Smith applauds release of $200 million for child care, urges lasting solutions for working families

Yesterday, April 16, the State Budget Committee (SBC) approved the augmentation of $200 million to the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth (FROG) Fund for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program. State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) released the following statement: 

"This is great news for Indiana's parents who have struggled to find affordable, quality child care. Our families are feeling the weight of the cost-of-living crisis. According to the Indiana Chamber, families are spending an average of $678 per month for one child’s care. That’s a rent or mortgage payment. 

“In Lake County, the situation has become particularly dire as population growth outpaces the expansion of licensed providers. I hope that increased CCDF enrollment will ensure our parents can go to work knowing their kids are in good hands. I celebrate this step forward and the real difference it will make in the lives of our growing families.

"However, Indiana’s child care crisis did not emerge on its own. The Republican supermajority created the circumstances that necessitated this emergency funding. Our leaders have had ample opportunity to address the provider shortage and lower costs for families. 

"Instead, Braun cut reimbursement rates last September. The result pushed thousands of families onto the waitlist and forced hundreds of providers to close. A simple, one-time infusion of funding will not reopen these providers. Studies from the National Women's Law Center show that child care supply takes years to rebuild after disruption, meaning families feel the consequences long after a cut is reversed.

"The $200 million is, in no small part, an effort to extinguish a fire that Braun himself helped ignite. While this investment will increase CCDF access, it does not address our deeper structural gaps. Indiana needs permanent, structural investments in child care, not a one-time payment to put out a self-started fire.”

Burton: ‘An $18 million price tag to operate an insufficient coal plant is completely irresponsible’

Today, April 16, the Citizens Action Coalition released a statement revealing a prior request from Centerpoint Energy to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) urging the federal government to not reissue an emergency order on a costly coal plant, Culley Unit 2, located in Southwest Indiana.

The U.S. DOE disregarded CenterPoint's pleas, as another order was issued on March 23, 2026, to keep the unit open through at least June 21, 2026.

State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville), a member of the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee, issued the following statement on the U.S. DOE's decision to reissue an emergency order:

"Energy costs in Indiana is the leading issue many Hoosiers are facing right now. This decision by the DOE reaffirms that the current strategy at the federal level is costly and negatively impacting Hoosier bank accounts.

"Indiana's energy policy is dependent upon the leadership in D.C. and unfortunately, a misguided and false narrative led to a costly, inefficient and unreliable emergency order to go into effect – completely ignoring CenterPoint's concerns, input from MISO and NERC's assessment. CenterPoint communicated the necessary information clearly, yet they were still ignored.

"An $18 million price tag on an inoperable energy source is completely irresponsible. And is a slap to the face to Hoosier taxpayers as energy costs continue to rise and put even more financial hardship on working Hoosier families.

"Hoosiers want relief, yet the current administration in D.C. is focused on manufactured chaos rather than strategic policies aimed at reducing monthly energy bills, increasing domestic energy generation and improving overall energy reliability.

"This decision was made at the expense of Hoosiers' hard-earned dollars. The federal government claims to put America first, but our energy bills, health, and economy are jeopardized. Our best interests were ignored. This administration is claiming victory at the expense of Hoosier ratepayers – they can and must do better."

Pryor: ‘CCDF funding is a good start, but Republicans got us into this mess’

Today, April 14, Gov. Mike Braun announced that he will augment the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth (FROG) Fund to expand enrollment for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers. The CCDF is a critical social service program that provides child care vouchers to over 40,000 low-income families throughout the state. The CCDF has been closed to new children for over a year due to Statehouse Republican budget priorities.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), Democratic Floor Leader, issued the following statement regarding the funding diversion:

I'm thankful that Gov. Braun and the Republican supermajority are finally taking action to address this issue, but a lot of damage has already been done. In just one year, 320 child care facilities throughout the state have had to close, leaving working families in the lurch. Indiana Republicans had time to attempt to rig our electoral maps late last year, but couldn't find the will to help our families in need.

"Child care is a vital part of our communities and economy. Well-funded child care provides our children with safe places to learn, grow and thrive, and gives parents an opportunity to join the workforce.

"I'm happy with today's announcements, but Republicans got us into this mess. Moving forward, I plan to work with my colleagues to address the over 21,000 children who will still be left on the CCDF waitlist despite this funding."

Porter thankful for CCDF funding, concerned about the closure of 300 providers

Today, April 14, Gov. Mike Braun announced that he will augment the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth (FROG) Fund to expand enrollment for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers (CCDF). Provider reimbursement rates will not increase, continuing the 10% to 35% rate cuts. 

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

“I’m glad that Gov. Braun has finally recognized the need for action. He has finally heard the pleas of Indiana’s working parents, whose calls got louder after his reimbursement rate cuts. The legislature nudged Braun multiple times, including with my bill, House Bill 1026. 

“But the damage has been done. Since September, almost 300 providers have closed, 221 of which closed as a direct result of CCDF cuts. They can't just reopen their doors. Lower reimbursement rates still mean parents must cover a chunk of the cost. This does nothing to lower the exorbitant cost of care for the majority of families who don’t qualify for CCDF.

“This is a step up the ladder, but we’re still in the hole.” 

Rep. Porter’s House Bill 1026 included a “shall,” not the “may” provision in Senate Bill 4, for the augmentation of the FROG fund. The bill did not receive a hearing.

IBLC comments on CCDF funding

Today, April 14, Gov. Mike Braun announced that he will augment to Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth (FROG) Fund to expand enrollment for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers.

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:

"I'm glad to hear that the outcry of Hoosiers is making a difference. CCDF vouchers are crucial for working families, and Indiana benefits when more parents can reenter the workforce by securing stable child care.

"With rising prices, Hoosiers across the board are struggling to make ends meet. This funding diversion could not have come at a better time. This funding will help daycares stay open, ensure that child care facilities are able to provide quality care for our children and help more parents get into the workforce to help support their families. While I wish this funding would have come sooner, it will make a world of difference for thousands of Hoosier families. However, over 21,000 children will be left on the waiting list despite this funding. There's still more work to do, and hopefully we can find a way to fund the remaining young people on the waitlist in the future."

Burton comments on ceremonial bill signings

Today, April 14, Gov. Braun held ceremonial signings for Senate Enrolled Act 240 and House Enrolled Act 1098. State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville), a co-author of HEA 1098, issued the following statement on the legislation:

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“Senate Enrolled Act 240 takes an important step toward greater transparency by requiring energy utilities to analyze and report their available surplus interconnection service. This information is critical for our energy utilities, industry partners and potential economic investors as they work to understand Indiana’s transmission capacity and plan for future energy generation.”

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Burton also emphasized the impact of House Enrolled Act 1098 as the state moves forward with implementing apprenticeships, expanding work-based learning programs and adopting new high school diploma standards.

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“One of the most pressing issues facing Indiana is ensuring young Hoosiers are exposed to a wide range of career pathways and have real access to those opportunities,” Burton said. “As these new standards take shape, I look forward to industries stepping up to support students and provide the hands-on experience they need to explore and define their futures.”

Hamilton on CCDF funding diversion: ‘Statehouse Republicans cleaning up a crisis they alone created’

Today, Gov. Mike Braun announced he will ask the State Budget Committee to divert $200 million from the General Fund to reopen admissions for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The CCDF is a critical social service program that provides child care vouchers to over 40,000 low-income working families throughout the state. Due to Statehouse Republican budget priorities, the CCDF had to stop taking new applicants over a year ago.

State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis), a long-time champion of child care expansion, issued the following statement: 

"Considering that the Braun administration previously said CCDF would not expand until 2027, I'm pleased with today’s announcement. This program is far too important for working families to keep Hoosiers shut out for another year. With the current waitlist hovering at nearly 35,000 families, this new funding will leave over 21,000 children on the waitlist.  The Braun supermajority-created CCDF waitlist has delivered a pipeline to welfare for low-income working families.  It’s incredibly short-sighted and fiscally irresponsible.  

"House Democrats have been calling on Braun and Statehouse Republicans to find a way to fund this program since the waitlist was announced. Instead, they sat back as 320 childcare facilities closed their doors.  They had plenty of opportunities to work with us to prevent this crisis from snowballing, but they decided to prioritize partisan redistricting, private school vouchers for the wealthiest folks and hand-outs to Big Tech over the needs of our most vulnerable families.

"To be clear, Indiana had a child care access and affordability crisis before the CCDF cuts were implemented - a crisis that was costing our state $4.2 billion in economic activity every year - so this announcement doesn’t even get us back to that already dire position.  I'm happy these funds are being released, but, as with the gas tax announcement last week, this is a prime example of Statehouse Republicans trying to clean up a crisis they alone created."

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GiaQuinta comments on child care funding transfer

Today, Gov. Braun announced that he will request approval from the State Budget Committee for a $200 million transfer from the state General Fund to fund Indiana's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program. CCDF's vouchers help families pay for child care expenses, and the $200 million would move 14,000 children off the waitlist starting in May, according to the Braun administration.

This comes after Braun paused new vouchers and cut reimbursement rates for providers, resulting in the closure of hundreds of child care facilities around the state, including one in House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne)'s district. There will still be 21,400 children remaining on the waitlist.

GiaQuinta issued the following statement in response to the funding infusion:

"Too little, too late. While I'm thankful that Gov. Braun has taken steps to resuscitate our statewide child care program today, the reality is that the system was teetering on the brink of collapse back in Fall 2025 thanks to decisions made by him and Statehouse Republicans. For many providers, including a beloved one in my hometown of Fort Wayne, doors shut back in November and December.

"In December, House Democrats offered an opportunity for House Republicans to reject the redistricting bill and fund CCDF vouchers for a year. They said no. In last year's budget, Statehouse Republicans prioritized expanding private K-12 vouchers to Indiana's wealthiest families instead of funding child care and getting our neediest working families off the waitlist.

"I say all this not to descend into the partisan bickering that I know Hoosiers are tired of. I say this to let Hoosiers know that the near-collapse of our child care system is an active decision that Statehouse Republicans made time and time again.

"The money has always been there – the question has been whether there is the political will to invest in the hard-working, low-income families that keep our state economy running."

Jackson stands with NIPSCO customers, workers

Ahead of tonight’s Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission listening session in Gary, State Rep. Carolyn B. Jackson shared the comments she submitted to IURC on behalf of her constituents in House District 1 and the locked-out NIPSCO workers:

"I have received countless phone calls and emails from residents who simply cannot afford their NIPSCO bills. We are not talking about people who are being careless with their energy use. We are talking about people who are doing everything right and still falling behind. As reported by the Post-Tribune this February, one constituent saw her bill jump from $200 to $600 in a single month. Another, a man who earns $100,000 a year and lives alone, watched his bill climb to $400 and asked: what about my neighbors who don't make what I make? What are they supposed to do?

"The answer, too often, is that they are placed on budget plans. I want this Commission to understand what that actually means for a family in my district. A budget plan keeps the lights on today, but at payment levels so high that families can never catch up. They are treading water, month after month, one missed payment away from disconnection.

"The timing of this crisis could not be worse. We are entering storm and tornado season. At the same time, NIPSCO workers are rightfully on strike, and our communities are currently being serviced by out-of-state contractors. I have serious concerns about what that means for response times and public safety when the next severe weather event hits. These out-of-state contractors are almost certainly being paid more than the local workers they have replaced.

"What's more, in examining bills submitted to me by my constituents, I can easily tell that the actual usage this winter compared to historic usage in 2025 has remained the same for many ratepayers. The only thing that has changed is what they are being charged.

"I am calling on this Commission to thoroughly examine the cause of these sharp and unexplained rate increases — including the role of Advanced Metering Infrastructure and heightened delivery charges — and to take meaningful action to reduce the burden on working families in Northwest Indiana. Hoosiers deserve a utility that operates efficiently and puts ratepayers first."

Smith: Gas tax holiday necessary due to national instability

Yesterday, April 8, Gov. Mike Braun announced a 30-day suspension of the 7% sales tax on gasoline. State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) released the following statement: 

“Indiana families desperately need this relief since they’re drowning in costs. The additional $30, $40 or even $50 they’re spending on gas is money needed for groceries, prescriptions or the electric bill. Hoosiers have reached a breaking point, and this suspension will give them a little bit of breathing room.

“However, we cannot ignore why Hoosiers need this holiday in the first place: President Trump’s reckless actions. Gas prices have increased by 38% since Trump launched his strikes. Global economists now estimate that gas prices will remain at or above $3.70 for the rest of 2026. Despite this, Gov. Braun and Indiana’s congressional delegation continue to support Trump’s actions, even as he called for the destruction of an entire civilization. They may say on paper that they want ‘affordability,’ but they refuse to call out the actions that threaten the livelihoods of Indiana’s working families.

“I support this temporary suspension, but it is nowhere near enough. The state legislature must remain vigilant as gas prices continue to soar. Hoosiers cannot be left to shoulder the costs while the national government pursues policies that drive bills even higher. We must do everything we can to support Hoosiers and their families.”

Pryor comments on gas tax suspension

Today, Gov. Mike Braun announced a 30-day suspension of Indiana's gas use tax, which hit 17.2 cents per gallon in April, amid geopolitical crises leading to gas prices skyrocketing to nearly $4.25 a gallon in Indiana. State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement:

"Hoosiers are feeling real pain at the pump, and I’m glad to see some relief finally coming. But let's be honest: it didn't have to get this bad before our governor acted.

"Back in 2022, when gas prices surged following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, House Democrats called for suspending the gas tax. At the time, the state was sitting on a surplus of federal dollars, and we had every opportunity to give Hoosiers a break. Republicans said 'no.'

"Now, with prices approaching $4.25 a gallon, they've had a change of heart. I support this suspension – my constituents need relief – but we should call this what it is: a reactive fix, not a proactive plan.

"Working families have been stretching every dollar for years. They deserve leaders who act before a crisis hit, not after. I'll continue pushing for economic policies that put Hoosiers first, not ones driven by political convenience."

Hamilton comments on gas tax suspension

Today, Gov. Mike Braun announced a 30-day suspension of Indiana's gas tax, which hit 17.2 cents per gallon in April, amid geopolitical crises leading to gas prices skyrocketing to nearly $4.25 a gallon in Indiana.

State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement regarding the suspension:

“Hoosiers are in desperate need of economic relief, and I support any meaningful action that delivers it. If suspending the gas tax will ease a bit of the burden of Washington, D.C.'s actions on Hoosiers coupled with the Republican supermajority's high gas taxes, I'm all for it. But let's be honest about how we got here.

“Gov. Braun and Statehouse Republicans are cleaning up a mess of their own making. Hoosiers are fed up with unfocused foreign entanglements that cost American lives, inflate gas prices and drive up costs for working families.

"What we're seeing is a last-minute reaction from an administration that wants credit for solving a crisis it helped create. That's not the fiscal responsibility Hoosiers were promised."