State lawmakers have been hard at work this session, advancing legislation to move our great state forward. We have now reached the point referred to as "halftime" in the legislative process, where bills voted out of the House and Senate swap chambers for further consideration. We recently passed our House budget proposal along with several bills, including legislation to support our law enforcement officers and help students combat learning loss.
The House Republican budget proposal, which I co-authored, supports Hoosiers and makes key investments to accelerate the economy. Education remains a top priority, with K-12 education continuing to account for 50% of our state’s biennial budget.
Many faced financial hardships this past year, including small businesses. For this reason, the budget also includes strategic investments to help support Hoosier small business and jobs while also improving public health and expanding rural broadband.
Another piece of legislation I co-authored would provide additional flexibility to the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board to address significant misconduct and require de-escalation training for new recruits and current officers. House Bill 1006 would also require full employment record sharing between police departments to identify bad actors.
To combat student learning loss due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I supported House Bill 1008, which would create a grant program to help students who have fallen behind in class, scored below academic standards or are at risk of falling behind. Our students should not have to suffer long-lasting negative impacts on their education from transitioning in and out of the classroom this last year. Through our budget, $150 million would be available to provide individuals or organizations resources to help close any learning gaps caused by these transitions, allowing students to get back on track and excel.
These legislative proposals all passed out of the Indiana House and moved to the Senate for further consideration. There is still more work to do in the second half as legislation continues moving through the process. To learn more and watch legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, represents most of Hancock County in the Indiana House of Representatives.
