The 2017 legislative session reached the halfway point this week, marking a milestone for legislation as House bills move to the Senate for consideration and Senate bills crossover to the House.
House Republicans made progress on our agenda priorities, including passing an honestly balanced budget and a long-term road funding plan. We also successfully moved bills supporting students and teachers, improving Indiana’s workforce, increasing public safety and attacking the state’s drug epidemic.
Did you know? Nearly half of every dollar the state collects goes to fund education. This support continues in the House budget proposal, which increases the base funding for each K-12 student throughout the state. While maintaining our healthy reserves, we modestly increase the state’s investment in higher education and double state funding for Indiana’s high-quality, pre-K pilot program, which helps low-income children.
The budget also includes pay increases for Indiana State Police and Conservation Officers, as well as increases in state income tax exemptions for military pensions and survivor benefits.
In addition, we passed a comprehensive, responsible and sustainable plan to fund our state’s roads and bridges for the next generation. This conservative, user-based plan would ensure all taxes paid at the pump would be dedicated to funding infrastructure improvements for the first time in Indiana’s history. Click here to learn more.
By law, session must conclude by April 29. I look forward to continuing the discussions on these and many other issues facing our state, while advocating for legislation benefiting our community. Please contact me if you have questions or comments at 317Â-232Â-9816 or h76@iga.in.gov.
