DeLaney responds to announcement of special session

Today, Oct. 27, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Braun’s announcement of a special session focused on redistricting: 

“I would be happy to have a special session to help the people we were elected to serve – Hoosier taxpayers – not to play a political game. It seems the Governor and I have a different understanding of who we are beholden to.”

DeLaney joins students in push for gun reform

Today, Sept. 5, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) joined hundreds of high school students as they gathered at the Statehouse to demand gun reform legislation. This rally was part of a national walkout organized by Students Demand Action after a school shooting in Minnesota last week resulted in the tragic death of two children and injured 18 others. Firearms are the leading cause of death for people under the age of 17. 

“Today, hundreds of students from around our city showed up to the Statehouse to hold the adults accountable. Our young people proved that they will not be ignored. The fight against gun violence is deeply personal, and they are demanding a change from their lawmakers. I am proud of their commitment to protecting their lives.

“Students should be in class learning today, not fighting for their lives. How are students supposed to focus on their algebra test while they are flinching at every loud noise that comes from the hallway and thinking that their school will be the next headline?

“Many of the students I spoke to today were asking a question that I would like the answer to as well: How many more children have to die for action to be taken? The fact of the matter is that guns are far too accessible. Indiana’s virtually nonexistent gun laws open the door for a tragedy along the lines of what happened in Minneapolis, or Parkland, or Uvalde, or Sandy Hook, or Columbine or the other communities that have been ravaged by school shootings. We shouldn’t have to wait for an atrocity to strike in our home state to listen to the pleas of our students and pass common-sense gun safety legislation.”

DeLaney offers food for thought for IN GOP lawmakers ‘flight’ to Washington

Tomorrow, Aug. 26, an unknown number of Indiana Republican lawmakers will travel to Washington to meet with the Trump Administration amidst growing pressure to call a special session to rig Indiana’s congressional maps in favor of the White House.

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement: 

“Some, hopefully only a few, of my Republican colleagues in the legislature are preparing to discuss mid-decade redistricting during their meeting with the Trump Administration in Washington on Tuesday. To help them pass the time on their flight to D.C., here is a series of thought-provoking questions to reflect on. 

“While the current Indiana congressional maps are already gerrymandered, up until now there has been an attempt to convince the public they are fair. If we call a special session to deliberately hand Donald Trump another Republican congressional seat (or two), what will this do for public confidence in our elections?  What is wrong with the current maps? Were you lying in 2021 when you praised these maps? What does this do to the credibility of our Congress? Would you allow the 40% of Hoosiers who vote Democratic to have any representation in Washington? What does this say about the value of Hoosier voters? What does this say about the value of voting at all? How will this benefit Hoosiers? How does this further the interests of Indiana? What precedent does this set for elections going forward? What comes next? Is there a limit of what the Trump Administration can ask of you? Who is paying for you to travel to Washington to be pressured?

“The most important question I must pose is: what will your grandchildren think of your actions?

“Safe travels.” 

DeLaney comments on Indiana’s declining college-going rate

Recently, the Indiana Commission on Higher Education (CHE) quietly released the updated report of Indiana’s college-going rate to their website. The report shows that for the 2023 cohort of high school seniors, only 51.7% of them went to college, which is down from the poor but steady rate of 53% from 2020-2022. This comes just six-months after new high school degree requirements were approved by the CHE that shifts emphasis to work-based learning. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis), a member of the House Committee on Education, released the following statement:

“The startling drop in our college-going rate yet again can be credited to the lack of two things: money and morale. 

“Ball State University professor of economics Michael Hicks reports that Indiana students can no longer receive the financial aid they need to be able to go to in-state institutions thanks to the decrease in state support. While our governor has been taking a victory lap for getting our state universities to freeze tuition, he has failed to guarantee that his move will not decrease financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Any lack of opportunity for tuition support will lead to more Hoosiers not being able to afford college and being forced to choose a different path. 

“At the same time, the supermajority has made attacking colleges and universities the centerpiece of their culture war agenda – from policing what can be taught in the classroom, to forcing institutions to eliminate hundreds of degree options, to creating an entirely new high school diploma that emphasizes the path directly into the workforce. Republican leaders have been devaluing the opportunities that our colleges and universities can offer students. 

“Trying to bury this report in a website and not send a press release is a telling sign that the Commission on Higher Education knows this does not look good, and does not act to fix it. It simply isn’t important enough to them. They are busy eliminating college courses and creating new tests. This is what the legislature has asked them to do.

“In the past, we had reached a college-going rate of 65% and we set a goal to get it back when it slumped. Now, it doesn’t seem like we care to address the issue. That is a shame for our students, a shame for our economy, and a shame for our state.

"The supermajority has been in power for 20 years and this is their achievement. At some point we have to ask ourselves: is a declining college-going rate not the result they want?"

DeLaney comments on detrimental education funding cuts

This week, the Trump administration announced that it has frozen $6 billion in education funding for K-12. Indiana stands to lose approximately $94 million for teacher development, student support, before-school care and after-school care and English language instruction.

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis), a member of the House Education Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee responsible for writing the state budget, released the following statement:

"While states across the nation are scrambling to deal with the fallout this funding freeze will have in classrooms, Gov. Braun remains cool as a cucumber.

"The governor's response to Hoosier schools potentially losing $94 million in funding was to brush it off because 'we know how to manage our funds.' I am not comforted to know that the future of Hoosier students lies in the hands of those responsible for multiple errors in estimating our income and expenses to the tune of billions of dollars.

"The governor laughs off our problem and quips that the problem is that the federal government is a bad 'long-term business partner.' Indiana ranks third in the nation for most reliant on federal funding behind Mississippi and Louisiana. I look forward to seeing the governor's plan to fix our stressed budget in light of these federal cuts which had been predicted. 

"The federal Office of Management and Budget confirmed that the reason for the freeze is to ensure that states are cooperating with Trump's agenda. After 20 years of Republican rule in Indiana, our schools are apparently promoting 'a radical leftwing agenda.' I hope our governor can get ahold of his good friend, President Trump, and ask him to treat Indiana fairly and pay timely. 

"The governor has to prefer helping Hoosiers over pandering to the White House. Sen. Lisa Murkoswsi of Alaska saved her rural hospitals and fishing fleet by pressuring the White House. Why can't Gov. Braun stand up for Hoosiers?

"Schools in Indiana are already stretched thin. Losing this funding will do nothing but harm schools, teachers, and the future of Hoosier students." 

DeLaney opposes 2025 state budget

In the early hours of April 25, Indiana Republicans passed the final version of House Bill 1001, sending a budget to the governor’s desk. State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) voted against the budget due to insufficient funding for K-12 public education, cuts to higher education as well as the expansion of the voucher program. 

“When it comes to this year’s Republican budget, I want to know how we got here and where we go from here. First, we got here through years of cutting away at our financial resources while expecting an ever-growing economy. Those are two bad ideas that underpin the current shortfall. 

“What we need to do now is to protect the most vital parts of our state and its people and correct our past mistakes. We are failing on both challenges. 

“We have done very little for K-12 public education in this budget while being disproportionately generous with private school vouchers. Additionally, this budget eliminates pre-k programs for tens of thousands of Hoosier children. 

“Amongst my deepest concerns is that we have undercut our 200-year-old system of state colleges and universities. Instead of creating a ‘Department of Government Efficiency,’ we have laid down a whole new bureaucratic framework and a set of rules to limit the success and independence of our higher education institutions. Our professors will have to beg to keep their posts and to teach the things they know and are committed to. What happened to academic freedom? What happened to free speech? 

“This body is on the verge of unraveling one of our state’s greatest economic assets, our universities, behind closed doors at the 11th hour. 

“One of the finest accomplishments of the last decade of the General Assembly was the strengthening of our local public health system. This budget cuts our support for that by more than two thirds.

“To top it off, we have done nothing to protect our budget from the impending doom of more cuts from the federal level. The economic uncertainty from Washington wrecked our revenue forecast to the tune of $2.4 billion. Whatever happens next could very well wreck the entire budget. Neglecting to plan for these risks is not just fiscally irresponsible, it is foolish.”

DeLaney calls for legislative action on IEDC obscure dealings

Earlier this month, Gov. Braun issued an executive order to put an end to the failure to make disclosures about conflicts of interest. This order requires “nonprofit” organizations designed to assist our state government to become current on required filings with the state and the IRS. The governor has now confirmed that he is in the process of arranging for an independent audit of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

Yesterday, Hannah News Service ran a special issue about the backstory of this executive order. This investigation found there has been a round of probes from the governor’s office into the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and its affiliates, including the Indiana Economic Development Foundation and Elevate Ventures. 

“I have been voicing my concerns that the IEDC is a runaway agency with a blank check for years now. It appears that our current governor shares those concerns. 

“I have called on the legislature multiple times to rein in this agency. In the wake of legislative inaction, I applaud the governor for expending the resources necessary to get the bottom of this entity’s obscure dealings. 

“The IEDC has frequently been allowed to hide behind the shield of ‘private sector competitive edge’ when asked to produce details about what they deem ‘confidential’ projects. IEDC representatives have been slow to disclose the amount of money that is being spent on the controversial LEAP project to members of the state budget committee.

“The bottom line seems to be that a few highly paid people are wearing multiple hats. That begs the question of whether any pockets are being padded with these taxpayer dollars. 

“As we prepare to wrap up the legislative session in the next few days, I urge the legislature to follow the lead of the executive branch. We must require the IEDC and affiliates to present the necessary records in front of the State Budget Committee. Hoosier taxpayers deserve to know what their money is being used for.”  

DeLaney comments on bleak revenue forecast

Today, April 16, the State Budget Committee met to discuss the state’s Medicaid, economic and revenue forecasts. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis), a non-voting member of the State Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the forecasts: 

“I had caught on to the not-so-subtle posturing from the majority that our budget was going to be ‘tight,’ but this is far beyond what I imagined,” DeLaney said. “We are not prepared to face a $2.4 billion hit over the next three years. We are essentially replacing growth with a flat line. 

“This bad news does not factor in the potential federal budget cuts that hold the power to throw our budget into complete disarray. The unusually high degree of uncertainty coming from Washington hinders our ability to prepare ourselves to serve our people. 

“We knew that we were going to have to tighten our belts, but that does not mean choking the life out of our basic services. Nobody wants a repeat of the Great Recession. Indiana chose to deal with that by undercutting public education and other public services. We must maintain the fundamental functions of government such as funding public schools, repairing roads and keeping communities strong and safe. That benefits every Hoosier. 

“We have one week to update our budget to account for this week’s economic report. With the unpredictability coming out of D.C., I fear that the budget we pass in the next week will not hold up through the summer. 

“The legislature must act responsibly and create a mechanism to address this economic instability. We cannot leave a matter this serious in the hands of the executive branch. My colleagues in the General Assembly need to step up to our role.

“Let’s be honest about this – unless we make some substantial moves in the final week of session, a lot of people are going to be hurt. Avoiding that now falls to the majority.”

DeLaney: Republicans are dodging the real issue

Today, April 9, the House discussed a series of amendments on the latest Republican property tax plan. According to a statement from Gov. Mike Braun minutes before the bill was called to the floor, the version we have now is the compromise between House Republicans, Senate Republicans and the governor. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after offering several amendments on the floor: 

“The latest version of Senate Bill 1 puts pressure on local income taxes to fund this $300 temporary stopgap in an ongoing increase in property taxes. If people look at both the local property tax and their local income tax, at the end of the day this may be a wash. It is hard to know if anyone will really benefit from this maneuver. 

“This bill will restrict local governments, particularly in growing areas, in their ability to do what communities expect. Schools in growing areas and fire departments that can’t get enough equipment to suit the needs of the area will face significant hardship. 

“Because of the way this has been handled, the public’s understanding of what we are doing has been undercut. The constantly shifting sands have muddied the waters. 

“Today’s rabbit from the hat picks winners and losers. While playing this game, we refused to act about real needs, such as those of first-time homebuyers as well as renters. 

“Instead of giving parts of industry massive breaks, we should be looking to support young Hoosiers as they strive to achieve homeownership. Supporting young Hoosiers will not only boost our economy and grow our workforce but increase the property tax base itself.”

DeLaney concerned about latest Republican property tax proposal

Today, Monday, April 7, the House Committee on Ways and Means discussed the latest version of the Republican property tax plan. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“If the attempt was to thread the needle, we have stabbed ourselves in the thumb. Senate Bill 1 offers very little relief to individual taxpayers while leaving local governments in potential chaos. 

“The precise fiscal impact of this version of the bill has not been released. House Republicans in Ways and Means decided to move full steam ahead.

“This latest proposal seems to do little to address the damage these funding cuts may do to public schools, police departments, fire services, road funding and other local services. The constraints will be the greatest on growing communities. There will also be a shift in financial burden from manufacturing to retail operations. 

“This is one of the reasons that I have serious questions on what this bill will do to our ability to meet our current bond obligation and obtain bonds at reasonable rates in the future.”

DeLaney comments on two-step strategy to bring divisive ideology into our classrooms

Wednesday, April 2, the House Committee on Education discussed Senate Bill 442 regarding sex education in schools. The bill shifts certain responsibilities from school administrators to the elected school boards. This comes on the heels of the passage of SB 287 out of the House to make school board races partisan. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement: 

“For years, our school administrators have successfully provided information to parents about sex education. Now that the supermajority is hoping to impose partisan school board elections, they want to shift this responsibility to the school board members in both public school corporations and charter schools. This is a transparent two-step strategy to bring divisive ideology to our classrooms and our voting bodies.

“Each board will have to annually review all materials to be used in sex education and decide such issues as whether a male or female instructor will provide the education. The author of the bill, Sen. Byrne, stated the need for this provision is the growth of ‘gender confusion.’ He did not identify anyone who is so confused. 

“The author also testified that in his eight years on a school board, he had never had to review sex education materials in detail and that there had been no problem. As is a favorite pastime of the General Assembly, this bill will create a problem, not solve one.” 

DeLaney reacts to state replacing the firm responsible for the $1 billion ‘error’

Tuesday, April 1, the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) issued a preliminary notice that the state may well be contracting with Deloitte Consulting LLP, not with the Milliman actuarial firm, for projecting Medicaid expenses. This comes after the $1 billion "error" that led to the Medicaid shortfall announced in December of 2023. State officials have left the impression that the miscalculation was made by the present actuary, Milliman. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement in response: 

“While I am still coming to terms with the fact that the public may never know what exactly happened to allow this egregious error, this is a good first step in correcting course. Someone may be held accountable at last. 

“If $1 billion was miscalculated in a private sector firm, heads would roll. If the story is that the actuary messed up, the only responsible reaction seems to be to fire the actuary.

“I passed an amendment last session to require FSSA to report on exactly what happened to lead to this shortfall and what they would do to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. The report that was given to the General Assembly gave no answer to either question. 

“If the state won’t give answers, at least they gave action. I applaud this step to prevent forecasts that taxpayers and legislators rely on from being erroneous in the future.”