Success for Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level Agenda during 2019 Legislative Session

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Governor Eric J. Holcomb, joined by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, House Speaker Brian Bosma, Senate President Pro Tem Rod Bray and other lawmakers, today signed into law a balanced budget with historic education funding.

 

“Hoosiers will benefit from the legislation advanced by our Next Level agenda, including a balanced budget, increasing funding for education and improving school safety,” Gov. Holcomb said. “We made these achievements while maintaining responsible reserves and our AAA credit ratings. I applaud lawmakers for completing another productive legislative session.”

 

The two-year state budget provides $763 million in new money for K-12 including paying down a $150 million schools pension liability that will free up funds that can go into teacher paychecks.

 

The 2019 General Assembly helped advance Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level legislative agenda as outlined in December, including:

 

Economy

  • Approved 8th straight balanced budget and maintained at least 11 percent in reserves
  • Modernized economic development tools to increase competitiveness, economic diversity and flexibility
  • Exempted military pensions from state income tax to attract and retain more veterans

 

Infrastructure

  • Accelerating completion major highway projects including completion of I-69 Section 6
  • Fully committing financially and operationally to the West Lake Expansion and South Shore double track projects
  • Building out the statewide hiking, biking and riding trails network
  • $20 million to attract more nonstop flights to our statewide regional airports
  • Connecting unserved Hoosiers to high-speed, affordable broadband internet access

 

Education and Workforce

  • Increasing K-12 school funding by $763 million
  • Identifying resources to make Indiana teacher salaries competitive
  • Providing computer science training so every Indiana school meets the goal of providing computer science education by 2021
  • Moving the date to appoint the Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2025 to 2021
  • Expanding successful Next Level Jobs programs
  • Providing more flexibility to schools for Career and Technical Education so more students obtain credentials before graduating from high school

 

Public Health

  • Improving school safety, including more funding for school safety grants
  • Implementing recommendations from the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group’s June 2018 report
  • Helping more infants celebrate first birthdays by working one-on-one with high-risk pregnant women
  • Increasing recovery housing by expanding the number of beds available for treatment

 

Good Government

  • Passed a bias crimes law
  • Streamlined boards and commissions appointments at Department of Homeland Security and Professional Licensing Agency

 

Visit the 2019 Bill Watch webpage on in.gov/gov to view track which bills the governor has signed into law.

 

(Left to right at the table) Sen. Mishler, Senate President Pro Tem Bray, Gov. Holcomb, Speaker Bosma and Rep. Huston gather as the Governor signs HEA 1001, the state budget bill.

 

 

Gov. Holcomb offers remarks prior to signing HEA 1001, the state budget bill.

 

 

 

Gov. Holcomb signs HEA 1001, the state budget bill, which includes historic education funding.

 

 

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