STATEHOUSE (April 27, 2013) — State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) lauded today’s passage of a new honestly balanced state budget. The two-year fiscal plan includes a 5 percent individual income tax cut phased in from 2015 to 2017 and provides increased funding for roads, child protection, K-12 and higher education. HB 1001 now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Becker said a major accomplishment for Southwest Indiana is a new $18 million classroom building for the University of Southern Indiana (USI). In addition, USI’s operating budget is increased as well.
Other highlights of the budget include:
• Tax Relief and Job Creation: •Cuts individual income tax rate 5 percent (3 percent cut beginning in 2015 and another 2 percent cut beginning in 2017)
• Eliminates state inheritance tax, retroactively effective to Jan. 1, 2013
• Includes funding for vocational education and workforce development initiatives
•Education: •Increases K-12 funding by $333 million over the biennium (2 percent increase in FY 2014 and 1 percent increase in FY 2015)
•Increases university funding by more than $100 million per year
•Increases student aid by $75 million over the biennium
•Increases University of Southern Indiana’s base funding by $2 million each year and allots $18 million for a new classroom building on campus
•Roads: •Increases road and infrastructure funding by $200 million per year and sets aside another $400 million over the biennium for future transportation needs, including the completion of I-69
•Child Protection: •Increases funding for the Department of Child Services by $35 million per year
•Provides $10 million per year for school resource officers (contained in SB 1)
•Health Care: •Transfers $250 million in FY 2014 to the Medicaid Contingency and Reserve Account
•Paying Taxpayer-Funded Debt •100 percent of excess surplus in FY 2013 goes to Pension Stabilization Fund
•Provides $215 million cash funding for university capital projects
In addition to the budget, Becker pointed out a few noteworthy bills that passed during the 2013 legislative session:
•SEA 153 – Youth Referee Employment
•SB 554 – Telehealth and Telemedicine
•HEA 1111 – Tactical Emergency Medicine
•SEA 553 – School Vision Testing
“The General Assembly passed many important initiatives to help Indiana families this year, and I’m particularly proud of those measures that will help improve health care in Southern Indiana and around the state,†Becker said. “With these successes, I think Hoosiers can look forward to stronger communities in the years to come.â€
The Senate is now adjourned “sine dieâ€â€” which signifies the end of the 2013 Indiana General Assembly.
