This session, we passed an honestly balanced budget, which funds state operations including education, public safety, veteran’s programs, substance abuse prevention and workforce development.
With over half of the state’s $32 billion biennial budget dedicated to education, legislators supported substantial increases to the base funding for each K-12 student and modest increases for higher education. We also increased state funding for Indiana’s high-quality pre-K pilot program, which helps low-income children and rural communities.
To strengthen our support for public safety, Indiana’s hard-working state law enforcement officers will receive a 24-percent pay increase. The budget also provides increased funding to support veteran service organizations and homeless veterans. In addition, we established a hyperbaric treatment pilot program to help those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. The state income tax deduction for military pensions was also increased to help those who have selflessly defended our nation.
In order to address the state’s opioid and heroin epidemic, legislators supported expanding and investing in statewide addiction treatment options.
Indiana has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, with nearly 30,000 job positions still unfilled. To help close the skills gap, Workforce Ready Grants will be made available to help cover any remaining tuition and fees for working-age adults seeking certifications in high-wage fields after they receive any state and federal assistance. We also passed legislation aligning career and technical education programs with current and future employer needs.
The U.S. News and World Report recently ranked Indiana as the best-run state in the nation based in large part on our proven dedication to fiscal responsibility. Unlike Washington, D.C., Indiana doesn’t spend more than it takes in and we work together to ensure critical government services and priorities are funded without passing on debt to future generations.
