Harris celebrates the passage of SB 27

Today, Feb. 24, Senate Bill 27 passed the House with a final vote of 95-4. Since the bill was amended by the House, it now heads back to the Senate for final approval before going to Gov. Braun’s desk to be signed into law. 

SB 27 creates the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, establishing a method for acquiring and financing a Chicago Bears stadium in The Region.

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

“One of my father’s priorities during his tenure in the Statehouse was bringing professional sports to Northwest Indiana. The passage of SB 27 is a great step towards that goal. As I’ve said previously, the economic benefits of bringing a National Football League team and stadium to The Region will set Northwest Indiana on a path to prosperity for decades to come.

“SB 27 works hand in hand with House Enrolled Act 1292, which I authored last year. HEA 1292 established the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission to bring professional sports to the community.

“SB 27 perfectly lays the groundwork to welcome the Bears into The Region and provide the infrastructure to do so properly. This will boost our local and state economies by creating jobs, attracting tourists and generating millions in tax revenue.

“I’m incredibly proud of the bipartisan effort around SB 27 to build the Chicago Bears a new den in Northwest Indiana, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”

Jackson celebrates the passage of SB 27 inviting the Bears to Hammond

Today, Feb. 24, Senate Bill 27 passed the House with a final vote of 95 to 4. Since the bill was amended by the House Ways and Means Committee, it now heads back to the Senate for review and approval before going to Gov. Braun’s desk for signature into law. SB 27 invites the Chicago Bears to Hammond by creating various funding mechanisms to build a new stadium. 

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond) released the following statement: 

“This is the first time I’ve seen local officials and the state come together to make a dream a reality in such a short time. Everybody wants progress, and I am thankful Northwest Indiana has been bold enough to step towards it. 

“This will bring the entire Region together. One city’s progress affects another city’s progress. We will all benefit from the thousands of new jobs created, the influx of new tourists and the millions in revenue generated at our hotels and restaurants.  

“We’ve laid the groundwork for the past 10 years to increase our economic development and tourism. The Region used to be the driver of Indiana’s economy until certain industries left us. We have worked hard to rebound from those losses, and the Chicago Bears have recognized our hard work. 

“Northwest Indiana is Bears country.”

Pryor bill fighting for quicker access to lifesaving prescriptions for advanced cancer patients heads to governor’s desk

Today, Feb. 24, the Senate passed House Bill 1114. The bill, authored by State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), prohibits state employee health plans, the health care marketplace and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) from requiring step therapy or "fail first" therapy. "Fail first" requires patients to try a drug preferred by their insurance company and fail to respond before they receive coverage for the prescription originally recommended by their doctor.

“Patients with advanced cancer cannot wait for effective treatment,” Pryor said. “Nobody should be denied coverage for a medication that may save their life due to the 'fail first' method. 

“Doctors know their patients best and treating stage IV or metastatic cancer is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Step therapy relies on generalized information about these diseases instead of the specific journey of each patient. Each person responds to certain prescriptions differently.  

“This bill allows doctors to determine the best course of treatment and for patients to immediately receive it. These individuals have already experienced so much pain and anxiety. They shouldn’t have to jump through these hoops with their insurance to get what they need. It shouldn’t be about cutting costs for insurance companies. It should be about ensuring patients have what they need to fight for their lives.

“I’m immensely grateful that this bill is headed to the governor’s desk. It will expand access to care for Hoosiers with advanced cancer, and it will help us move toward a lower death rate for cancer in the state of Indiana. Thank you to my co-authors, as well as Susan G. Komen, the Indiana Oncology Society, and the Livestrong Foundation, for your support. I will continue to advocate for expanded access to health care for Hoosiers.” 

Garcia Wilburn bill to keep kids in DCS safe headed to governor’s desk

Last week, Feb. 19, House Bill 1036 cleared its final steps in the Indiana General Assembly and is headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Authored by State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), the legislation requires Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworkers to see a child in person within 30 days before a case closure or discharge.

This legislation was drafted in response to tragedies like the death of Kinsleigh Welty, a five-year-old who died of starvation, and is aimed at ensuring children are safe before investigations and cases by DCS are closed.

Garcia Wilburn issued the following statement after the Indiana House of Representatives' unanimous concurrence with a minor Senate amendment to the bill:

"The safety of our children is non-negotiable. House Bill 1036 is a crucial step to ensure each child is prioritized individually. It is my hope that requiring an in-person visit by a DCS caseworker before a case closure will help avoid tragedies of neglect like the story of five-year-old Kinsleigh Welty.

"I am beyond grateful for the overwhelming support on this legislation. I want to thank my co-authors Reps. Alex Burton, Lori Goss-Reaves and Julie McGuire for their work on this bill, and I want to thank the House and Senate for their unanimous support. Together, we can continue to pursue policy that protects the health and safety of all Hoosier children. I am hopeful Gov. Braun will sign this legislation and get this bill across the finish line."

Porter: ‘We can fight fraud without impacting Hoosiers’ coverage’

Today, Feb.23, the Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1. State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“Indiana has two diverging views of Medicaid. Republicans see Medicaid as an undesired welfare program that’s draining revenue growth. We see it as a necessary form of health insurance for low-income Hoosiers.

“Yet the two views agree: We don’t want Medicaid fraud. I want the public to believe in the necessity of Medicaid, and fraud puts the public’s support at risk.

“But we can fight fraud without impacting Hoosiers’ coverage. Republicans are filling the rule books with more income checks, more applications, and more paperwork to catch potential cheaters. I offered amendments to track how many people will needlessly lose services, but Republicans don’t want to know. 

“Adding barriers to enrollment might deter fraudsters, and it will surely deter eligible Hoosiers. We can make reasonable efforts to prevent fraud, but those efforts are concerning when they'll result in losses of coverage for eligible Hoosiers.”

Burton’s co-authored bill creating major utility reform heads to governor’s desk

Last week, House Bill 1002, co-authored by State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville), championing utility affordability, passed out of both chambers and head's the Governor's desk.

Burton issued the following statement on the bill’s headway:

“Since day one, I’ve been focused on one thing: bringing stability and relief to Hoosiers facing rising energy costs. As a freshman legislator, I’m doing the work to push energy policy in a direction that keeps affordability front and center.

"HB1002 is a meaningful first step, and I’m committed to building on this progress with my colleagues. As Indiana moves toward performance-based ratemaking, we must stay disciplined about efficiency, responsible reporting and clear transparency for consumers. I’m going to keep pushing to make sure Hoosiers see the benefits.”

Shackleford amendments to priority Senate bill defeated

Yesterday, Feb. 19, the Indiana House of Representatives rejected two amendments authored by State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) to Senate Bill 1.

Amendment 17 centered on the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP). In its current form, SB 1 requires applicants to provide proof that they’ve worked or volunteered for 80 hours a month for at least three months before becoming HIP-eligible. Shackleford’s amendment would’ve lowered that requirement to one month.

"Health care is critical to staying in the workforce," Shackleford said. "We're putting the cart before the horse by assuming that Hoosiers are well enough to work for three months prior to being eligible for HIP. The bill adds more barriers and paperwork at a time when Hoosiers are already struggling to stay insured, and my amendment would have eased this burden and decreased the state's administrative workload in the process. I'm thankful for the bipartisan support this amendment received and am disappointed that we couldn't get it across the finish line."

Amendment 3 was offered in response to the extremely loose federal definition of medical frailty. The amendment would have clarified Indiana's definition of “medically frail” to include individuals with cancer.

Shackleford released the following statement on the amendment’s defeat:

“The federal government and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are providing little to no specific guidance on how to define Medicaid medical frailty, giving states authority to put their own definitions in place. My amendment was an attempt at doing just that, and ensuring Hoosiers suffering from cancer are seen as individuals with complex health needs requiring extra support. The sad truth is that many Hoosiers need health coverage for cancer – we have one of the highest cancer rates in the country. This amendment should have been an easy yes to make sure that Hoosiers battling cancer don't get left behind."

GiaQuinta weighs in on Supreme Court overturn of tariffs

Today, the Supreme Court overturned the Trump administration's global tariffs, ruling that Congress has the power to impose taxes, including tariffs. These overly broad and expansive tariffs have caused rising costs for Hoosier consumers and businesses and a decline in new job creation across America.    

Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement in response:

"Thank you to the Supreme Court for recognizing that the power of the purse clearly lies with Congress, not the executive branch.

"More importantly, I'm glad that Hoosiers will see some relief from the needless trade war and unnecessary taxes they've been paying at the store. House Democrats have been laser focused on lowering costs because Hoosiers have been struggling to pay utility bills, rent, health care bills and more. The tariffs only added fuel to the cost-of-living fire. Thank goodness they're going away.

"We need trade deals that keep jobs here and Indiana's manufacturing industry strong – not tax the average American family $1200 a year."

‘Carmen’s Law’ to expand access to advanced DNA testing for cold cases passes the Senate

Yesterday, Feb. 19, House Bill 1248, authored by State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis), passed the Indiana State Senate unanimously. The bill now heads to the governor's desk to be signed into law.

HB 1248, also known as "Carmen's Law" in honor of Carmen Hope Van Huss, creates a framework for private funding of advanced DNA testing for cold cases. This enables family members of victims and other key stakeholders to submit a request for advanced DNA testing in cases that have gone unsolved for five or more years.

Hamilton released the following statement regarding "Carmen's Law" passing out of the Senate:

“House Bill 1248 would not have been possible without Carmen Hope Van Huss, who finally received justice as her killer was sentenced just last week 30 years after her brutal murder. Carmen's case was solved using advanced DNA testing, and her family has been the driving force behind this bill to help bring more cases like hers to a close. Carmen's Law will help bring justice to the thousands of unsolved homicide victims and their loved ones, as well as get violent offenders off the streets to prevent further tragedies. I am truly honored to have worked with Carmen's family to pass this bill into law.

“I’m grateful to all the stakeholders who have supported this bill, including my co-authors and co-sponsors, Chairwoman Wendy McNamara, State Rep. Garrett Bascom, State Rep. Maureen Bauer, Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, Sen. Rodney Pol and Sen. Sue Glick."

Democrat proposed tax cut for working families defeated by Supermajority

Today, Feb. 19, the House heard amendments to Senate Bill 243, the bill to change Indiana’s tax code to bring it in line with the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act passed by Congress this summer. State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment that would have created a refundable tax credit for child care.  

Hamilton issued the following statement after the amendment was defeated 38-56: 

“When parents can access affordable child care, they stay in the workforce. They contribute. They grow businesses, fill jobs, and pay taxes. When they can't, our entire economy pays the price. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has put a number on that price: $4.2 billion dollars lost annually to our state's economy because families cannot access affordable child care. That is an unnecessary economic headwind for our state, and it is a crisis for families and many employers. And the crisis is quickly getting worse. As of today, 241 child care centers have closed across Indiana and more are closing every month. Young families across the state in Indiana are delaying having kids because of the economic burden.  

“This amendment is one critical step to help stanch the flow — to make child care affordable enough that families can keep their providers in business and stay in the workforce themselves. This amendment is about both supporting economic development and helping families thrive. This working families tax cut would have helped Indiana be a truly family friendly state.” 

Pryor bill allowing faster access to lifesaving cancer prescriptions heading to the Senate floor

Today, Feb. 19, House Bill 1114, authored by State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and now heads to the Senate floor.

HB 1114 prohibits state employee health plans, the health care marketplace and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) from requiring step therapy or "fail first." “Fail first” means patients must try a drug their insurance company prefers and show it doesn’t work before their insurance will cover the medication their doctor originally prescribed.

Pryor released the following statement:

“The ‘fail first’ method is not common-sense care. Patients with metastatic or stage 4 cancer cannot afford to wait and see if inferior drugs are going to work for them. Insurance companies should not be allowed to prioritize profits over people, especially where life-threatening illnesses are concerned. HB 1114 restores control of treatment plans to the physicians who have devoted their lives to providing outstanding, personalized care for their patients.

“I’m incredibly proud to see HB 1114 get one step closer to being signed into law. It will restore control of treatment to the experts who know best and help combat Indiana’s unacceptably high cancer death rate.

“I want to extend my gratitude to my co-authors, along with Susan G. Komen, the Indiana Oncology Society and the Livestrong Foundation for their support. I look forward to continuing my fight to bring the highest possible quality health care for Hoosiers.”

Jackson ‘thrilled’ to bring the Bears to Hammond, Indiana

Today, Feb. 19, the House Ways and Means committee passed Senate Bill 27 establishing the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority as the Chicago Bears take steps to finalize a deal to move their stadium to the City of Hammond.  

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond), who represents the area where the proposed stadium would be built, issued the following statement: 

“Bringing the Chicago Bears to Hammond would have a tremendous impact on our local economy and help us build up our community even further. Professional sports teams bring jobs and increased revenue to a city, especially by boosting tourism in the area. Over the past few years, we’ve made significant improvements and additions to the Region, and a National Football League team, especially one as historic as the Chicago Bears’ franchise, would be a fantastic addition to that work.  

“As a representative for Hammond, I am thrilled to do anything I can to finalize this plan and bring the Bears to our city.”