Health, workforce issues drive agendas on opening day of Indiana Legislature
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Leaders from both parties on Monday promised major action on public health and workforce development during the Indiana legislative session but differed on ways to get there.
Speaking to reporters in detail for the first time since Gov. Eric Holcomb released his budget priorities last week, Senate Republican leaders said their focus would be on driving down health care costs. Their ideas include banning noncompete clauses for hospital physicians and requiring pharmacy benefit managers to pass on any rebates they receive to any patients who buy their medications.
Additionally, Sen. Ed Charbonneau, a Valparaiso Republican, said he will sponsor legislation that will require all public health agencies to meet a minimum set of standards if they choose to accept additional levels of state funding.
“I think that most all of them will welcome that if they decide to opt in,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to miss the point that this isn’t mandating anything on any county. It’s an opportunity to opt in.”
The 2023 Legislature convened Monday.
Notably absent from Senate Republicans’ published list of session priorities is any mention of education funding. When asked about Holcomb’s proposal to boost basic K-12 spending by $1.157 billion over the next two years, Senate President Pro Tem Rod Bray, a Martinsville Republican, said lawmakers would consider it. He said Republicans’ goal is ensure dollars spent on education reach teachers in the classroom.
Democrats said they want the Legislature to prioritize funding traditional public schools over vouchers and charter schools. Additionally, they said universal pre-kindergarten and paid child care will go a long way toward solving Indiana’s educational and workforce-related challenges.
Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said she will file legislation to create a tax credit to help working parents pay for child care.
“Indiana businesses cite lack of child care as their biggest external workforce barrier,” she said. “There are so many parents who need and want to work to support their families, to provide for their children but can’t because they ‘re unable to find a trustworthy or affordable option to care for their child.”
Democratic leaders said they also plan to push lawmakers to approve the full $240-million-per-year boost to public health funding a blue-ribbon panel recommended last year. Holcomb’s budget proposes a $120 million boost the 2024 budget year, which begins July 1, and a $227 million increase for fiscal year 2025.
Fault lines also began appearing over a Republican-backed proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit bail for any criminal suspect who is deemed “a substantial risk to the public.” Sen. Eric Koch, a Bedford Republican, said doing this would help prevent violent criminals from committing further crimes while they are out on bail awaiting trial.
Senate Minority Greg Taylor, an Indianapolis Democrat, said he had mixed feelings about the legislation. Taylor, who is Black, said while he agrees with the concept behind Koch’s proposal, he feared “people who look like me” would be more likely to be denied bail in practice.