Sex ed in schools, Medicaid shortfall, college-student voters, partisan school boards

On Wednesday, 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. 

Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis: “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.” 

On Tuesday, 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 2023.  

Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis: “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.”  

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 10 by a vote of 66-25. This bill changes the requirements of what is needed so that college students cannot use their official government-issued university student identification to vote. 

Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, a member of the Elections and Apportionment Committee: “Indiana has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation. Yet, year after year, Statehouse Republicans pass legislation to make it harder for Hoosiers to exercise their right to vote. 

“When this bill was heard in committee, I was inspired by the number of students who showed up to testify against this bill and stand up for their right to vote. The General Assembly needs to be doing everything we can to get more of our young people engaged in our democracy, not put additional hurdles in their way. 

“If the concern is that some of our state institutions don’t have an expiration date on these IDs, the fix is simple. Just require university IDs to have expiration dates. Don’t use this reason to make it harder to vote for thousands of college students. 

“Many college students live, work, spend money, pay taxes and participate in the community of their college towns. They deserve the right to have a say on the officials who pass policies that impact their everyday lives.”

On April 12, the Indiana Democratic Party and local leaders will gather at The Grand, 138 E Market St., New Albany, and at Bloomington Town Hall, 401 N. Morton St., Bloomington, to host a People’s Town Hall to "discuss the real-world impacts of Republicans’ cuts to Hoosiers’ healthcare, nutrition benefits, and more."

Indiana Democratic Party Spokesperson Sam Barloga: “Extremists in D.C., including Rep. Houchin, voted to rip away health care coverage and food assistance from Hoosiers in order to fund tax cuts for their wealthy donors. Voters in Southern Indiana are demanding to be heard.

“If Rep. Houchin refuses to hold a public, in-person town hall and answer to Hoosiers’ pressing concerns, voters will look to leaders who will.”

Over the weekend, Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, was presented with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award at the Top Ladies of Distinction Area V Leadership Conference. The award was issued by former President of the United States, Joe Biden. 

Pryor: “I am beyond honored to have been presented with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joe Biden. My career has been spent advocating for my community and uplifting the voices that may otherwise not be heard. As a public official, my goal has always been not just to represent my constituents, but to truly listen to their needs and serve them to the best of my ability. I strive to be available, accessible, present and compassionate. 

“Receiving this award and being recognized for my dedication to service by former President Joe Biden is deeply humbling. No matter how exciting it was to be surprised with this award, the true reward is seeing the impact my work has on the lives of people in my community.

“I want to thank all of the wonderful people who have believed in me, encouraged me, mentored me and supported me over the years. I also want to thank my former legislative colleague and friend Dee Dawkins-Haigler for waiting for the right moment to present me with this award." 

Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, offered an amendment to Senate Bill 73, which he sponsored, to make the promotion of marijuana and other controlled substances illegal in Indiana.

From a press release: "Pressel said Northwest Indiana has seen an increase in billboard advertisements for marijuana, an illegal substance in Indiana, that can be purchased in surrounding states such as Michigan and Illinois. His amendment would prohibit the advertising of any Schedule 1 controlled substance, including marijuana, by any person, company, corporation or legal entity in the state of Indiana. ...

"Pressel's amendment would also allow the Indiana attorney general to levy civil penalties for violations. Similar legislation was passed in Mississippi to restrict advertisements of medical marijuana. It was challenged as a First Amendment violation but was dismissed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals who ruled in favor of the new law.

"Marijuana or cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance on the controlled substance list maintained by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in both federal and Indiana law. This means possession, use or distribution can result in a misdemeanor, but could escalate to a felony for those with prior drug convictions. 

The bill now heads to the House floor for further consideration."

Pressel: "We should not be advertising for something that is illegal to use, purchase and distribute in Indiana. All that does is send mixed signals to visitors and residents alike who are not familiar with Indiana laws."

On Monday, the House passed Senate Bill 287 with a vote of 54 to 40. The bill makes Indiana’s school board elections partisan, requiring candidates to run as Democrat, Republican, Independent or with a blank space next to their name. Since the bill changed to the House, it heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. 

From a press release: "Under the federal Hatch Act, employees of the U.S. government or organizations that receive federal funding are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity. Turning school board races into partisan elections would effectively bar thousands of qualified, community-minded Hoosiers from serving in these vital roles."

Rep. Vernon G. Smith, D-Gary, ranking minority member of the House Education Committee: “Our school boards exist to oversee the education, future and well-being of our children. Their job is not to ban books or to address the topics of race, gender or sexuality. Republicans want partisan school boards because they believe it will help them win elections. They lost some key races in some districts, and now they want to change the process to be in their favor. 

“Research shows that districts that switch to partisan elections see an increase in teacher turnover, an increase in the share of less experienced teachers and a negative impact on non-white school board candidates. Nobody wins if this legislation is passed except for the Republican Party. Our children, our teachers, our parents and our communities lose. 

“Partisan school boards insert more division into our community. Voters will be encouraged to choose a candidate based on a letter next to their name instead of their platform. I want my local school board to be focused on our children, not on a party agenda. 

“Injecting partisan politics into our schools will bring about more strife to our communities. This is far from what is best for our students and their futures.“ 

Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis: “During discussion of this bill on the House Floor, a colleague of mine from across the aisle made derogatory comments aimed at one political party. If things like that happen on the floor of the Indiana House of Representatives, it just goes to show that we do not need to bring more partisan politics into our school boards. We do not need one more thing driving a wedge between people in our communities. 

“School boards need to focus on serving the needs of our kids. The decision to elect someone to the school board should be based on what they are going to do to improve literacy and math skills, recruit quality teachers to address the teacher shortage and prepare students for the workforce or higher education. 

“Across the state, this is an unpopular policy. There is enough politics everywhere else. We don’t need politics in our school boards.” 

Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian: “State Republican legislators voted today to dismantle Indiana’s decades-long tradition of nonpartisan school board elections. This is a system that is used in over 40 states across the country to keep national partisan politics out of our local school boards. 

"Legislators received hundreds of calls and heard hours of testimony against this bill. The Republican supermajority pushed through this bad bill anyway, voting to insert partisan politics into our education system.

“Hoosier school board members include community servants and local leaders. They do not wish to be involved in the same partisan politics that consume Washington and Indianapolis.

“There were no Democratic votes for this dangerous proposal. Even many Republicans voted against this bill in both the House and Senate. Hoosier Democrats understand that our school boards should be focused on improving education and opportunity for our Hoosier kids—not national politics.”

Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City: "At a time when our country is already deeply divided, it is baffling to think that we would intentionally introduce more partisanship into something as sacred as education. Our school boards should not be a battleground for political agendas; they should be dedicated to nurturing the minds and futures of our children. Education is about preparing the next generation for success, not about pushing party lines. 

“School board members should be chosen for their expertise, principles, and commitment to building up our students, regardless of political affiliation.

“Partisan politics have no place in our schools and only serve to deepen division, not solve the challenges we face. Keep politics out of education.”

Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser, D-Jeffersonville: “I’m sad that we took this vote today. Only 27% of families support partisan school boards. I can unequivocally say that our parents and teachers in Clark and Floyd Counties do not want partisan school boards. When I was elected to this position, no one asked me to bring more politics into our community. 

“Our public schools are excellent community unifiers. This weekend, the boys basketball team from Jeffersonville High School won the state championship, and close to 500 people welcomed our players home in the middle of the night. I would hate for this bill, which inserts politics into schools, to jeopardize that sense of community. 

“It’s about putting our kids and their futures before any party ideology or agenda. Our classrooms, where our children learn, shouldn’t be used for political posturing. Inviting politics into our elections will create more division, further dividing our communities. 

“It’s about serving our kids—not about serving a party.”

Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage: “This bill directly inserts politics into our education system. In no way, shape, or form should it matter if someone’s a Democrat or Republican, or anything in between, when it comes to the integrity of educating our students of our state. School board members should be elected on merit, expertise and their commitment to our students—not their allegiance to a political party.

“Inserting politics into our education system is simply foolish. We must protect future generations of Hoosiers from this kind of foolishness."

Rep. Tonya Pfaff, D-Terre Haute: “During a recent visit to Crane Naval Base—one of Indiana’s largest high-tech employers—I was reminded just how many Hoosiers would be impacted by this change. With over 3,800 employees, many of whom are deeply invested in their local schools, this bill would strip away their ability to serve on school boards simply because of where they work.”

“Our school boards should be focused on student success—not party politics. Injecting partisanship into these races opens the door to national political agendas creeping into our classrooms. Instead of picking political fights, let’s tackle the real challenges: improving literacy, strengthening math skills, addressing the teacher shortage, and getting more students into college or prepared for the workforce. These aren’t partisan goals—they’re Hoosier priorities.”

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne: "I may be an elected official, but I know that Hoosiers want less politics in their lives, not more. Senate Bill 287 further injects politics into Hoosiers' lives by politicizing our school boards. What about teacher and staff retention, building maintenance and school buses requires a partisan viewpoint? 

"Hoosiers overwhelmingly took time out of their busy schedules to come to the Statehouse to oppose this bill, and House Democrats have received lots of constituent correspondence asking us to vote 'no.' This bill reduces the pool of potential school board candidates by limiting federal employees' ability to run because of the federal Hatch Act. Community leaders want to serve local families and students, not get mixed up in the politics of declaring a party. This bill will make it more difficult and expensive to run for local school board and will open local school board races to big DC politics and dark money associated with campaign finance.

"Nothing about SB 287 solves our teacher retention or student literacy crisis—which is what the General Assembly should be focusing on instead of finding new ways to make our lives more exhausting and divisive."

On Monday, House Bill 1518 headed to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. HB 1518, authored by Rep. Mitch Gore, D-Indianapolis, would require state entities to only purchase non-luxury vehicles. 

Gore: “I can’t believe I have to clarify this, but taxpayer dollars should not be used to buy luxury vehicles. My bill merely codifies this common-sense policy to help eliminate government waste. 

“Many Hoosiers are struggling to keep the lights on in their home or the doors open of their small business. The hard-earned dollars of our taxpayers should be used responsibly and for legitimate purposes. If the average Hoosier can’t afford the vehicle, their tax dollars should not be used to purchase it for a public official. Period.

“Reigning in irresponsible and unnecessary government spending is a bipartisan effort. I want to thank Rep. Miller, Rep. Pressel, Rep. Smaltz, and Sen. Doriot for working on this legislation with me. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across the aisle to protect taxpayers.” 

On Monday, Rep. Chris Campbell, D-West Lafayette, proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 4. The amendment would have created a two-year moratorium on major groundwater withdrawals from the Wabash River Basin if adopted. The amendment would have also established the Groundwater and Aquifer Preservation Task Force. House Republicans struck down the amendment with a vote of 25 to 66. 

Campbell: “The potential LEAP pipeline has been an issue of concern for my community for almost two years. They’ve chosen to ignore the pleas of our community once again. 

“West Lafayette is one of the fastest-growing communities in Indiana. We have to be properly prepared for the future so that our community, businesses, farmers and Purdue University have what they need. Recent water studies show that Indiana will have a scarcity problem soon. We need a state moratorium. We need state leaders to take the time to come to our county and listen to our community.  

“We still have no water regulations or water plan. The majority refuses to listen to our community, but they’re also refusing to prepare for the future. We should act in the best interest of Hoosiers—not in the best interest of a secretive agency that’s spent $1 billion on a project knowing their chosen location lacked the resources they needed.”

On Friday, Gov. Mike Braun announced the appointments of Lyndsay Quist as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and Warren Lenard as director of the Indiana Office of Technology (IOT). These appointments were effective Monday.

Braun: “As the crossroads of America, our roads and transportation are critical for driving economic growth in our state. Lyndsay Quist's experience of over a decade with INDOT as well as her experience as an engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prepared her well to step into this role and serve Hoosiers. ...

"IOT works behind the scenes to keep state government afloat and operational. I am excited to announce that Warren Lenard will serve as the next Director of the Indiana Office of Technology. His private sector experience brings the type of entrepreneurial mindset that our state government so desperately needs." 

The state of Indiana announced recently that the Indiana Emergency Rental Program (IERA) has been cut six months ahead of schedule. The fund, created during the COVID-19 pandemic to address housing instability, was funded through the U.S. Treasury and set to expire in September of this year.

From a press release: "According to reporting from IndyStar, IERA has stopped taking applications. The program offered rental assistance and assistance for utility bills." 

Rep. Kyle Miller, D-Fort Wayne: "Ending this program with federal dollars available for another six months while Hoosiers struggle to keep a roof over their head is not only cruel, it's a dereliction of leadership. Indiana's housing crisis started well before the COVID-19 pandemic and it's still a reality for too many Hoosiers.

"I've heard from constituents that they're having trouble getting any status updates from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. This leaves people guessing in whether they'll receive much-needed assistance to remain in their homes.

"Right now, for every 100 low-income families in Indiana, there are only 38 affordable rentals available. My hometown of Fort Wayne was just ranked the least renter-friendly city in the country. This is not a situation we can wish away. Forcing vulnerable people to rely on 2-1-1 to find resources—a system that is not regularly updated or easy to use—when we could have continued giving them federally funded assistance for another six months puts an unnecessary burden on these individuals and their families. Keeping the IERA up and running until September would have given folks half a year to get back on their feet. Instead, the state is leaving them behind under the guise of 'government efficiency.' A truly efficient state government would do everything in its power to keep people in their homes, not cut off vital funding for those in need.

"Luckily, there's still time for us to address this in the state budget. I'm calling on my colleagues in the majority party to take a stand for Hoosiers by setting aside state dollars to make up for the loss of these federal funds. We have the means to help Hoosiers. Republicans just need to find the will to do it."

On Friday, Gov. Mike Braun announced the appointment of Jennifer Ruby as Indiana’s Public Access Counselor, a role dedicated to ensuring transparency in government.

From a press release: Indiana’s Public Access Counselor is responsible for ensuring transparency in government by responding to public inquiries, educating citizens about public access laws, issuing advisory opinions, assisting state officials in complying with public access law, and making recommendations to the General Assembly on how to improve our citizens’ access to our state and local government."

Braun: “Transparency for Hoosiers is important for a healthy state government, and Jennifer Ruby brings decades of legal expertise to serve Hoosiers as Public Access Counselor. She will do a great job promoting public trust through transparency and accountability.”

Ruby: “I’m honored to be selected by Governor Braun to serve as Hoosiers’ Public Access Counselor and uphold the values of government transparency and accountability. Public access is essential for effective governance, and I look forward to serving our state in this role.”