STATEHOUSE (July 13, 2023) – New state laws supporting Hoosiers and backed by local lawmakers during the 2023 legislative session are now in effect.
"Indiana's new state budget is balanced and makes responsible investments in critical services while cutting taxes for hardworking Hoosiers," said State Rep. Craig Snow (R-Warsaw). "We also tackled a number of Hoosiers' top priorities like strengthening education and supporting vulnerable newborns."
Most legislation passed during the recent session took effect at the beginning of the state's new fiscal year on July 1.
Under the state's newly passed state budget, taxpayers are expected to save an estimated $430 million over the next two years via tax relief passed during the legislative session. Snow said thanks to the acceleration of individual state income tax cuts, hardworking Hoosiers will have one of the lowest rates in the nation by 2027. Indiana's K-12 spending makes up about half of the state's $44.6 billion budget, and lawmakers supported increasing student funding by 10% over the next two years. In addition, parents will no longer pay textbook and curricular fees.
"This session, I supported several tax cuts for Hoosier families and workers, including cutting textbook fees for parents and speeding up our efforts to lower our individual income tax rate," said State Rep. Lorissa Sweet (R-Wabash). "We delivered on our promise to put Hoosiers first and I'll continue to support policies that align with the values and needs of our district."
Local lawmakers also highlighted the following new laws:
Increasing High School Relevancy
To boost the number of career-ready students, those in grades 10-12 can soon use Career Scholarship Accounts to pay for career training or industry-recognized certification while in high school. Additionally, the state will review graduation requirements to better accommodate work-based learning experiences. Public high schools will host annual career fairs to encourage connections between students and employers.
Supporting Vulnerable Newborns
Currently, infants surrendered under Indiana's safe haven laws are taken into custody by the Department of Child Services before being placed. Sweet said moving forward, a child-placing agency could also take custody to help connect vulnerable newborns with adoptive families more quickly.
Maintaining Election Security
To ensure the absentee vote-by-mail process is as secure as voting in person, when submitting an absentee ballot application, voters will need to include a form of ID, like the last four digits of their Social Security number and either a driver's license number, state ID number or voter registration number. Voters can also submit a photocopy of their driver's license or an ID card for non-drivers.
Visit iga.in.gov to learn more about these and other new state laws now in effect.
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State Rep. Craig Snow (R-Warsaw) represents House District 22,
which includes portions of Kosciusko and Wabash counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Lorissa Sweet (R-Wabash) represents House District 50,
which includes all of Huntington County, and portions of Miami, Wabash and Wells counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
