INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today is continuing the steps of strengthening Indiana’s economic, education, and health foundation after his 2022 Next Level Agenda was adopted by the Indiana General Assembly.
“I am pleased that we will now have the tools we need to help build and grow businesses, nurture a healthy environment for infants and children and make gains in our critical early education offerings,†Gov. Holcomb said. “At the same time, we are putting money back into Hoosiers’ pockets, and these efforts combined will continue to result in a robust state with a thriving economy. I look forward to our next steps in implementing these Hoosier priorities.â€
The Indiana General Assembly approved key components of Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level Agenda, including:
- Cutting Indiana’s individual income tax for years to come while maintaining the state’s reserves and guaranteeing the maximum number of Hoosiers receive the upcoming automatic taxpayer refund of $125
- Modernizing the Indiana Economic Development Corp. toolkit to make Indiana better positioned to compete in attracting transformational economic development opportunities
- Strengthening Indiana’s early learning efforts by establishing an Office of Kindergarten Readiness at the Indiana Department of Education, which will partner with the early learning team at the Family and Social Services Administration and a revised Early Learning Advisory Committee
- Empowering the Department of Health to take more steps to reduce Indiana’s infant mortality, by requiring healthcare providers to offer universal lead testing for children at 12 and 24 months of age and conducting investigations into Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths using a process that will result in a better understanding of the causes so that future deaths can be prevented
- Implementing specific changes to the membership of the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board
Additionally, the Governor’s 2022 agenda includes these priorities, which are underway:
- Reviewing the state’s public health infrastructure by the Governor’s Public Health Commission, which will issue recommendations this summer
- Partnering with local communities to bring to fruition their Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative projects with $500 million awarded by the state
- Collecting and disposing of certain firefighting foam that contains PFAS, which poses a risk to firefighters’ health and safety and the environment
- Building and maintaining the state’s capital project priorities, including roads, bridges, trails and broadband
