Boy's Report for District 9
Passage of HEA 1376 and HEA 1380 and the false promises of SEA 1.
Dear Neighbor,
As we reach the end of the session, I wanted to recap some of the work we have done in the Statehouse. Here are some of the good, bad and ugly moments from this year’s session.
Passage of My Bills: HB 1376 and HB 1380
I am thrilled to announce that this session, two of my bills made their way through the legislature and into law!
House Bill 1376
In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reported nearly 75,000 deaths as a result of opioid overdoses in our country. This is a crisis that needs to be addressed at the highest levels. House Bill 1376, which passed through the legislature earlier this month, expands the definition of 'emergency medications' for schools to include all drugs that could potentially provide life-saving treatment in the event of an opioid overdose.
This bill is a great first step in addressing our state’s opioid crisis by making this life-saving medication more readily available. The bill expands access to the treatments in schools by clarifying that "a federal Food and Drug Administration approved opioid overdose reversal medication" can be made available in schools rather than only naloxone.
To learn more about the bill, click here.
House Enrolled Act 1380
Earlier this month, House Enrolled Act 1380, which provides exemptions to motor-driven cycles and lightweight electric vehicles from the electric vehicle supplement fee, was signed into law by the governor.
I drafted this legislation after receiving a call from Diane Gram, one of my constituents from District 9. After purchasing an electric scooter for around $2,000, Diane was surprised to learn she would be required to pay the annual electric vehicle registration fee, which exceeded 10% of her vehicle’s total cost. Her concerns led me to work with the BMV during the interim, and it quickly became clear that addressing this issue through legislation was the right course of action.
As we approach the interim, I encourage you to continue reaching out with your concerns.
Our community is stronger when we work together, and I could not do the work I do in the Statehouse without all of your input.
To learn more about the bill, click here.
SEA 1: A Bait-and-Switch Hoosiers Can’t Afford
Last week, Senate Enrolled Act 1, formerly Senate Bill 1, was signed into law by the governor.
SEA 1 is not what it seems, it’s a bait-and-switch. It misleads Hoosiers into thinking it delivers meaningful property tax relief when, in reality, it offers limited help. This relief is only extended to homeowners, while renters are left out entirely. Renters will still feel the impact of the bill’s hidden consequences as local governments will be forced to raise income taxes to cover a massive funding gap. Yet, homeowners will still pay property taxes, as well as higher income taxes.
This means Hoosiers will pay more for less:
Local income taxes could increase by $1.1 billion annually, totaling $3.3 billion by 2028.
LaPorte County and Porter County stand to lose $18.1 million and $49.6 million, respectively, by 2028.
Indiana’s public schools will lose over half a billion dollars in just three years—totaling $744.4 million by 2028.
Additionally, SEA 1 was amended to include language from SB 518, allowing property tax revenue to be diverted away from public schools and redirected to charter schools. These are the very institutions that once claimed they could succeed without state support, yet now they’re being handed public dollars, even as traditional public schools face historic funding cuts.
At a time when Indiana is already grappling with teacher and counselor shortages, this legislation will only make it harder to attract and retain educators. Our kids are struggling, and instead of supporting their schools, this new law pulls the rug out from under them.
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the educators who came to the Statehouse last Monday to speak out against SEA 1. Your voices matter, and House Democrats and I are fighting for you every day.
As always, if you have questions, concerns, or feedback, please reach out to my legislative office at h9@iga.in.gov.