We’ve had a busy, yet productive week in the Indiana General Assembly. The Indiana House of Representatives passed the Right to Work (RTW) bill by a vote of 54-44. In 2006, my first year as your elected representative, an amendment was offered on a bill to enact a RTW law in Indiana. I opposed the amendment because I believed this was an important issue that had not been through the legislative process and had not received adequate input from all the stakeholders. Six years later, there have been nearly 35 hours of public testimony from supporters and opponents of RTW this year alone. In addition, I have met with many businesses and unions. I have listened to my constituents. On my legislative survey, 62% of respondents supported a RTW bill. Input is important for me to make an informed decision. During the joint House/Senate public hearing I learned from a site consultant that the qualities that are important to companies looking for a new location are: the state’s utility and transportation infrastructure, government incentives, tax structure, regulatory and permitting procedures and a skilled workforce. However, many businesses will not even look at what Indiana has to offer because we are not a RTW state. This legislation is about jobs and worker freedom. Is it right for an employer and union to enter into a contract that forces an individual to pay dues to get or hold a job? I supported Right to Work for more Hoosier jobs and for an individual’s freedom of choice. The House has also made great progress on other legislation this week. Two bills I authored passed the House and are heading to the Senate. House Bill (HB) 1003, which allows members of government boards to participate in electronic meetings if they comply with the Open Door Law, passed by a vote of 92-0. HB 1190 creates more efficient methods of assessing property values and passed 91-1. I also authored HB 1211, which aims to help seniors make informed choices on long-term health care. HB 1211 is scheduled for a vote in the House next week. Additionally, the House unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 4 to toughen laws against sex trafficking. As the first bill of the 2012 Legislative Session to pass both houses, SB 4 will now go to Gov. Daniels for his signature. This bill will help law enforcement in dealing with sex trafficking rings during the Super Bowl. I was delighted to have several people from my district visit the House this week. Jacob Whitacre, a senior at Castle High School and a resident of Boonville, received firsthand experience in state government by serving as a House page. Jacob is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol, an excellent program that promotes solid character and dedicated service among young people. I also had the opportunity to meet with Warrick County Sheriff Brett Kruse and Vanderburgh County Chief Deputy Sheriff Dave Wedding. As members of the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, Kruse and Wedding were among several dozen sheriffs that were honored by the House for their service to the citizens of Indiana. I value your input on all the issues facing Indiana, so I encourage you to contact me by phone at (317) 232-9769 or by email at h78@in.gov. Thank you for your support as we work to improve Indiana for all Hoosiers. -30- Crouch Capitol Connection Great progress on bills to benefit Hoosiers 1-27-12.doc |