Burton responds to Governor Braun’s new OUCC leadership appointment and calls for utility costs review

Today, State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) released the following statement in response to Governor Braun’s announcement of Abby Gray as the new commissioner of the Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor and his call to review utility company profits:

“Affordability must remain the most prioritized pillar of Indiana’s energy policy. Families in Evansville and across our state continue to raise concerns about the lack of affordability and the constant rise in utility costs. I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to continued collaboration that truly puts Hoosier ratepayers first.

“My priority next session is to protect Hoosiers from the constant and often unexpected strain of increased utility bills. That’s why I will be filing legislation in the 2026 session and will continue working with my colleagues to ensure ratepayers’ paychecks aren’t entirely spent on energy costs. Hoosiers deserve relief and a reasonable path forward – and I intend to make sure they get it.”

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.”

Dant Chesser celebrates signing of her bill creating Medicare savings for seniors

Today, Aug. 27, a bill authored by State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville), House Enrolled Act 1226, was ceremonially signed into law. The bill creates cost-saving opportunities for seniors through “The Birthday Rule.” This rule means Medigap enrollees can switch providers without medical underwriting within 60 days of their birthday. This provision protects their options as long as they maintain the same type of lettered Medicare Supplement insurance plan. The bill passed with overwhelming support in both the House and Senate. 

“I was excited to see this bill signed into law for our seniors today," Dant Chesser said. "Avoiding medical underwriting when switching plans is a huge weight off their shoulders. It lowers the risk of our seniors being denied due to their past insurance claims or pre-existing conditions. 

“Indiana is getting with the program by adopting ‘The Birthday Rule.’ We’re joining almost a dozen other states that offer this policy, and it’s worked wonders for our southern neighbors in Kentucky. Seniors have saved as much as $800. HEA 1226 cuts some regulatory red tape and puts some extra money in seniors' pockets. 

“Thank you to those in the community and at the Statehouse who got this bill across the finish line.” 

Porter: We can disagree on policy while showing respect to Medicaid enrollees

Republicans have enacted Medicaid changes with quarterly eligibility checks, work requirements, new waivers and long waitlists. That’s a lot of uncertainty for our 2 million Hoosiers enrollees, half of whom are children. And I want to remind us all of that fact. 

We’re talking about children. We’re talking about our seniors. We’re talking about our medically complex. We’re talking about half of the births in Indiana. We can disagree on the logistics while still talking about enrollees with kindness and respect. Medicaid was never “boring” for the Hoosiers who rely on it. 

Medicaid rhetoric has always been somewhat nasty. Phrases like “welfare queen” have been thrown around for decades. But now it’s bleeding from social media into official meetings. The recent quarterly financial report from the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) is excellent evidence. 

One slide featured a massive steamship, called the "S.S. FSSA," with Secretary Mitch Roob portrayed as its admiral. Another slide characterized one-time federal funding for Medicaid as “the last buffalo hunt.” A third slide shows a photo of conservative economist Milton Friedman with the phrase “very few of our programs have any quality.”  

The final slide pitted K-12 education funding against Medicaid. A dejected child appeared with the caption: Why? Every dollar we send to a hospital is a dollar we don’t send to a school. Every dollar we give to a doctor is a dollar we don’t give to a teacher. This misguided cliché isn’t just harmful, it's inaccurate. Medicaid spending isn't a direct loss of funding for K-12 education. Upcoming property tax changes will be far more financially devastating to our schools than state-funded health care. 

Yes, Medicaid is costing the state more each year. Yes, it’s something the state should discuss. Yes, we can improve the quality of services. But we should have these discussions with dignity. The use of demoralizing rhetoric isn’t just insulting; it buries the facts. 

The S.S. FSSA navigates “the journey ahead,” but the slide leaves out critical facts. Indiana spends $8,813 per enrollee, close to the national average and far below other states. North Dakota spends close to $13,001 per enrollee. Milton Friedman attacks the quality of services but doesn't provide solutions. There are no action items included, like the Accountable Care Organizations model. We’re going on a buffalo hunt and letting other predators join. Middlemen insurance companies will have a hand in pricing, delays and denials. 

Medicaid is not a perfect program. It has its problems that need to be solved. We can have the discussion with respect, without slides that attempt to joke but fall flat. We shouldn’t vilify enrolled or use false constructs. This is a life-saving program for Hoosiers of all ages. These aren’t just numbers on a page; these are Hoosiers we took an oath to serve. 

Bauer: ‘Hoosiers deserve representation, not rigged districts’

Today, State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) condemned the Indiana House and Senate Republicans’ willingness to bend to President Donald Trump’s pressure to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps in the middle of the decade, calling the maneuver “a blatant attempt to cheat Hoosiers out of fair representation.”

Bauer released the following statement:

“Trump isn’t even hiding it. These mid-decade redistricting efforts are about one thing: gaining seats for his party and rigging the system in his favor. What’s worse is that Indiana House and Senate Republicans are going right along with it and abandoning their own claims from 2021 that their gerrymandered maps were ‘fair’, ‘beautiful’ and represented Indiana well. If that was true then, what changed? The answer? Trump told them to do it.

“Let’s not forget, this trip follows Vice President J.D. Vance’s private meeting with Indiana Republican leadership, just weeks ago, where he pushed Trump’s redistricting agenda forward.

“This is not about representing Hoosiers — it’s about representing Trump. And it comes at the expense of taxpayers. If Republicans call a special session to do Trump’s bidding, Hoosiers will be the ones footing the bill. That’s money that should be invested in tackling the real challenges families face every day such as strengthening our schools, lowering property taxes, improving health care and making the cost of living more affordable. Instead, Republicans are tossing Hoosier priorities aside for Trump’s political agenda.

“Indiana Democrats will continue standing up against partisan power grabs and fighting for a government that works for Hoosiers, not politicians.

“Hoosiers deserve fair maps and leaders who are focused on making their lives easier and more prosperous. It’s time Republicans answer to the people of Indiana — not Donald Trump.”

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.” 

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. 

Campbell sends letter to Sec. Noem and Braun demanding proper protections for international students

Today, Aug. 21, State Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) and other Indiana House Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Gov. Mike Braun. The letter questions the wrongful arrest and five-day detainment of Purdue Pharmacy student Yeonsoo Go, who was in the country legally on a religious dependent visa. It also requests that federal and state agencies take steps to protect Indiana’s international students. 

“Now more than ever, we need to protect Indiana’s international students," Campbell said. "The viciousness our government is showing immigrants is truly frightening. Arresting people without due process and sending them to a detention center is not policy – it’s heartlessness. The wrongful detention of Yeonsoo Go is evidence of ICE’s carelessness. 

“I want answers. I want ICE to tell me how they made this mistake, and I want them to ensure this never happens again. Our international students deserve to be free from the fear that they’ll be detained simply because they are coming to the U.S. to learn from our great institutions. This letter asks both the federal and state governments to take immediate steps to protect students’ legal rights and safety.  

"Braun insists that his policy is the ‘worst first,’ so I hope he stands up for our international students who have committed no crime.” 

Porter raises alarm on student aid crisis

Reports show that Indiana’s college-going rates have dropped again, dipping to 51.7%. This dip follows critical changes to state financial aid assistance: reducing the amount of individual awards by almost $500 and an overall cut to awards of $78 million. InvestEd, created to provide non-predatory loans to Hoosier students, has also made changes. The quasi-government entity will loan roughly $44 million to students, but only those with credit scores above 750. These changes, combined with the consolidation of payment plans and borrowing caps in the “One Big Ugly Bill,” will drastically impact Hoosier students. 

State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“When we look at the big picture, our students are going to get slammed. Teens feel like college isn’t worth it, and Indiana’s doing nothing to dissuade them. Students don’t want to go into massive debt for a degree only to get a post-grad job that doesn’t cover the cost of living. Indiana’s student aid changes make affording college even more of a daydream. 

“Individual awards were reduced, the appropriation for assistance cut and only students with excellent credit get a state loan. InvestEd is also giving loans to out-of-state and international students. The wealthy and people outside of Indiana get the loans with low interest rates. 

“We’re leaving most students with two options: family wealth or private loans. And the last thing students need is more private loans. Private loans can have interest rates over 15%, trapping students in debt. 

“Frozen tuition helps, but it doesn’t address the fact that tuition is too high. It’s putting lipstick on a pig. We’re not addressing the core issues: high tuition and predatory loans. I plan on offering significant legislation next session to address the student loan crisis and rebalance state assistance.” 

Shackleford calls attention to Hoosiers at risk of losing homes due to medical debt

Today, Aug. 18, State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) underscored the devastating impact of medical debt on Hoosier families during the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary. The discussion included Senate Bill (SB) 317, which examines whether an individual’s home could be taken to satisfy outstanding medical debt.

Shackleford released the following statement:

“Hoosiers shouldn’t face the possibility of losing the roof over their head because of medical bills. Families are already under enormous stress when dealing with health challenges. The last thing they should have to worry about is being forced out of their homes.

“Medical debt remains one of the leading causes of financial hardship in Indiana, disproportionately affecting working families, seniors and communities of color. As policymakers, we have a responsibility to ensure Hoosiers can focus on recovery and stability, not bankruptcy and homelessness.

“I will continue working with my colleagues to advance solutions that protect our most basic needs, starting with our homes.”

Dant Chesser awarded fellowship to attend acclaimed midwestern leadership institute

State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D-Jeffersonville) was among 38 select lawmakers chosen to participate in a training program that annually identifies and assists promising state leaders in the Midwest. 

Dant Chesser will meet with fellow lawmakers from Indiana and 10 other Midwestern states and three Canadian provinces later this summer in Madison, Wisconsin, for The Council of State Governments’ 30th annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD). 

"It is certainly an honor to be chosen for the BILLD program this year," said Dant Chesser. "Effective leadership is crucial to dynamic public service, and I’m excited to enhance these skills and to learn from peers and colleagues from throughout the Midwest."

“The Bowhay Institute is one of the premier leadership training programs in the nation,” says Iowa Sen. Amy Sinclair, who serves as co-chair of the institute’s steering committee. “The legislatures in the region have benefited greatly from the skills their members have gained through this unique educational experience. Many of the graduates now hold key leadership positions in their state.” 

Since 1995, more than 1,000 lawmakers have graduated from the Bowhay Institute. State legislators from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin are chosen to participate through a competitive, nonpartisan selection process. Members of the Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan legislative assemblies are selected by their caucuses to take part in the program.

A program of The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Office, the 2025 BILLD program will include courses and seminars conducted by policy experts, Midwestern legislative leaders, and professional development trainers. In addition to curriculum designed to develop leadership skills, the program analyzes a variety of public policy issues.