoosiers' time."

IBLC condemns Indiana Republicans’ continued redistricting push

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 December 1.  

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

"Every day, we hear from constituents who are struggling to keep their lights on and put food on the table. Many of them are straddled with health care debt and rising utility costs. None of our constituents have called or emailed to tell them how excited they are about new congressional maps. Hoosiers don't want redistricting; they want a better quality of life. Instead of working to make life more affordable for Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans are focusing their efforts on appeasing Washington, D.C.

"The only thing they're doing by convening early is cutting into valuable time we could have come January to address the cost of living, health care costs and other issues impacting Indiana. If the state were to pass new congressional maps, the move would cause chaos for county clerks and local governments and unnecessary confusion for voters. Come Dec. 1,  I hope House Republicans take the time to consider the potential ramifications of mid-decade redistricting on Hoosiers and not move forward with any new maps."

IBLC focuses efforts on 2026 legislative agenda

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC regarding Indiana Senate Republicans not moving forward with redistricting efforts: 

“We in the IBLC are looking forward to focusing our efforts on our 2026 legislative agenda, which will focus on lowering the cost of living and giving every Hoosier a fair shot at economic security.”

Indiana Black Legislative Caucus prepared to fight for fair maps, Hoosiers ahead of early session

Today, Indiana Republicans announced the Indiana General Assembly will convene early for its 2026 session, gaveling in on Dec. 1-12. In his announcement, Speaker of the House Todd Huston said lawmakers can discuss "any time sensitive issues," though he did not specifically mention redistricting. Mid-decade redistricting has gotten significant attention throughout the state following pressure from Washington, D.C.

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

"This announcement came just moments after the IBLC finished our rally in the Statehouse to stand against redistricting. Today, we heard the same thing from Hoosiers that we've been hearing since earlier this summer: They don't want new maps. Even Republican Hoosiers have voiced their opposition to redistricting. With specific dates now nailed down, we in the IBLC urge Hoosiers to continue reaching out to their elected officials to urge them not to redraw Indiana's congressional maps.

"When we come back for session, I hope we can focus on the issues that really matter to Hoosiers. In a time where the cost of living continues to rise, Hoosiers need higher wages, lower utility bills, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and accessible, affordable child care. Too many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet, and redrawing our maps won't help them and their families. We have an opportunity here to truly help our constituents, and the IBLC will prioritize Hoosiers over political games. We hope our colleagues in the Republican Party will do the same in December. If they do move to redistrict, we will do everything we can to amplify the voices of the many Hoosiers we've heard from to advocate for fair maps."