Roundup From the Statehouse File: Jennifer McCormick Abortion Rights Plan, Indiana Farm Bureau Legislative Priorities, Hurricane Donations

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick released her abortion rights plan.

From a press release: “Today, Indiana Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick reaffirmed her commitment to restoring the rights and freedoms women relied on for 50 years under Roe v. Wade. As Governor, McCormick will fight to ensure that women have the right to an abortion. This standard was long the law of the land before the recent rollback of reproductive rights.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick: “This election is a referendum on abortion rights in Indiana. I trust women and their healthcare providers to make the best decisions for their health, and it’s time we bring common sense and balance back to our state policies.”

“Acknowledging the legislative hurdles, McCormick outlined several executive actions that can be taken to protect reproductive rights and access in Indiana:

• Direct the Indiana Department of Health to interpret existing laws in a way that maximizes legal access to abortion services. By clarifying regulations, McCormick will work to reduce barriers that clinics and providers face.
• Reproductive health funding will be prioritized in the state budget, ensuring women have the necessary support to access a full range of reproductive health services.
• Shift focus from enforcement to compliance assistance for clinics and providers, creating a more supportive regulatory environment.
• Appoint abortion rights supporters to relevant state boards and commissions, including the Medical Licensing Board, to ensure the state’s policy implementation aligns with trusting women and healthcare providers.
• Fight to protect the privacy of Hoosiers’ medical records from prying government officials, including terminated pregnancy reports.
• Use the governor’s office as a platform to defend abortion rights and inform Hoosiers of their reproductive freedoms.”
• McCormick: “The choice in this election is clear. When I’m elected Governor, the people of Indiana will have spoken loudly and clearly in favor of abortion rights.”

The Indiana Farm Bureau announced its priorities for the 2025 legislative session.

From a press release: “This year, the main priorities focus on protecting Indiana farms and rural communities by digging deep into issues, such as property taxes and water rights, which will have a lasting impact on Hoosier farmers’ ability to farm and protect food security.

INFB President Randy Kron: “This legislative session is very important to agriculture, an essential industry that contributes an estimated $35.1 billion to the state’s economy. When the General Assembly considers policies this year, it will be important for them to think through what will keep agriculture prospering. Food security is national security — our priorities protect farms and rural communities to ultimately ensure safe, affordable food not just for Hoosiers but for people all over the world.”

“The priorities identified by INFB include the following two general topics:

Taxation

The consistent increase of farmland tax burdens directly impacts producers’ bottom lines. Last session, INFB had conversations with legislators about farmland taxes, which will continue into this session to safeguard a manageable and predictable tax system. This includes a modernization of farmland taxation, realigning tax burdens based on the demand for services and ability to pay, and reducing the reliance on property tax with effective controls and income taxes.

Farmland property taxes have been escalating rapidly over the last few years. In 2023, the base rate rose 17%, followed by another jump in 2024 of 26.4% and a projected jump of 20% next year, according to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance. The United States Department of Agriculture also predicts net farm income is set to decline nearly 25% in two years, with substantial losses in crop receipts and continued pressure from rising costs, making it difficult for farmers just to break even.

Water Rights

INFB will work to ensure the accessibility of water, a crucial resource in producing the food, fuel and fiber our nation relies upon, by advocating for expanded groundwater protection rights to proactively safeguard agriculture operations and farmers’ investments in producing food. This includes adding language that protects agriculture from potential negative impacts from water withdrawals by other industries. Additionally, INFB will advocate for the implementation of a statewide, dedicated groundwater well monitoring network to inventory the current groundwater supply in the state.”

Andy Tauer, INFB executive director of public policy: “We are advocating for an increased protection of agriculture’s right to water resources, not just farmers’ rights, which broadens protection beyond just irrigation to livestock, food processing industries and others. Farmers are more efficient and effective on fewer acres than ever before. Water accessibility is critical to protect investments made by production agriculture and ag/food manufacturing to continue to fuel the future of our state.”

“INFB’s policy priorities are created from the ground up, beginning with each county Farm Bureau. All counties have the opportunity to make policy suggestions for the upcoming year. Then the recommendations are brought before a resolutions committee to be considered before they reach the INFB delegate session, which was held on Aug. 17 and consisted of 233 member representatives. After the delegate session, the INFB board of directors identified the key issues INFB members and staff will focus on at the Statehouse.

Additionally, to enhance the outcomes for agriculture in emerging policy discussions and legislative debates, INFB created internal task forces for both tax and water issues last year.”

Tauer: “Neither of these policy priorities is new to INFB or Hoosier farmers. INFB formed tax and water task forces with members and subject matter experts who dug deeper into these specific issues that farmers are dealing with daily. Those discussions helped inform the priorities we will be advocating for at the Indiana Statehouse.”

The Indiana Department of Homeland security is urging Hoosiers to avoid showing up to disaster areas unannounced

From a press release: “The Indiana Department of Homeland Security encourages all those who wish to donate to the relief efforts for recent hurricanes to do so through coordinating agencies and do not self-deploy to the area.

Responding to a disaster is a complex, coordinated effort. With such widespread destruction in an event like Hurricane Helene, many roads are impassable or unsafe to travel. Active search and rescue efforts continue, and arriving vehicles with supplies could cause more harm than good at this early stage. Please avoid trying to deliver personnel or supplies without coordination through an active organization in the area.”

Mary Moran, director of Emergency Management with IDHS: “The first impulse for people is to want to help when they see the devastation on TV or have friends and family in the area. That is totally understandable. Volunteer needs will continue for many weeks, months and even years, and there will be plenty of opportunities to help. But, it must be coordinated so as not to cause an increased burden on first responders.”

“Cash donations are the most effective and will be put to use immediately. Visit the FEMA Volunteer and Donate page for a list of reputable organizations to direct donations.

Volunteers also are needed, but it must be coordinated through an organization currently working the disaster. These agencies are trained and experienced to receive, sort and deliver the goods many states across the country have collected on the behalf of storm survivors.

Helene hit North Carolina the hardest, and below are some reputable organizations to donate cash or arrange for volunteers or supplies to help:

North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
NC Disaster Volunteer Opportunities
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)
Donate to North Carolina VOAD
NC 211 Effort
Samaritan’s Purse

Hoosiers always stand ready to step up and help when Americans, near or far, need it the most. Your help is needed through cash donations or a nationally coordinated volunteer response for personnel and supplies.”

INDIANAPOLIS  – Governor Eric J. Holcomb will lead an international trip to the Hellenic Republic, better known as Greece, next week at the invitation of the Council of State Governments. The trip will focus on cultivating democracy and business, incorporating a mix of policy, business and cultural exchanges.

“I’m excited to showcase Indiana on the global scale once again,” said Gov. Holcomb. “As Indiana is a state built on democratic principles, it is fitting to travel to the birth place of democracy itself. In Greece we will forge new relationships and foster cultural ties for the betterment of our collective regions.”

Gov. Holcomb, First Lady Janet Holcomb and representatives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation will depart for Greece this weekend, and convene with the delegation of U.S. state and business leaders in Athens. There, the Council of State Governments delegation will explore the region’s unique history, tracing the Grecian origins of American democracy and the tradition of governing by means of political debate among citizens.

Gov. Holcomb and the delegation will also spend time fostering relationships with U.S. and Greece government officials, meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis; Minister Vassilis Kikilias, Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece; Deputy Minister Kostas Fragogiannis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dimitris Skalkos, Secretary General for International Economic Affairs of the Hellenic Republic. The delegation will also work to advance private sector business opportunities between the U.S. and Greece, meeting with representatives of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Greece) and Enterprise Greece.

Gov. Holcomb has made global engagement a priority for his administration and for Indiana since being elected governor in 2016. The state is home to more than 1,090 foreign-owned business establishments, 40 countries and territories. In 2023, foreign-owned companies committed to investing $20.49 billion to locate or expand operations in Indiana – a 182% increase from 2022 and 71% of the IEDC’s total committed capital investment in 2023 – and create approximately 8,500 new Hoosier jobs.

This marks Gov. Holcomb’s 26th international economic development trip as governor and his first visit to Greece. Indiana and Greece exchanged more than $53.6 million of goods in 2023, and Greece is home to three Hoosier Corporations: Eli Lilly and Company, Corteva and Zimmet Biomet.

Family and Social Services Administration is increasing the number of monthly invitations sent to individuals on the PathWays and Health and Wellness Waiver waiting list.

Since July, FSSA has invited 925 individuals to move forward with the process of accessing home and community-based waiver services each month. This includes 800 individuals on the PathWays for Aging Waiver waiting list and 125 individuals on the Health and Wellness Waiver waiting list.

In October, FSSA will increase the number of monthly invitations to 1700, inviting individuals as follows:

• 1,200 Individuals on the PathWays Waiver waiting list
• 500 Individuals on the Health and Wellness Waiver waiting list

Since the implementation of the waiting list, FSSA has continuously monitored its waiver systems and process capacity to make this increase possible.

In addition, FSSA will increase the number of monthly invitations sent to individuals on the Family Support Waiver (FSW) waiting list. These monthly invitations from the waiting list are in addition to the number of eligible individuals who meet priority criteria for accessing the FSW.

This expansion is not an increase in the number of available waiver slots. It is an increase in the number of individuals invited monthly to move forward with the process of accessing services.

The waiting list for PathWays for Aging refers to the PathWays HCBS Waiver. There is not a waiting list for the PathWays for Aging program. The process to apply for, enroll, and receive services under a waiver is not changing. Individuals seeking to join the PathWays and Health and Wellness waiver waiting lists should continue to contact their local Area Agency on Aging to start the process. Individuals wishing to access the Family Supports Waiver should contact their local Bureau of Disabilities Services office.

Resources including FAQs and process guides can be found on the FSSA Medicaid Strategies webpage. Additional information about the waiting list can be found on the HCBS Waiver Waiting List Dashboard.