You would do yourself a favor by paying close attention to what’s going on at the Indiana Statehouse.
For the next two months lawmakers in the Indiana House of Representatives and Senate will pass laws that will have a major impact on employment, education, taxes and other areas.
Members of the house and senate will meet for this year’s session of the Indiana General Assembly from now until March 14.
Within that time lawmakers will attempt to address pressing challenges such as job losses and major budget cuts in various school systems.
“As the nation recovers from the economic downturn, Hoosiers are looking for us to act effectively and quickly,” said Rep. Pat Bauer of South Bend, speaker of the Indiana House and the top Democrat in the state legislature. “They want to know what state government is doing to help them find jobs. We have close to 300,000 Hoosiers who are out of work, and that number doesn’t even cover those folks whose benefits have run out or people who have given up hope of finding any jobs at all.”
In less than two weeks, lawmakers in both chambers have already passed legislation that would limit the amount of property taxes the state could charge homeowners and businesses, strengthened ethics laws to reduce the political influence of campaign contributions and reformed township government.
All bills passed by the house and senate will be sent to Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has seven days to review each bill and sign it into law, veto it or let it go into law without his signature. A two-thirds majority in the legislature can override the governor’s veto.
The session will last for only a few months, but many officials have developed “a wish list” of issues they would like to see addressed before lawmakers adjourn.
Democrats, who control the house with a narrow two-seat majority, would like to deal with legislation related to unemployment, health care, affordable higher education options and a reduction in property taxes.
Republicans, who have a significant majority in the senate, would like to pass key legislation that would balance the state’s budget, lower property taxes, streamline local government and bolster job and business creation.
“In these tight times state lawmakers face the same challenges Hoosier households do – costs rising faster than income,” said Sen. David Long of Fort Wayne, president pro tempore of the Senate and the legislature’s top Republican.
Both parties are interested in seeing how alternative fuel sources produced in Indiana such as biofuels, wind and clean coal can be used to create jobs and reduce fuel prices.
In his annual State of the State message to the General Assembly, Gov. Daniels indicated his desire for lawmakers to look at proposals that would strengthen academic achievement, keep the state’s budget balanced, tighten lobbying rules and consolidate township government, which he says would save Hoosier taxpayers millions of dollars.
The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus which includes all 13 African-American and Hispanic members of the house and senate, has committed itself to pursuing passage of legislation that will “create greater economic and educational opportunities, close the achievement gap between minority and white students, enhance public policies that will reduce crime and domestic violence” and strengthen assistance for those who are struggling to maintain basic necessities such as housing, utilities, clothing and food.
Indiana lawmakers have their goals, but what would Indiana voters like to see accomplished this session?
The Recorder spoke with four Hoosiers about the session this week. Read their responses on page A1.
