Porter bill increasing awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia heads to governor’s desk

Yesterday, Feb. 17, the Indiana Senate passed House Bill 1029, sending it to the governor’s desk. The bill increases public awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia through educational outreach. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) would need to add information to its website, include the two diseases in its existing public health campaigns and develop training opportunities for health care providers. 

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

“This isn’t a partisan issue. Alzheimer’s and dementia don’t see political party, race or economic class. These diseases affect everyone. That’s why education is so important. The more you know, the more you can do.

“Up to 35% of dementia cases are preventable. Young people need to know that information. Lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, can make a big difference. Middle-aged Hoosiers need to know the signs, since early detection is critical. 

“This is also about helping families provide dignified care to our seniors. When I first started caring for my late mother, there was so much I didn’t know. I didn’t know how to handle her mood changes or her confusion. I learned as I cared for her. But the more we educate; the better prepared people are to care for their loved ones. 

“I’m thankful that this bill is headed to the governor’s desk. I know this will make a difference in seniors' lives and the public’s welfare.“ 

House Republicans reject amendment to unmask ICE

Yesterday, Feb. 16, State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) offered an amendment to Senate Bill 160. The amendment would have required the Law Enforcement Training Board to adopt a statewide policy prohibiting officers from wearing a mask during official duties, with exceptions for situations such as tactical operations and undercover work. It also would have made it a class A misdemeanor for a law enforcement officer to wear a mask with the intent to commit or conceal the commission of a criminal act. It would have applied to federal law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  House Republicans voted down the amendment 33-59.

Pierce released the following statement: 

“I asked Republicans what kind of country and state they want to live in today. Do we want to live in a nation or state where masked agents with no identification can stop and demand proof of citizenship, and then arrest and send us off to a distant detention center? 

“I don’t want to live in that kind of state or country. I don’t want to live in a place where masked agents demand to see your papers on the street. That is a big step towards authoritarian government.

“Republicans love to talk about the dangers of big government. We hear complaints about interference with property rights or too much regulation of businesses. Yet masked agents on the streets of America violating the constitutional rights of its residents, including unjustifiable killings, are met with deafening silence.

“This amendment was a chance for the General Assembly to stand up and demand the federal government respect our freedoms and liberties. Instead, Republicans said ‘no’ to preserving what so many of us took for granted.” 

IBLC mourns passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson

Following the news of civil rights leader and politician Rev. Jesse L. Jackson's death on Feb. 17, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"Rev. Jackson dedicated his life to the service of others, from the Rainbow Coalition to protesting injustice in the United States to promoting democracy and human rights around the globe. He was led by his love for his fellow man and the belief that we're all better off when everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

"In the wake of this profound loss, I hope Rev. Jackson's life and work inspires us all to move through life with a moral compass calibrated toward justice and the resolve to work toward a better world for everyone."

DeLaney comments on national debt posturing by Statehouse GOP: ‘Let’s get serious’

Today, Feb. 16, Indiana State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla and the Braun Administration held a press conference with numerous state officials and lawmakers about passing a resolution to raise awareness about the National Debt.  

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

“Indiana Republicans have taken a page out of the old GOP playbook and decided to declare their focus on the national debt. It is encouraging to see that this issue still troubles my friends across the aisle. I was beginning to think that they had abandoned their concern for the national debt as they continuously celebrate the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ (BBB) that will increase the national debt by $3.4 trillion while depriving many Hoosiers of health care and food assistance.  

“While Indiana Republicans offered lip service today about lowering the national debt, they have taken steps to import this fiscally irresponsible policy by bringing Indiana in line with the excessive cuts under the BBB. Under the bill passed this summer, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the national debt will exceed $52 trillion in the next decade – over $10 trillion above what the bill accounted for. As of October 2025, the national debt was accumulating at the fastest rate in history outside of the international emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Passing down a $52 trillion national debt to our children and grandchildren is irresponsible and unsustainable. Let’s get serious and prioritize popular programs that help Hoosiers instead of tax cuts for the mega-rich. 

“Let our seven Republican congress members and two U.S. Senators get to work on the debt they vote on.”  

Pryor concerned about civil rights violations under new immigration bill

Yesterday, Feb. 12, the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 76 by a vote of 61-28. Since the bill was amended, it now heads back to the Senate for their approval of the changes before going to the governor’s desk.

SB 76 aligns state entities with current federal policy regarding undocumented immigration. Public schools and universities would be required to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, inviting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into K-12 classrooms and college campuses. It would also empower Indiana’s attorney general to seek civil suits of up to $10,000 for violating these policies.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement on the bill’s passage:

“I am deeply disappointed in the passage of SB 76.  SB 76 pressures state and local entities to act as pseudo-ICE agents, and diverts real public safety resources away from Indiana’s police forces and other services to pick up federal slack. Local units of government are already struggling because of Senate Bill 1 from last session.  These measures will not help Hoosiers.

“This bill gives ICE the authority to walk into schools, universities, local government centers, hospitals and other institutions and disturb the peace of Hoosiers trying to go about their day. This will only cause already-tense situations to escalate and contribute to the ongoing trend of ICE agents’ racial profiling and detainment of law-abiding Americans. This could very well lead to the deaths of more United States citizens.

“The behavior we’re seeing from ICE in other states has no business spreading to Indiana, let alone using up local and state-level resources that should be used for the benefit of serving Hoosiers. They are being allowed to trample on our civil rights of American citizens. What right will be next. This is not who we are as Hoosiers or as Americans. For the sake of the dignity and respect of everyone who calls Indiana home, I implore the Senate and Governor Braun to give this bill the treatment that it deserves; kill this bill.”

Pierce rejects bill forcing all levels of state government, schools, and universities to assist ICE

Yesterday, Feb. 12, Senate Bill 76 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 61 to 28. Because the bill was amended in the House, it returns to the Senate to approve the House changes or to request a conference committee to reconcile differences in the bill. 

SB 76 requires local governments, law enforcement, schools and universities to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including complying with detainer requests. The state attorney general is given broad powers to investigate any of these entities he feels is not sufficiently compliant with ICE and to seek penalties against them.

State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) released the following statement: 

"Why do we want to give our full, complete compliance to an organization that has proven itself to be poorly trained, incompetent, not able to follow our laws or constitution, and has caused the deaths of innocent U.S. citizens? We don't have to have this bill. We don't have to completely entangle our entire state with this deadly force that's spreading chaos and violence wherever it goes.

"It doesn't help that the bill gives our ethically challenged attorney general immense power to investigate and seek penalties against anyone he deems not sufficiently compliant with ICE. We should know better than to hand the attorney general this power."

Miller opposes Senate immigration bill

Today, Feb. 12, Senate Bill 76 passed out of the House by a vote of 61-28 and now heads back to the Senate with amendments. The bill aims to align state entities with current federal policy regarding undocumented immigration. It would bar schools, government bodies, and public universities from enacting any measures to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It would also empower Indiana’s attorney general to seek civil suits of up to $10,000 for violating the new rules.

State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement on SB 76’s passage:

“Senate Bill 76 will allow poorly trained federal agents to walk into classrooms, government buildings and university campuses and arrest people in broad daylight, often for little more than the color of their skin. Additionally, it would require local governments to comply with federal detainer requests, which would occupy space in jails that local municipalities need to detain violent criminals.

“This is an unnecessary and cruel bill. Masked men in unmarked vehicles are already terrorizing communities across the nation; the last thing Hoosiers need is for their state government to be helping these agents along their way.”

Harris votes ‘no’ on Senate immigration bill

Today, Feb. 12, the Republican supermajority of the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 76, which strips authority from local officials and shifts immigration enforcement authority to the attorney general to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests. The bill was amended in the House and now returns to the Senate.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), voted against the bill and issued the following statement upon its passage:

"I came to the Statehouse this year with the hopes of addressing Indiana's rising cost of living, our mess of a health care system and to make homeownership a viable possibility for young Hoosiers. I didn't come here to make it easier for federal agents to wreak havoc in our communities.

“I'm a proud Black and Latino lawmaker, and I know exactly what this bill will lead to: federal agents will be given unilateral authority to racially profile Hoosiers under the guise of immigration enforcement. As a representative from one of the most diverse areas of the state, I'm afraid this bill will directly impact many of our neighbors. All Hoosiers deserve the dignity of not having to live in fear just going about their business in their community. As this bill heads back to the Senate, I urge my colleagues in the other chamber to do the right thing and not let this bill reach the governor's desk."

Republicans reject measure to require transparency from state contractor

Today, Feb. 12, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment to Senate Bill 226 that would require state contractors to disclose their campaign contributions as a part of the contracting process. In recent years, Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales came under fire for offering no-bid contracts to large donors to his re-election campaign.   

DeLaney released the following statement upon the defeat of his amendment:  

“Plain and simple, this amendment is about fiscal responsibility and transparency. Hoosiers deserve to know who is receiving public funds, especially when contracts are offered without a competitive bidding process. Contracts involving taxpayer dollars should be awarded to the best possible service provider, not to the highest campaign contributor. The only way to ensure this is to require contractors to disclose their political contributions to prevent the possibility of waste, fraud, abuse and corruption.”  

Bartlett admonishes ‘misplaced priorities’ upon SB 76 passage

Today, Feb. 12, the Republican supermajority of the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 76, which strips authority from local officials and shifts immigration enforcement authority to the attorney general to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests. The bill was amended in the House and now returns to the Senate.

State Rep. John L. Bartlett (D-Indianapolis) voted against the bill and issued the following statement upon its passage:

"There are ways we can uphold the rule of law without terrorizing our communities. This bill will allow poorly trained agents to go into classrooms, university campuses and government buildings to arrest people they suspect of being in this country illegally. What this really comes down to, then, is giving federal agents the green light to racially profile members of our communities and act with unilateral authority. We've all seen the videos from Minneapolis and what can happen when you allow bigotry and fear to trump common-sense and decency. As I said with the National Guard bill, I don't want the next American tragedy to happen in Indiana, and I'm concerned that this bill will lead to that happening.

"This legislation is also a blatant example of the misplaced priorities of Indiana Republicans. Hoosiers throughout the state are struggling to pay their bills and keep food on the table for their families. Nationwide, undocumented immigrants are far less likely to commit violent crimes than individuals born in the United States, and many are active participants in their community. I wish Republicans would focus their energy on a much more real threat: a state economy that prioritizes the few over the many. I was hoping the supermajority would work to strengthen Indiana's middle class, raise the minimum wage and increase housing accessibility in 2026. Senate Bill 76 is just one of many examples of their misplaced priorities and failure to lead Indiana to a more prosperous future."

Campbell condemns House passage of immigration bill allowing ICE to enter schools and universities

Today, Feb. 12, Senate Bill 76 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 60-28. Since the bill was amended, it heads back to the Senate for their review of the changes before it heads to the governor’s desk. 

SB 76 aligns state entities with current federal policy regarding undocumented immigration. Public schools and universities would be required to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, inviting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into K-12 classrooms and college campuses. It would also empower Indiana’s attorney general to seek civil suits of up to $10,000 for violating these policies.

State Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) released the following statement: 

“This bill invites chaos into our communities by forcing cooperation with ICE. Republicans promise to focus on violent criminals, but ICE hasn’t held itself to that mission. We’ve watched agents racially profile, escalate tense situations, make wrongful arrests and kill U.S. citizens. 

“Why would you invite that behavior into our schools? Into our universities? ICE has no business arresting children, and doing so on school grounds should be completely out of the question. Young children shouldn’t live in fear of being arrested by armed, masked agents.

“Our international students shouldn’t live in fear either. They’re not criminals. They’re smart, law-abiding visa holders. ICE has already made a mistake with a Purdue student. Last August, they wrongfully detained a pharmacy student for five days. 

“ICE’s behavior doesn’t belong in our schools, universities or hospitals. Regardless of their immigration status, people deserve to be treated with respect, especially our young people.” 

Bauer on amendment to redefine PFAS chemicals in SB 277

Today, Feb. 11, in the House Environmental Affairs Committee, language regarding “forever chemicals” was added into Senate Bill 277 by Chairman Baird.

The language derives from Sen. Baldwin’s introduced SB 237, which defines “PFAS chemicals” and “state prioritized PFAS chemicals.” Additionally, the amendment would prohibit the Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) from basing a decision primarily on federal risk values that have not been put into effect through federal rulemaking.

State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) raised concerns about the amendment, emphasizing that Indiana must move forward with PFAS policy in a way that strengthens, not limits, protections for public health.

Bauer released the following statement:

“PFAS contamination is already impacting communities across Indiana. I am concerned that Amendment 27, redefining PFAS chemicals, could restrict how our state responds to emerging science and evolving federal guidance. Hoosiers deserve policies that prioritize health and safety first, not language that may delay or weaken our ability to act when credible risk information becomes available.

"During today's committee, we heard over two hours of testimony from the public; however, each comment was restricted to two minutes per individual on a bill that exceeds 150 pages. It's also important to note that some of the world's most renowned PFAS scientists live here in Indiana, and they have been outspoken in this amendment.

"PFAS are persistent chemicals that remain in our environment for generations. Addressing them requires flexibility, transparency and a commitment to science-driven decision-making. I will continue advocating for policies that give Indiana the strongest possible tools to protect drinking water, safeguard public health and respond quickly to contamination.

"We can no longer turn a blind eye to these chemicals. We must correct our approach before it's too late."

The amendment changing the definition of PFAS passed 6-5 in committee.

Bauer continues to support bipartisan efforts to address PFAS contamination through science-based standards, transparency and proactive public health protections.