STATEHOUSE (Jan. 12, 2023) – House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) today released Indiana House Republicans' priorities for the 2023 legislative session.
Huston said maintaining fiscal responsibility, looking out for Hoosier taxpayers and keeping government small will be top of mind as lawmakers craft the state's next two-year budget.
"Taxpayers expect and deserve to have a state government that takes care of its needs, saves for a rainy day and invests in the future – and that's exactly what we'll continue to deliver," Huston said. "Thanks to years of maintaining fiscal responsibility, we're in a tremendous position to invest in our state's greatest asset – Hoosiers. We'll also keep looking for ways to reduce the burden on taxpayers."
Huston said the House Republican budget will include significant investments in the state's mental health providers and programs, in addition to those resources supporting low-income women and children.
To continue attracting business and talent, Huston said House Republicans' budget will support a $500 million investment to launch READI 2.0, a program that has become a critical economic development tool. In phase one, Indiana's initial $500 million investment successfully leveraged another $6.5 billion in private and other non-state funding to create transformative projects in communities large and small.
House Republicans will not only focus on accelerating economic growth, but also powering up and skilling up the workforce needed to meet the demand. In addition to making another record investment in K-12 education, which makes up about 50% of the state's budget, House lawmakers will focus on empowering Hoosier students and families.
"Whether our high school graduates want to further their education or enter the workforce, they've got to be ready to hit the ground running," Huston said. "We need to align our local employers' needs with our students' needs. Giving students a hands-on, work-based learning opportunity, and the ability to earn a credential before graduation can be a game changer for their future."
State Rep. Chuck Goodrich (R-Noblesville) authored House Bill 1002 to expand work-based learning, apprenticeship and internship opportunities in high schools. In addition, the bill would allow quality, work-based learning to count toward high school graduation requirements and create a framework for students to earn a post-secondary credential. Huston, a longtime advocate of empowering Hoosier parents, said House Republicans' budget will also include expanding opportunities for parents to choose the best school that works for their child.
Huston said he is largely disappointed in the lack of action by Indiana's insurers and nonprofit hospitals in addressing record-high health care prices, especially after calling on them in December of 2021 to develop a plan to reduce costs. A pair of House bills, including House Bill 1003 authored by State Rep. Craig Snow (R-Warsaw) and House Bill 1004 authored by State Rep. Donna Schaibley (R-Carmel), aim to lower patient and employer costs through increased transparency, accountability and competition in the health care marketplace.
House Bill 1005, authored by State Rep. Doug Miller (R-Elkhart), will expand housing options to meet the demands of Indiana's growing population. State Rep. Greg Steuerwald (R-Avon) worked with Indiana law enforcement, courts and health care officials to craft House Bill 1006, which would ensure individuals with mental health conditions receive treatment in local hospitals, not jails.
State Rep. Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) authored House Bill 1007 to support a diverse and robust energy plan that ensures reliability and affordability. State Rep. Ethan Manning's (R-Logansport) House Bill 1008 would ensure Indiana's public retirement fund investment strategies remain focused exclusively on maximizing returns, not political and social issues.
To support Hoosier women and unborn children, State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) will offer House Bill 1009 to allow child support payments to start at conception. Huston said he believes unborn children are owed a duty of support from both parents.
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House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) represents
House District 37, which includes a portion of Hamilton County.
To download high-resolution photos of House Republican members click here
Click here for a copy of the Indiana House Republicans' list of priorities for the 2023 legislative session.
