STATEHOUSE – Authored by the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, State Representative Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville), House Bill (HB) 1001, the state’s biennial budget, passed out of the House with a 68 to 29 vote today. Once signed into law, the budget, totaling around $31 billion, will run state government for the next two fiscal years.
“As state leaders, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and live within our means,” said Chairman Brown. “After working with my colleagues, experts and Hoosiers throughout the state, our proposed budget not only holds firm to our proven commitment to fiscal integrity, but also improves and sustains our economy for future generations.”
Championed by the House Republicans, the proposed budget includes three main priorities: protecting taxpayers, increasing our investment in education and funding strategic priorities like public safety.
Protecting Hoosier Taxpayers
The House Republicans have a proven track record of passing an honestly balanced budget and protecting Hoosier taxpayers. Continuing that legacy, the budget is structurally balanced, does not increase taxes on hard-working Hoosiers and upholds the fiscal environment necessary to grow the economy. Additionally, it maintains Indiana’s healthy reserves which provide a safety net in the event of another economic downturn.
“By managing our state’s finances responsibly, the budget ensures that our spending levels are sustainable for the future, increasing economic stability. It also protects the next generation from inheriting our debt, and instead, it provides greater flexibility in the future to fund projects that grow the economy and help more Hoosiers in need,” said Chairman Brown.
Investing in Education
While remaining fiscally responsible, the centerpiece of the proposed budget is education. It allocates the most dollars ever spent for K-12 education, increasing that investment by $469 million over the biennium. It also continues to reward schools with a $1,000 grant that graduate students with an honors diploma and increases that amount to $1,400 if the diploma is awarded to an at-risk student.
Supporting teachers, the budget funds certain House Republicans initiatives such as providing teachers with a $200 tax credit who purchase classroom supplies. Among many other items, the budget continues to reward effective and highly effective educators by allocating $60 million in teacher performance grants.
“As the Ways and Means Chairman, my role when crafting a budget is to ensure that, regardless of rural, suburban or urban area of the state, every student in Indiana has the opportunity to receive a high quality education. By substantially increasing the foundation level, we are helping to make the funding formula more equitable for all Hoosier students,” said Chairman Brown.
Funding our Strategic Priorities
Even with this historic investment in education, the House Republican budget funds other strategic priorities like public safety. It doubles funding for domestic violence prevention and treatment each year, and by allocating $13.5 million over the biennium, it financially backs the Safety P.I.N. (Protecting Indiana’s Newborns) grant program, which is aimed at reducing Indiana’s infant mortality rate. The budget includes $80 million for the next two years to help local communities provide alternatives to incarceration and reduce recidivism.
“With a growing economy, we have the ability to focus our attention on improving other areas of the state like public safety. The House’s budget prioritizes public safety and commits more resources this session to protecting Hoosiers and creating safer communities, which is something we set out to accomplish when Speaker Bosma announced our legislative priorities in October,” said Chairman Brown.
Many other areas such as supporting Indiana’s infrastructure and funding our retirees are included in the budget. For more information about HB 1001, visit iga.in.gov. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.
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Chairman Tim Brown, M.D. (R-Crawfordsville) represents portions of Boone, Montgomery and Tippecanoe counties.
