INDIANAPOLIS – As you may have heard, Indiana’s unemployment rate has gone up to 8.6 percent.

For those who continually trumpet that Indiana is a job creation machine, this news is “very confusing,” in the words of our state’s commissioner of Workforce Development.

Gov. Mike Pence responded in this fashion: “Our state’s unemployment rate is too high…we have no choice but to remain bold in our efforts to strengthen the economy and put Hoosiers back to work.”

Actually, there’s no reason to be confused about this. From the start of this session, the majorities that control state government haven’t done enough to empower the middle class and put Hoosiers back to work. Three months have gone by and there still hasn’t been a substantial proposal put forth that could provide good-paying jobs for Hoosiers right now.

But there isn’t any need for a bold solution to this problem. There’s an easy one right in front of us.

Just bringing the Affordable Care Act to Indiana is expected to create as many as 30,000 jobs in our state and extend affordable health care to 400,000 additional Hoosiers.

If there hasn’t been much of an effort this session to help improve the lives of Hoosiers, it hasn’t been for a lack of trying by House Democrats.

Here are a few of the proposals that have come from members of our caucus in recent days:
•Increasing the state’s minimum wage. (amendment offered to Senate Bill [SB] 213)
•Restoring transparency and public accountability to utility regulation in Indiana. (amendment offered to SB 560)
•Making the head of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission an elected position. (amendment offered to SB 560)
•Curbing utility companies from using the trackers that raise your rates without any kind of public review. (amendment offered to SB 560)
•Ensuring that governors follow the same ethics rules as other state employees when they leave office. (amendment offered to SB 350)
•Using Indiana steel to build Indiana wind turbines. (amendment offered to SB 529)
•Giving older Hoosiers additional relief from property taxes. (amendment offered to SB 275)

These ideas share one common theme: all were rejected by the House Republicans.

But there have been some successes in recent weeks as well. Thanks to House Democrats, we have legislation alive that:
•Places a freeze on tuition and rates for Hoosier veterans attending college. (SB 177)
•Makes sure children of disabled Hoosier veterans can attend college for free. (SB 177)
•Creates jobs by making all state-funded building projects more energy-efficient. (SB 586)

In the time we have left before the end of this session, I hope we can see more proposals like these become law. They offer more hope for Hoosiers than what we have seen from those in charge.

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As always, please contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns related to our state government. Here is how you can stay in touch: call my office toll-free at 1-800-382-9842; write to me in care of the Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204; or email me at h77@iga.in.gov.

State Representative Gail Riecken
Indiana House District 77

The Cookin’ Dutchmen will be at the Family Furniture and Matress store at 871 S. Greenriver Rd on March 23rd to help the Schroer family.They will be delivering pre-ordered smoked pork butts from 4pm-7pm.
If you did not pre-order, you can still stop by and pick up a pork butt sandwich. They will also be taking donations for the Schroer family.
For full details, view this message on the web.

EPD 3rd Shift shaved their heads as a show of support for EPD Detective Nathan Schroer!!
“Shaving for Schroer” will be tonight at the Evansville IceMen game. There will be many others who have raised money for Nathan’s family and will have their heads shaved tonight at the Ford Center.
There will be Team Nathan T-Shirts and Wrist-Bands for sale in the entry lobby. Shirts are $20 and Wrist-Bands are $5. Every penny raised goes to the Schrer family to help cover expenses associated with his Luekemia battle. Please come out and help someone who has helped so many.
For full details, view this message on the web.

ISP Lieutenant Chuck Cohen was a Feature Speaker at the
2013 International Communications Data and Digital Forensics Seminar in UK

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter is honored to announce Lieutenant Chuck Cohen was a returning featured speaker for the 2013 International Communications Data and Digital Forensics Seminar held in London, UK, March 18-21. Lt. Cohen was invited by the Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent. Cohen spoke on topics including the implications of online social networks in criminal investigations and criminal intelligence collection, cybercrime, money laundering and the investigation of skilled criminal offenders. He also conducted a four-hour class followed by two days of intensive training. Upon completion, attendees received a certificate from the Indiana State Police, Metropolitan Police and UK Home Office. The Indiana State Police was the only non-federal law enforcement agency that presented a program at the conference.

While attending the seminar, Cohen benefited from the interaction and presentations from other speakers who are recognized as leaders in their areas of specialization. The seminar attracted over 1,200 delegates from law enforcement and governmental agencies worldwide. Communications data is an important tool for investigators and provides an invaluable means by which law enforcement agencies can better safeguard the public, but our current capability was not designed to deal with the growth in the use of Internet-based communications. During the four-day seminar, law enforcement personnel was provided a forum to display, demonstrate and discuss new and emerging communications technology issues to help preserve these capabilities within the appropriate legal framework.

Lt. Cohen joined the Indiana State Police in 1994 and is currently the Commander of the Special Investigations and Criminal Intelligence Sections. Lt. Cohen is responsible for the cybercrime, organized crime and corruption, vehicle crimes and crimes against children units. He is also the Task Force Commander for Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Lt. Cohen’s formal education includes a Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and an undergraduate degree from Indiana University with a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Cohen is also a Certified Fraud Examiner.

All expenses for this trip were handled by the inviting agency and no tax dollars were spent related to travel and lodging.

Hold press conference to discuss its impact on jobs and patient care

(Washington, D.C.) – Saturday, March 23, 2013 marks three years since President Obama and his allies forced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on the American people, without one bipartisan vote on the floor. Today, the House GOP Doctors Caucus held a press conference to highlight their concerns with this law.

Representative Larry Bucshon (IN-08) released the following statement regarding the three year anniversary:

“As a former cardiothoracic surgeon, I understand healthcare decisions are better made between a patient and their doctor – not by government bureaucrats.

“The Affordable Care Act takes the opposite approach and despite the President’s promises, premiums are on the rise for young people and middle class families, nearly 7 million Americans will lose their job-based health insurance plans, and care to our nation’s seniors is placed in the hands of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats.

“Among the many new taxes, the Medical Device Tax is also particularly troubling for Indiana. The Hoosier state is home to a strong medical device industry and this 2.3% excise tax has already forced businesses to scrap plans for expansion. I have personally depended on these devices in the operating room to save the lives of my patients.

“This bottoms line is that the Affordable Care Act is bad for patients. My goal is quality, affordable healthcare for all of our citizens. Private sector reforms are needed, not a near government takeover.”

BACKGROUND:

The GOP Doctors “Doc” Caucus is composed of 21 medical providers in Congress who utilize their medical expertise to develop patient-centered health care reforms focused on quality, access, affordability, portability, and choice.

During his time in Congress, Dr. Bucshon has voted to four times repeal the PPACA in its entirety and over 30 times to defund, dismantle, or repeal portions of the law.

In February, Dr. Bucshon co-sponsored legislation that repeals the medical device tax, the 2.3% excise tax on the medical device industry; because of the harm it is causing Indiana businesses.

The latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) figures show PPACA will increase spending by $1.88 trillion, double the estimate from 2010. And the Joint Committee on Taxation says taxpayers will be saddled with $1.1 trillion in tax hikes over the next decade.

The latest estimate from the Congressional Budget Office shows that 7 million people will lose their job-based health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act. This is double what was previously estimated (The Washington Times; 2/5/13).