INDIANAPOLIS — Hancock County representatives were at work as the 2024 Indiana Legislative session began Jan. 8 at the Indiana Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis.
The last session before his retirement, Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, has authored five house bills this session. One bill Cherry filed is House Bill 1004, a bill to provide a 13th check to nearly 100,000 of Indiana’s retired public employees, such as law enforcement workers and teachers — anyone who participated in the Pre-87 benefit program.
This legislation would provide a one-time, post retirement payment to help cover cost-of-living gaps. Cherry said that roughly 10% of those 100,000 are receiving a check of $200 or less a month, with two thirds of those people receiving $800 or less a month.
Cherry said that a similar bill last year passed out of the House but didn’t get picked up by the Senate. Since then, Cherry has had people reach out saying they could use this check, such as a retired school teacher.
“I understand because many of these older retirees, when they were teaching they’re not making what they are today, so their benefits are not as good,” Cherry said.
Cherry said the state would use existing money in the account and would not spend or appropriate new money to make these payments to retirees.
Cherry said that HB 1004 is a priority bill for this session and he has high hopes it will pass out of the House just like last year’s bill, but with HB 1004 having a little refinement.
Cherry has also authored HB 1013, conservancy district road funding; HB 1147 horse racing and horse track ownership; HB 1148, local government finance and administration; and HB 1149, assessed value deduction for disabled veterans.
Cherry said he often works with Sen. Crider as their bills come and go from each chamber. Cherry said he supports Sen. Crider’s bills that focus on mental health.
“I certainly support that and mainly we just want to make sure we have transparency in government,” Cherry said. “We want to make sure things are done locally … We want to make sure people are informed.”
Compared to when he was first elected, Cherry said that he’s proud of the balanced budgets for the last estimated 16 years, lowering taxes and returning money back to the taxpayers.
“I’m glad I got to serve and represent the people in District 53 … But I also have served at a time where as state government, I think we’ve done a super job.” Cherry said. “I’m leaving at a time where I feel good about the accomplishments we’ve done.”
On the other side of the second floor of the Statehouse in the Senate chamber, Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, has authored seven senate bills and a resolution this session and said things are moving along quickly with some of his bills already being heard in committees.
“It’s nice to be back and trying to get some work done,” Crider said.
While much of Crider’s legislation focuses on mental health, Crider said he is continuing to work with SB 172 that helps increase time limits and the categories for which victims of violent crimes can receive compensation to help recover from those crimes.
Crider said that topics of mental health, trauma, informed care and adult protective services is what the people can expect him to work on with his bills.
“I think as long as we can try to help folks have access to resources that will help them be as high-functioning members of society as they possibly can be, I think that’s time well spent,” Crider said.
Crider said that no matter what someone thinks about COVID, it did raise awareness with the public that almost everyone is dealing with something and there are challenges that need to be addressed.
Crider said that expanding the workforce and clarifying how to provide services at the local level — whether through the local health system at Hancock Health or other community efforts — are important because “it takes really all segments of society working together to take care of things.”
Crider said much of his legislation comes from his experience running the security department at the hospital and really solidified the need for the work he has done over the last 12 sessions.
Crider said local providers are trying to “shoulder a pretty heavy load” and that he can see the success, such as the man on the I-70 overpass in Greenfield who was brought to safety.
“Were getting more and more people exposed to ways to intervene and help those folks,” Crider said.
Crider said that he has two bills already heard and then two more scheduled for next week — SB 292 on the Homeland Security and Transportation committee and SB 172 on the Corrections and Criminal Law.
“I’m going to push hard and try to get good work done. Not just on the issues that I personally champion but the reality is about every issue that members of the public are interested in, there is a bill filed by somebody on those issues so we can all work together to try to improve things for the state,” Crider said. “It’s always an honor to have the opportunity to serve.”
Crider also said that he had recently filed his paperwork to run for another term.
For more information on bills or to watch the livestreams, visit iga.in.gov.
