This week, I welcomed my first student page, Nicholas Yax from Logansport High School. I have known Nick now for a couple of years, and he is a bright, young man with unlimited potential. It was great to see him in the House Chamber and talk about issues lawmakers are working on this session. The House Page Program is a wonderful opportunity for students ages 13-18 to come see how their state government works. You can learn more and apply online at www.indianahouserepublicans.com/page-program.
One of the things I discussed with Nick was upcoming deadlines and how they could impact bills. There are several deadlines throughout session and the legislature is nearing the halfway point, when bills must be passed out of their assigned committee and chamber of origin to continue through the process. A bill I authored, House Bill 1069, would create the Yellow Dot Medical Information Program. This legislation was heard in the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee this week with very favorable reception. However, the committee did not hold a vote on the bill because they wanted to know if the House Ways and Means Committee would have time to hear it this session. Bills that have a great fiscal impact are automatically recommitted to Ways and Means, so the committee can discuss how a policy could fit into the state budget. While the Yellow Dot Program will not become law this session, it is a good idea that I will continue improving, and I can always bring back next year.
We have much to thank our armed forced for, and I am glad to support several bills aimed at helping veterans. I co-authored House Bill 1053, which passed through the House of Representatives, and would change the designs of the license plate for Hoosier veterans with disabilities. The current plates do not indicate which branch of the armed forces a veteran served. Redesigning these plates would allow veterans to proudly display the branch they served in and better honor their individual service.
A more significant veteran bill that I supported is House Bill 1010. This bill would exempt military retirement pensions from the Indiana state income tax and expand the property tax deduction for veterans with disabilities. Some veterans may decide to move out of Indiana or retire elsewhere because we tax those pensions, unlike the majority of our neighboring states. With this effort, I hope more veterans will continue to make Indiana home. Visit www.in.gov/veterans for information about benefits currently available to veterans in Indiana, like job opportunities and homebuyer programs.
I will have more to report on next week as we near the end of the first half of session. As always: Remember, it’s your state government, so participate in it!
