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State Senators debate $43.3 billion budget proposal before Appropriations Committee

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State Senators debate $43.3 billion budget proposal before Appropriations Committee

INDIANAPOLIS—In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Chairman Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, shared his “biggest concern” during the Senate’s state budget unveiling: the level of Medicaid funding surpassing that for K-12.

Education 

In the Senate’s proposed budget, 48% goes toward kindergarten through 12th grade, which is down by a few percentage points from previous years.

In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Chairman Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, shared his “biggest concern” during the Senate’s state budget unveiling: the level of Medicaid funding surpassing that for K-12.

Photo by Xain Ballenger, TheStatehouseFile.com.

Differing from thebudget proposed by the House in February, the Senate’s proposed budget does not expand the number of people who could receive vouchers to attend private schools. In the House’s proposed budget, families making up to 400% of free and reduced lunch eligibility would qualify for vouchers, but the Senate aims to keep it at 300%.

The proposal to raise it garnered much frustration from Democrats earlier in the House, who said it was taking funds away from lower-income families who send their children to public schools.

In a House budget meeting two months ago, Rep. Ed Delaney, D-Indianapolis, shared his distaste for the increase.

“This biennial budget creates a vast new voucher entitlement aimed at people with more than decent incomes who are already using private schools. The budget does this at the expense of funds that could be used for public schools and local roads. This budget is the definition of public funds for private purposes,” Delaney said.

The Senate’s budget grants Gov. Eric Holcomb one of his most popular budget requests from back in January—free textbooks—matching the $160 million per year allocation. The budget prohibits schools from charging fees for these items.

For higher education, the Senate proposed allocating $4.4 billion over the next two years. According to Mishler, Ivy Tech Community College will be separate from the formula to fund other universities because its needs tend to be so different from state colleges such as Indiana University or Purdue.

Holcomb’s budget also gave $10 million to Indiana’s only predominantly Black institution of higher learning, Martin University in Indianapolis. Instead, the Senate decided to make a $10 million fund for minority students available for any public or private university that has a physical presence in Indiana.

Health and Safety

In regards to Mishler’s Medicaid concerns, the budget fully funds its forecast at $4.5 billion over the biennium. Mishler said he’s concerned with how the state’s budget portion for K-12 decreases as Medicaid funding continues to grow.

“Everybody wants to expand it [Medicaid] more in their bills,” Mishler said. “And this is the thing that scares me the most: At the rate we’re going, Medicaid will take over, so we have to figure something out. I didn’t think I’d see the day they’d grow faster than K-12.”

The budget also funds the Governor’s Public Health Commission, as proposed inSenate Bill 4, by $75 million for fiscal year 2024 and $150 million for the fiscal year 2025.

Again matching Holcomb’s budget request, the Senate budget appropriates $1 million per year in new funds for suicide prevention among veterans, and the Indiana State Police will receive salary increases.

Local firefighter training facilities will be funded at $13.1 million in fiscal year 2024.

Economy

To grow Indiana’s economy, the Senate budget proposes $500 million to fund Collaborative Communities, formerly called READI. The budget also gives $10 million over the biennium for the sports and tourism bid fund, which gives Indiana a better chance at hosting large sports events.

Additionally, the proposed budget allocates $5 million in funds for more direct flights per year at Indianapolis International Airport.

All agencies of state government will also receive a salary increase of 12%.

Statewide investments

The proposed budget provides $4 million per year for Clean Water Indiana and also doubles the funds for food banks from $1 million to $2 million.

The budget would also invest in multiple capital upgrades:

  • $800 million for a new Westville Correctional Facility
  • $253 million toward the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
  • $100 million for the Potato Creek State Park Inn project
  • $97 million for the State Archives building

Overall, during the Senate budget presentation in the Appropriations Committee, several Democrats said they were happy with how Mishler worked with them on hearing their concerns.

Proposed amendments

After Mishler’s presentation, Senate Democrats presented their amendments.

Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, proposed Amendments 25 and 30, calling for the budget to allocate more funds for On My Way Pre-K, saying early child development is “a nonpartisan, nonpolitical priority” and that “early childhood education is the key” to Indiana’s success.

Both failed by a vote of 3-9, though Sen. Chris Garten, R-Scottsburg, said he does see the value of pre-k but couldn’t balance the books.

“My no vote will just reflect a math problem with the budget,” Garten said.

Qaddoura’s third amendment, Amendment 18, aimed to eliminate the sales tax on menstrual products.

“Women in our society should not be discriminated against,” he said.

This also failed by a vote of 3-9.

Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, proposed Amendment 31, aiming to raise the cigarette tax by $1.50. He said this was important because the American Lung Association graded Indiana as an F for tobacco education and prevention.

Melton’s bill failed 3-8, although Senators said it would be reconsidered in the future.

In the end, the only Democrat to vote in favor of Senate Bill 1001 was Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend.

Others voted no, saying they may change their opinion while debating the budget on the Senate floor.

The bill will now be discussed by all Senators in the Chamber, and then changes must be agreed upon by the House and Senate by April 29.

FOOTNOTE: Ashlyn Myers is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Day Presentation Planned at Ivy Tech on April 18

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Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Day Presentation
Planned at Ivy Tech on April 18

APRIL 17, 2023

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Yom HaShoah will be recognized at Ivy Tech Community College on April 18, when Todd Schoer, associate professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Southern Indiana, presents “Nazi Propaganda and The Theresienstadt Camp: Fooling the International Red Cross by Creating a Jewish Resettlement ‘Spa Town’.”

The event is free, open to the public, and begins at 1 p.m. in Vectren Auditorium (Room 147).

Schroer is chair of the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Southern Indiana. He has researched deviance and social movements since the early 1990s, focusing primarily on the white supremacist movement. His publications and presentations have focused on social movements’ music and social media usage, movement tactics, and contests over “deviant” identities.

In the last decade, he has focused on current conspiracy theories, the overlap between U.S. and Nazi eugenic views and racial laws, the role of the criminal justice system in the Third Reich, and Holocaust denial and distortion.

The event is sponsored by Ivy Tech’s Study Abroad Program, Student Life Office, Welborn Foundation Wellness and Fitness Center, the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education, and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging.

For additional information, please get in touch with Mary Ann Sellars, professor of humanities and director of the Study Abroad Program, at msellars2@ivytech.edu.

 

“Disconnected from reality” – Senator Braun on EPA’s new proposed emissions standards

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WASHINGTON– Senator Mike Braun released the following statement on President Biden’s proposed new emissions standards, which intend to make 2/3 of all new passenger cars and ¼ of all trucks sold in the U.S. electric by 2032.

“President Biden and his EPA are proposing unrealistic emissions standards to try to push the public further than they are willing to go. This plan is totally disconnected by the reality of our supply chain and energy infrastructure, and will result in the U.S. depending even more on China for raw rare earth minerals that the Biden administration doesn’t allow to be mined here. I ran a shipping and logistics business for 37 years, so I know this kind of overbearing government overreach will make everything more expensive.” – Senator Mike Braun

Bill would ban stalking via GPS tracking devices

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While popular and inexpensive electronic tracking devices help people easily keep tabs on their belongings like keys and backpacks, abusers are also using them to secretly track their victims.

In fact, 50 percent of victim service providers report that offenders use cellphone apps and tracking devices to stalk victims, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. In 2021, an Indianapolis woman was attacked and nearly killed by her ex-boyfriend, who violated a protective order and followed her using a GPS tracking device on her car.

To protect victims and ensure offenders are held accountable, I sponsored legislation that would make it a crime to secretly stalk someone using one of these devices.

If signed into law, a person who uses a tracking device, such as an Apple Air Tag, on an individual or the individual’s property without their knowledge could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. However, that charge would be enhanced to a Level 6 felony if that person is under a protective order. It would also increase the penalty for stalking to a Level 5 felony if a tracking device was used.

Indiana’s law needs to catch up as technology advances rapidly and can be easily misused by those looking to do harm. As chair of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee, I’ll continue looking for ways to hold criminals accountable and protect innocent Hoosiers.

USI to host Interdisciplinary Colloquium on locks and keys

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The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts is proud to announce the 15th Annual Interdisciplinary Colloquium, which will take place on Thursday, April 20 in University Center West, rooms 2217-2220. This event is open to the public at no charge.

This year’s theme, “Locks and Keys,” invites students and faculty to explore the broader meanings and applications of physical, theoretical, metaphorical, existential and cognitive locks and keys. These objects are often taken for granted in our daily lives, but they have the power to evoke moments of liberation, openness, or revelation, as well as moments of confinement, isolation and despair.

“The Interdisciplinary Colloquium is a dynamic event that brings together student and faculty scholars from all across campus,” says Dr. Alexandra Natoli, Assistant Professor of French and event organizer. “After the success of last year’s Colloquium, ‘Space,’ this year’s theme, ‘Locks and Keys,’ proposes an interdisciplinary approach to access and equity.”

The Colloquium provides a platform for students and faculty to exchange ideas and interpretations of the theme. It is an opportunity for scholars to highlight their research, present their work and receive feedback from their peers. The event encourages interdisciplinary collaborations and fosters a community of learners.

AHA Slams Hospital Charity Care Rankings

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AHA slams hospital charity care rankings

Molly Gamble 

BECKER HEALTHCAREAPRIL 13, 2023

The American Hospital Association said a report from the Lown Institute on nonprofit hospitals’ charity care and community benefit spending “is wrong and cannot be taken seriously.”

Nonpartisan healthcare Think Tank Lown Institute released its Fair Share Spending report on April 11. It found that out of 1,773 nonprofit hospitals evaluated, 77 percent spent less on charity care and community investment than the estimated value of their tax breaks, which the institute calls a “fair share” deficit.

AHA General Counsel and Secretary Melinda Hatton defended hospitals’ commitment to their communities and criticized the Lown Institute’s report.

“The Lown Institute’s latest report on hospital community benefits, like the previous one, is wrong and cannot be taken seriously as it once again relies on obvious biases and suffers from serious methodological flaws,” Ms. Hatton wrote. She contends the institute’s report cherry-picks how it measures community investment and ignores challenges hospitals and health systems faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other “blatant issues.”

Ms. Hatton cited a recent analysis from EY in a report commissioned by the AHA, which found that for every dollar in tax exemption, hospitals provided nine dollars of community benefit. “We welcome a discussion about the many benefits hospitals provide to their communities, but relying on the obvious bias, fuzzy math, and dubious conjecture undermines efforts to improve access to high-quality care for all Americans,” she wrote.

This isn’t the first time the AHA has taken issue with analyses out of the Lown Institute. The association slammed the 2022 edition of the Fair Share Spending report, too, with AHA CEO Rick Pollack calling it “an obvious example of relying on preconceived notions and faulty methodology to draw inaccurate conclusions.”

A recent but separate analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation found tax exemptions for nonprofit hospitals amounted to $27.6 billion in value for 2020, which exceeded nonprofit hospitals’ total estimated charity care costs of $16 billion.

The AHA pushed back on that finding too, pointing to the EY analysis and challenging what it deemed “a narrow reading of community benefit limited to financial assistance.”

Eagles homer late to top Skyhawks, 7-5

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MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana junior catcher Parker Stroh (Grand Fork, North Dakota) and senior second baseman Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) homered in the eighth and ninth innings to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 7-5 victory over the University of Tennessee at Martin Sunday afternoon in Martin, Tennessee. USI watched its record go to 10-25 overall and 3-9 in the OVC, while UTM goes to 11-26, 6-6 OVC, this spring.
 
USI jumped out to a 1-0 lead for the fourth-straight game when Stroh singled up the middle to drive in junior leftfielder Gavin McLarty (Buckner, Kentucky). The lead would hold until UTM tied the game with a single tally in the third.
 
The Eagles got back into the driver’s seat with two runs in the fourth and the fifth to lead 5-1. McNew drove in junior designated hitter Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) with USI’s second run when he reached on an error before scoring himself on a sacrifice fly by Stroh to make the score 3-1.
 
USI upped the lead to a game-high four runs, 5-1, on RBI-singles by Ebest and McLarty in the fifth. The Skyhawks responded with four runs to tie the game 5-5, posting a single tally in the bottom of the fifth and a trio of tallies in the sixth.
 
Stroh, who finished the game two-for-three with three RBIs, would strike again in the top of the eighth to push USI back into the lead, 6-5, with a solo shot to right field. The homer was Stroh’s first of the season.
 
After UTM stranded the tying run on third in the eighth, McNew, who had two RBIs in the game, increased the lead to the final score of 7-5 in the top of the ninth with USI’s second solo shot of the game. The round-tripper was McNew’s second of the season and the 22nd of his career.
 
USI junior right-hander Carter Stamm (Jasper, Indiana) (2-1) picked up the win in relief after getting the Eagles out of the first and third jam in the seventh. Sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) posted his first save of the season and the fourth of his career after throwing two scoreless frames to secure the victory.
 
The Eagles got a strong outing from junior left-hander Blake Ciuffetelli (Newburgh, Indiana) to start the game, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four in 4.1 innings of work.
 
The middle innings were anchored by sophomore right-hander Adam Weihe (Louisville, Kentucky). Wiehe, who relieved Ciuffetelli in the fifth, allowed three unearned runs on three hits in 2.1 innings of work.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:  
USI comes home to start a five game homestand at the USI Baseball Field Wednesday when it hosts Oakland City University for a 6 p.m. contest. Following the USI-OCU match-up, the Eagles host a three-game OVC series with Eastern Illinois University April 21-23 prior to concluding the homestand with a 6 p.m. contest with McKendree University April 25.
 
The series between USI and OCU tilts toward the Eagles, who hold a decisive 88-12 series margin. USI also has won seven of the last 10 despite losing last year’s game, 6-4, at the USI Baseball Field.
 
OCU is 27-14 after completing a three-game sweep of Alice Lloyd College Sunday, 9-7. The Mighty Oaks, who have won four in a row and five of their last six, play at Lindsey Wilson College on Tuesday before coming to play USI.

Vanderburgh County Awarded Community Crossings Matching Grant Fund

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Evansville, IN – April 12, 2023 – The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners announced today that Vanderburgh County has been awarded a Community Crossings Grant in the amount of $590,023.62. These funds will be used to mill and resurface Green River Road between Heckel Road and Millersburg Road after the completion of Phase 1 of the Green River Road Trail Project. The first phase of the trail is expected to be finished in July, and the paving project will begin shortly after the completion of the trail. “Matching grants are crucial in ensuring Vanderburgh County has the best opportunity in strengthening local roads and economic development. We are excited and grateful for this funding,” said Commission President Cheryl Musgrave. Administered by INDOT, the Community Crossings Matching Grant program provides funding to cities, towns, and counties across Indiana so that they may invest in improvements to local roads and bridges. These infrastructure enhancements assist Hoosier communities in driving economic development, creating jobs, and strengthening local transportation networks.

Desroy Jordan sets school record in big weekend at Gibson Invitational

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Vincennes University Track and Field teams headed into another big weekend of tough competition ranked in the Top-25 of this week’s USTFCCCA Polls with the VU men’s team slotted at No. 21 and the women’s team checking in at No. 24 in the country.

The teams again headed up north to Indiana State University for a big three-day Gibson Invitational meet in Terre Haute which began Thursday morning.

The first day of competition was highlighted by the first half of the men’s decathlon, which saw VU freshman Olegs Kozjakovs (Riga, Latvia) more than held his own, including taking the top spot in the shot put event with a throw of 15.05 meters and placing sixth in the long jump at 6.57 meters.

Olegs returned to the ISU complex on Friday for the final five events of the decathlon and got off to another great start, placing ninth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.33 seconds and taking the top spot in the discus with a throw of 43.37 meters.

Kozjakovs would sadly have to retire from the competition following the seventh event of the decathlon however after suffering an injury. He finished with 4,900 points and was well on pace to set a very competitive mark in the NJCAA rankings.

Friday also saw the running of the men’s 5000-meter race, which was headlined by sophomore Ernest Momodu (Indianapolis, Ind.) placing 10th with a time of 15:34.51.

Friday also saw sophomore Giorgia Fino (Francavilla Fontana, Italy) place sixth in the women’s javelin throw with an impressive 37.21 meters, followed by freshman Natalie Wagler (Montgomery, Ind.) who came in at 25.53 meters and placed 14th.

The main event of the three-day meet was on Saturday which saw the Blazers have another big day among several NCAA Division I programs.

The biggest highlight of Saturday was obviously freshman Desroy Jordan (Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) who led the VU men’s team after taking the top spot in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.87, besting the field by a full second, before returning to the track to place second in the 200 meters with a time of 20.78 seconds.

Jordan’s times in these two events place him firmly on the VU school record list, with his time in the 400 coming in second in school history and currently 10th in the NJCAA this year and his time in the 200 set a new school record and places him sixth in the NJCAA this season.

Jordan was joined in the 200-meter dash by freshman Justin Emmanuel (Jamaica) who placed eighth with a time of 21.37 seconds, after getting the day started in the 100 meters, placing 11th at 10.68 seconds.

The VU men’s team did not stop there however with sophomore Mathew Keitany (Kenya) and freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) holding their own in the 1500 meters with Keitany placing third at 3:53.17 and Stanford clocking in at 3:54.20 and taking home fifth overall.

These times mean that Keitany is now ranked third and Stanford is now fourth in VU school history in that event.

VU freshman Paketo Dudley (Kingston, Jamaica) also had a good meet while competing unattached Saturday, taking home the top spot in the triple jump with a distance of 15.02 meters, beating the next best jumper by nearly three feet.

The VU women’s team was highlighted Saturday by freshman pole vaulter and NJCAA Indoor All-American Ysnaira Dos Santos Vieira (Brazil) who placed 14th after clearing a height of 3.30 meters.

“We finally got to compete with some good weather and had some incredible performances,” VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. “The men took several spots on VU’s All-Time record list. Desroy had an amazing day with two outstanding races. Starting with a big PR in the 400 and a couple of hours later setting the fastest time in school history in the 200.”

“Justin also had two nice PRs with a 10.68 in the 100 and a 21.37 in the 200,” Rogier added. “It was a perfect day and the sprints were very, very fast, so those are some really good performances.”

“Giorgia had a good performance, finishing sixth in the javelin against a really good field of throwers,” Rogier said. “And Paketo, competing unattached, won the triple jump with a PR of 15.02. That was a really good effort and would be a school record in an event he has not done in six years. I’m really excited for his future in both the triple and long jumps.”

“But we also had some setbacks and are still dealing with some injuries,” Roger added. “Olegs was on his way to a really solid decathlon when he suffered an injury and had to withdraw from the competition after seven events. He had 4,900 points and was in fourth at the time.”

“He got some really good points in the shot put and discus segments and expected to get some big points in the pole vault and javelin, but the injury cut it short,” Rogier said. “He was on track to score about 6,800 points, which would be number one in the NJCAA this year.”

“We are still also without Julia, who is currently ranked first in the pole vault,” Rogier added. “So hopefully we get those two healed up by Nationals in May.”

The VU Track teams as a whole placed well, with the VU men’s team placing ninth overall with 29 points, with several more points left out on the table and the VU women’s team placed 17th overall.

The Trailblazers will look to carry this strong momentum into their next competition when VU travels to Marion, Ind. to take part in the Indiana Little State Championships hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University on Friday April 21 and concluding on Saturday, April 22.

VINCENNES RESULTS

TEAM RESULTS

VU MEN – 9, 29 points

VU WOMEN – 17, 3 points

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

MEN’S RESULTS

100m

Justin Emmanuel – 11, 10.68

200m

Desroy Jordan – 2, 20.78

Justin Emmanuel 8, 21.37

400m

Desroy Jordan – 1, 46.87

1500m

Mathew Keitany – 3, 3:53.17

Isaac Stanford – 5, 3:54.20

5000m

Ernest Momodu – 10, 15:34.51

Triple Jump

Paketo Dudley (Unattached) – 1, 15.02m

WOMEN’S RESULTS

Pole Vault

Ysnaira Dos Santos Vieira – 14, 3.30m

Javelin

Giorgia Fino – 6, 37.21m

Natalie Wagler – 14, 25.53m

SALUKIS WALK OFF WITH 3-2 WIN OVER UE 

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CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois right-fielder Nathan Bandy came through with a two-out, walk-off RBI single to the right-center field gap in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon, as the home-standing Salukis edged the visiting University of Evansville baseball team, 3-2, at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois.

“This is a tough series loss, as we were in the driver’s seat after our performance on Friday night,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “We just didn’t earn it offensively today.  We need to turn the page, and get ready to attack this week coming up.”

Bandy’s walk-off single capped a back-and-forth affair between the two schools on ESPNU.  The two teams traded home runs in the first two innings, as SIU outfielder Pier-Olivier Boucher and UE junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse both hit home runs to left field to start the scoring for their respective teams.

Both teams would put two men on in the third inning, but SIU starter Tanner Lewis and UE starter Donovan Schultz were able to escape the jams.  From there, pitching would dominate both sides until SIU was able to score a run in the bottom of the sixth inning against UE reliever Michael Parks (2-1) on back-to-back singles by shortstop Kaeber Rog and second baseman Steven Loden and a sacrifice fly by first baseman Matt Schark.

Evansville would answer right back, though, as junior catcher Brendan Hord and Fougerousse led off the top of the seventh inning with back-to-back singles against SIU reliever Paul Bonzagni (6-2).  After a walk loaded the bases with no-one out, graduate outfielder Eric Roberts crushed a ball to right that Bandy was able to track down on the warning track in right field for a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 2-2.  Then, Bandy robbed fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug of a base hit with a sliding catch in the right-center field gap, and Bonzagni got an infield ground out to keep the score tied at 2-2.

Evansville would produce two-out base runners in the eighth and ninth innings, but came up empty offensively.  Schark would then lead off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double against Parks.  UE junior closer Nate Hardman then came on to get back-to-back outs, but Bandy spoiled an 0-1 pitch with a single to right-center field to score Schark with the game-winning run and give the Salukis a series victory over UE.

Fougerousse went 2-for-4 with his sixth home run of the year to lead Evansville offensively.  Schark, meanwhile, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.  Bonzagni earned the win with 3.0 innings of one-run, three-hit relief for SIU.  Parks, meanwhile, suffered the tough-luck loss despite tossing 4.0 innings of two-run, four-hit relief in which he got eight ground-ball outs.

With the victory, Southern Illinois improves to 22-14 overall and 10-2 in the MVC, while the Salukis earned their 12th-straight Missouri Valley Conference series victory.  Evansville, meanwhile, falls to 20-15 overall and 6-6 in the MVC.  The Purple Aces will return home to German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium on Tuesday night to host Western Kentucky University in a 6 p.m. contest.

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