Calls to action: contacting your state legislators, bills & scripts

What’s important to you?

Budget

Consumer protection

Criminal justice

Education

Elections-Voting

Environment-Climate-Energy

Healthcare

Immigration

Property taxes

Bills

Budget

HB 1001 State budget: The budget appropriates money for state expenses and operations, K-12 and higher education, Medicaid, transportation, and more.

Contact Ways & Means committee chairman, Rep. Jeff Thompson h28@iga.in.gov / 317-232-9651. Contact members of Ways and Means. Several Democratic representatives serve on Ways and Means and yours may be one. If so, you can send an email to your rep and ask that he/she read it to the committee. Suggested script:  “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to amend HB 1001. My concerns are that this bill:

• Defunds Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library book program, which provides books to Hoosier kids aged 0-5. Research shows that a home library helps children succeed in reading.
•  Removes income limit for school voucher eligibility, putting taxpayers on the hook for the richest Hoosiers’ private religious education.
• Gives more money to Secretary of State – despite him using taxpayer dollars to hire family members, awarding no-bid contracts to campaign donors, and deliberately obscuring his spending.
• Does not provide tax relief to working Hoosiers through increased income tax deductions or renter’s deductions.
• Does not eliminate Medicaid waiver waitlist for elderly Hoosiers or disabled kids. Decreases funding for Health First Indiana for public health initiatives. Thank you”

Consumer protection

HB 1174 Charges for supervised loans. Expands Predatory Lending – which targets vulnerable Hoosiers and extends the cycle of poverty. This bill would permit payday lenders to loan up to $5,000 at APRs of nearly 150% – double the rate of what is currently defined as felony loansharking.
* Read more: “Payday lenders could charge ‘loan shark’ rates under Indiana bill”
Contact members of Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee
Contact Chairman Sen. Scott Baldwin: s20@iga.gov.in; 800-382-9467. Sample Script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to Hoosiers deserve to be protected from unscrupulous lenders. This bill supports the lender, further hurting vulnerable Hoosiers. Oppose this bill. Thank you.”

Criminal justice

Support: HB 1413 Rape kits. Creates a fund to help law enforcement and testing labs reduce the backlog of untested rape kits. Contact members of Corrections and Criminal Law. Contact Chairman Freeman: s32@iga.in.gov; 800-382-9467. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to support HB 1413. Indiana has the nation’s 2nd highest number of untested rape kits; data collected per this bill would inform on best practices to address the backlog, and empower and support victims as they seek justice. Thank you.”

Education

HB 1002 Educational matters. The bill is over 130 pages long! In sum, it provides a pathway to eliminate many public school programs, services, and requirements:

• Removes requirement that IN Secretary of Education have educational experience, live in Indiana, or have a college degree.
  • Guts rights and responsibilities delegated to both State Board of Education and local elected school boards, and removes required offices on the board.
  • Allows a public school district to be completely “charterized” – that is, public school districts governed by locally-controlled, elected school boards could be completely dissolved and replaced with charter schools governed by non-elected, appointed boards instead.
  • Exempts charter school board members from submitting a statement of economic interest, reduces oversight of charters, and repeals language prohibiting discrimination. Removes liability from charter schools
  • Allows students to drop out at 16 without a qualifying reason.
  • Allows schools to cut transportation services with just one year’s notice.

Contact members of the Senate Education Committee. Contact committee chairman Sen. Jeff Raatz: s27@iga.in.gov; call him: 800-382-9467. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose HB 1002. This bill will gut public education and replace it with a non-transparent, unaccountable and unregulated system of charter schools that do not have to accept every student. The state school superintendent will not need any qualifications, including residency, and school boards will be stripped of their rights and responsibilities. Professional educators, along with qualified board members should be making decisions about education for Hoosier children. Public education has proven to be the best option for providing a high quality education for all children. Do not support HB 1002. Thank you.”

HB 1348 Nonaccredited nonpublic schools. Makes no distinction between diplomas issued by accredited schools and homeschools. Not yet scheduled for a hearing. Passed out of committee to the Senate floor for a vote. Contact your senator. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose HB 1348. This bill makes no distinction between the value of a diploma from an accredited school or homeschool. Homeschools are exempt from all accountability requirements required of public schools; permitting them to issue the same diploma as accredited schools would make accreditation meaningless, and could lower the bar for quality education. A quality education should be the hallmark of a diploma and this bill would render that meaningless. Thank you.”

SB 523 School chaplains: Permits chaplains to work or volunteer in public schools, offering both secular and nonsecular advice and guidance. Contact members of Education. Email Chairman Rep. Robert Behning: h91:iga.in.gov; call him: 800-382-9841 Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose SB 523. I support the separation of church and state because I think our state should be supportive of all beliefs or none. Likewise students should be accepted regardless of belief. Public schools are not Sunday schools. Students shouldn’t feel pressured or evangelized at school. Thank you.”

HB 1041 Student eligibility in interscholastic sports. “Requires colleges and universities to expressly designate sports teams as male, female, or co-ed; and prohibits trans women from participating in women’s sports at the collegiate level. This bill targets trans women and is written with the intention to exclude and demean, rather than resolve widespread problems. It also oversteps the purview of the NCAA, which currently is headquartered in Indiana and is a significant economic contributor. Sample script: This bill interferes with NCAA rules which sets national standards for play over which Indiana should have no jurisdiction. More than that, this is a discriminatory and demeaning bill would serve only to further belittle a very small minority group.  Vote no. Thank you.”

SB 518 School property taxes Requires school corporations to share revenue from property tax levies, operations fund levies, and debt service levies with charter schools. In IPS alone, this bill would lead to the closure of 20-25 IPS schools, cut transportation for 6000 IPS students, and take away 57% of IPS funding. Read more at Indiana Capital Chronicle and Black Indy Live/Wildstyle Paschall. Contact Ways & Means committee chairman, Rep. Jeff Thompson h28@iga.in.gov / 317-232-9651. Contact members of Ways and Means. Several Democratic representatives serve on Ways and Means and yours may be one. If so, you can send an email to your rep and ask that he/she read it to the committee. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose Senate Bill 518. This bill is designed to limit public school funding by requiring public schools to share tax revenue with charter schools. Instead of diverting funds away from public education, as a citizen and taxpayer, I expect changes to be made to fully fund public education. This is important to me because I believe in the oversight and accountability that is required of public education to maintain quality education for our children. Thank you.”  Other ways to help you share: Letter to the Editor template; Legislator Email template

SB 287 School board matters: Makes school board elections partisan. This bill passed out of committee to the House floor for a vote. Contact your representative. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose SB287. School boards govern public schools, and selection of these offices should be based on relevant experience and commitment to the good of the school, its students, and its teachers, not partisan affiliation that is largely irrelevant to the responsibilities of this particular office. That’s why 75% of Hoosiers oppose making school races partisan. Doing so would also allow big money campaign dollars to influence our elections, and distract from the real responsibilities of governing a school district. Thank you.”
* Letter to the Editor Template; * Legislator Email Template; Take action with the League of Women Voters

HB 1515 Education and higher education matters. “HB 1515 strips away local control over zoning decisions for charter schools in 92 counties, allowing them to open without regulation on how many can cluster near traditional public schools. A charter authorizer hours away from Indianapolis could approve unlimited charters in the city—without any supply and demand analysis” – Sen. Fady Qaddoura. Passed out of committee to the Senate floor for a vote. Contact your senator. Sample Script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose HB 1515. This bill is another effort to detract from public schools. Unlimited and unregulated numbers of charter schools will further erode quality education for Hoosier children. Charter schools do not have the oversight, regulation, rigor, transparency, or accountability required of public schools. Nor are they required to accept every student as public schools are. I support public schools and I urge you to vote no. Thank you.”

SB 289 Nondiscrimination in employment and education. Prohibits the funding of DEI programs, officers, and initiatives at state agencies, state universities, and health professional licensing boards. Requires Indiana’s school corporations, charter schools, state agencies, and political subdivisions to publicly post all training and curricular materials related to topics such as diversity, equity, inclusion, race, ethnicity, sex, and bias on their websites, with specific details about the materials’ origins and accessibility. This would restrict or even eliminate training, activities, policies, and curriculum that explore allyship, antiracism, intersectionality, social justice, privilege, bias, race, diversity, and gender.
Contact members of Elections & Apportionment. Contact Chairman Jetter: h88@iga.in.gov/317-232-9769 Sample script: “My name is {name}. I am a resident of {town/zip code}. I’m contacting you today to vote against SB 289. I am concerned with the following items in this bill: Prohibits the funding of DEI programs, officers, and initiatives at state agencies,
state universities, and health professional licensing boards. This would restrict or even eliminate training, activities, policies, and curriculum that explore allyship, antiracism, intersectionality, social justice, privilege, bias, race, diversity, and gender. Thank you.”

SB 442 Instruction concerning human sexuality. Places severe restrictions on this instruction. Contact members of Education. Email Chairman Rep. Robert Behning: h91@iga.in.gov; 800-382-9841. Sample script: My name is {name}. I am a resident of {town/zip code}. I’m contacting you today to vote against SB 442. I am concerned with the following items in this bill: It requires schools to publicly post curriculum involving “human sexuality instruction,” and to obtain written consent prior to teaching it. It prohibits a school from using learning materials that concern human sexuality unless approved by the school board. Human sexuality instruction” is a very broad concept, so this bill will create a chilling effect on any mention of or reference to LGBTQ+ people or topics. Plus, the bill facilitates targeting of schools and teachers. Thank you.”

Elections-Voting

SB 010 Voter registration. Makes changes to voter registration: School IDs will no longer be accepted for voting ID purposes – even when they meet all requirements. This unduly burdens college students’ ability to vote. From League of Women Voters: The bill also requires the county voter registration office to remove voters from the voting rolls if they have not cast a vote in the two most recent general elections; puts unreasonable requirements on county clerks to verify citizenship; and ends the requirement that BMV employees ask customers if they want to register to vote or update their registration. Contact members of Elections & Apportionment. Take action with the League of Women Voters. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to oppose SB 10. Voter turnout in Indiana is consistently very low and Indiana should be trying to increase voter turnout–not decrease it as this bill would do. This bill will disenfranchise legally eligible voters by invalidating a state university-issued student ID as a valid form of ID to vote, purging registered voters who have not voted in two general elections, and limiting when BMV officials ask customers about registering to vote or updating their registration.

State university-issued student IDs meet all the requirements for a valid ID to vote: name, photo, issued by the State or Federal government, and expiration date. Universities redesigned their student ID to meet the State’s requirements. State-issued student IDs have been used for voting for years without problems. Student IDs are not used to register to vote, so pose no security risk. SB 10 also requires county voter registration offices to cull voters from the voter rolls if a voter has not cast a ballot in two consecutive general elections, not two successive FEDERAL general elections as currently permitted. This promises that validly registered voters will be removed from the voting rolls and denied the right to vote. Voters already confirm under penalty of law when they register to vote that they are citizens and at least 18 years old. Requiring county voter registration officials to review citizenship documentation is outside their scope and an unnecessary burden since non-citizen voting is NOT a problem, as proven by the data. I urge you to oppose the passage of SB 10. It will disenfranchise voters by unreasonably restricting access to voting in a state that ranks 50 out of 51 in voter turnout. Thank you.”

HB 1679 Various election matters. Outlines several changes to election and voting laws – one that would require a county voter registration office to conduct a “voter list maintenance program” at least once every 30 days. These programs can be unreliable and will flag and purge actual eligible voters, in addition to failing to protect data privacy. Contact member of the Committee on Elections. Contact Chairman Sen. Mike Gaskill: s25@iga.in.gov; 800-382-9467 Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB 1679. This bill will lead to inaccuracies in the voter list, fail to protect voter data privacy and lead to eligible voters being purged. Indiana has an abysmal voting record and needs to support voting rather than enacting draconian measures that will deny eligible voters their right to vote. Thank you.”

Environment-Climate-Energy

HB 1007 Energy generation resources: Forces Indiana electric utility customers to foot the bill for SMR [small modular reactor] design, engineering, planning, and permitting costs before the utility seeks approval to build the SMR, and even if they never seek approval and cancel the project. Contact members of Utilities Committee. Email Chairman Sen. Eric Koch: s44@iga.in.gov; phone: 800-382-9467. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB 1007 because this bill forces Indiana electric utility customers to foot the bill for SMR [small modular reactor] design, engineering, planning, and permitting costs before the utility seeks approval to build the SMR, and even if they never seek approval and cancel the project. It also reduces regulatory oversight of the monopoly utilities by fast tracking approval of new generation resources to serve Big Tech and their data centers, plus a tracker to charge customers for these resources before they are generating any electricity. Thank you.” Take easy action with the Hoosier Environmental Council

Senate bills 423 and 424 — would create SMR pilot programs and allow utilities to shift research and development costs on to Hoosier ratepayers and are similar to HB 1007. Currently, no electricity-generating nuclear power plants exist in the state. And of the few projected SMR sites across the United States — and the world — none are currently operational. Upfront adoption costs can balloon, and some scientists and environmental groups are concerned that operating expenses are actually much higher, and worry that SMR plants are more dangerous than developers let on. For sb 423, contact members of Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications. Contact the Chairman, Rep. Soliday: h4@iga.gov.in; 800-382-9841. SB 424 has passed through committee to the Senate floor for a vote. Contact your senator. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB 1007 because this bill forces Indiana electric utility customers to foot the bill for SMR [small modular reactor] design, engineering, planning, and permitting costs before the utility seeks approval to build the SMR, and even if they never seek approval and cancel the project. Vote no. Thank you.”

 HB 1037 – Storm water management. Allows builders to sidestep local erosion control rules. Contact members of Committee on Environmental Affairs. Contact Sen.Beau Baird, Chairman, 800-382-9841/317-232-9627. Sample script:  “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB 103 because this bill will allow builders to sidestep local erosion control rules with the result that more pollutant-laden sediment will run off from bare ground construction sites. Thank you.”

Healthcare

SB 002 Medicaid matters threatens healthcare coverage for more than 750,000 low-income Hoosiers by making extreme changes to Indiana’s Medicaid programs, including massive cuts to the Healthy Indiana Plan, limiting HIP enrollment, and adding burdensome new paperwork requirements to the program. Plus, it prevents advertising the program, keeping eligible Hoosiers in the dark about their healthcare options. Email Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett; call him: 800-382-9841. Contact members of the Committee for Public Health. Ask that this bill be amended.

Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose SB 2 because it:

• Limits HIP enrollment at 500,000, arbitrarily kicking more than 250,000 people off of their healthcare coverage. 
• Adds burdensome new paperwork requirements for all Indiana Medicaid members, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. This will most likely lead to people who qualify for Medicaid losing coverage and then having to reenroll due to paperwork issues, a disruptive and expensive process referred to as “churn.”
• Subjects HIP members to new work reporting requirements, which will lead to additional coverage loss and drive up the administrative costs of the program, wasting public dollars.

Indiana’s Medicaid programs are vital to both Hoosier health and our state’s economy. SB 2 not only risks the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, it threatens to remove more than $3.5 billion from our state’s economy by cutting HIP! This federal money, which covers 90% of HIP’s cost, is overwhelmingly spent in local communities and pays for tens of thousands of healthcare jobs and services. Without this funding, more hospitals and healthcare providers will likely be forced to close.
The new administrative requirements proposed would not only lead hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers to lose their healthcare coverage, SB 2 will make all of Indiana’s Medicaid programs more expensive to run, wasting public dollars to create costly new bureaucracy and unnecessary barriers for members. Money that could be used to improve Hoosier health will instead go toward managing a complex system of repetitious eligibility checks and exemptions. Thank you”

Support: SB 486 Family and social services matters. Requires county law enforcement to help incarcerated individuals eligible for Medicaid to apply for Medicaid before their release. Requires child care workers to be trained in pediatric first aid and CPR. Passed committee to the House floor. Contact your representative. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to ask you to support SB 486 because it removes barriers for Medicaid services. I believe this is important because it is often difficult for those who rely on Medicaid to obtain timely and necessary services. Thank you.”

Support: HB 1241 Trauma informed care. Establishes the trauma informed care commission to study and make recommendations for use by health, educational, and other social service providers on best practices with respect to children, youth, and families who have experienced trauma. Adverse experiences have a huge economic impact as well as a personal impact, and improving awareness of and care for trauma can help individuals as well as our communities.
Contact members of the Senate Committee on Family and Children’s Services. Contact Chairman Sen. Greg Walker: s41@iga.in.gov, 800-382-9467. Sample Script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to ask you to support HB 1241 because it establishes the trauma-informed care commission. As we know, adverse experiences have a huge economic impact as well as a personal impact. This is important to me because improving awareness of and care for trauma can help individuals as well as our communities. Thank you.”  

Support: SB 486 Family and social services matters. Requires county law enforcement to help incarcerated individuals eligible for Medicaid to apply for Medicaid before their release. Mandates insurers to respond within 60 days to Medicaid claims. Prohibits denying claims just because of lack of prior authorization. Requires child care workers to be trained in pediatric first aid and CPR.
Contact members of Public Health. Contact Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett: h56@iga.in.gov; 800-382-9841. Sample Script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to ask you to support SB 486 because it removes barriers for Medicaid services. I believe this is important because it is often difficult for those who rely on Medicaid to obtain timely and necessary services. Thank you.”

Support: SB 119 Repeals the certificate of public advantage concerning hospital mergers. Removes the COPA (which approves hospital mergers) requirement. “Indiana is one of 19 states that have COPA laws, which allow hospital mergers that the Federal Trade Commission otherwise considers illegal because they reduce competition and often create monopolies.”
Learn more. Contact members of Public Health. Contact Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett: h56@iga.in.gov; 800-382-9841. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to ask you to support SB 119 because it will improve healthcare in Indiana. Allowing monopolies of large hospital systems harmed patients. Even the author of the bill allowing the mergers wants to end them. Hoosiers are much better served by competition among hospitals. Thank you.”

Immigration

House Bill 1531 – Various Immigration Matters – The sweeping measure addresses the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local government, law enforcement and businesses. Not yet scheduled for a hearing. Contact: Chairman Brown s15@iga.in.gov/317-232-9497 and members of the Judiciary Committee. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB  1531 because I believe this bill will lead to increased due process violations.  This is important to me because I believe there are many immigrants in this country that are here lawfully but will be detained due to their race. This bill also eliminates the safe sanctuary of schools. Thank you.”

SB 430 Grants for participation in the 287(g) program. Establishes the 287(g) agreement grant program, turning local law enforcement into federal immigration agents. Contact
Passed Veterans Committee and referred to Ways and Means. Contact Ways & Means committee chairman, Rep. Jeff Thompson h28@iga.in.gov / 317-232-9651 and contact members of Ways and Means. Several Democratic representatives serve on Ways and Means and yours may be one. If so, you can send an email to your rep and ask that he/she read it to the committee. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose SB 430. This bill would create a culture of fear towards law enforcement and discourage immigrant communities from seeking support from law enforcement. It will make everyone less safe. Thank you.”

HB 1393 Immigration notice. Requires a law enforcement officer to provide the name, address, and other identifying information to ICE after arresting or issuing a summons to an individual suspected of not being lawfully present in the United States. Will lead to increased racial profiling. Passed out of committee for a vote on the Senate floor. Contact your senator: IGA | Find Your Legislator. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to oppose HB 1393 because I believe this bill will lead to increased racial profiling.  This is important to me because I believe there are many immigrants in this country that are here awfully but will be detained due to their race. Thank you.”

Property taxes

SB 001 Property tax relief:

Update on SB 001 Property tax relief
Property tax overhaul continues to evolve at the Statehouse. Gov. Mike Braun’s initial plan (SB 1) would have devastated local communities, defunding local law enforcement, county governments, libraries, and public schools. The amended version of SB 1 passed by the Senate reduced the severity of local impact, but revenue cuts would have still damaged those communities. Now State Rep. Jeff Thompson has introduced a third version. This one would focus on reducing long-term increases in property tax, rather than cutting it. Indiana has low property taxes already, but the drastic increase in property values in recent years has made these low rates feel unbearable to many Hoosiers. Rep. Thompson’s plan may balance some tax relief while ensuring our local governments don’t go without critical revenue. But, nothing is final, and the bill is still being considered in the House. 

In its current form, SB 1 claims to provide property tax relief by allowing homeowners to defer property taxes and capping property tax growth. But, this could lead to future financial burdens. SB 1 will cost local communities $1.4 billion in lost revenue. Individual school corporations will lose millions and the bill would reduce public library funding by over $40 million in 2026. The plan does not offer a replacement revenue stream. Plus, it does not offer relief for renters, who have also experienced increases in housing costs. And, it restricts schools to referendums every two years. View school district impact. Contact Ways & Means committee chairman, Rep. Jeff Thompson h28@iga.in.gov / 317-232-9651 and contact members of Ways and Means. Several Democratic representatives serve on Ways and Means and yours may be one. If so, you can send an email to your rep and ask that he/she read it to the committee. This bill must be amended. Sample script: “My name is [name]. I’m a resident of [town/zip code]. I’m contacting you today to urge you to consider the impact of Senate Bill 1. This bill, as it now states, will cost local communities $1.4 billion in lost revenue. The plan does not offer a replacement revenue stream. Plus, it does not offer relief for renters, who have also experienced increases in housing costs. And, it restricts schools to referendums every two years.
This bill needs to be amended. Lawmakers should identify revenue replacements. They should also improve and stabilize school funding, so schools aren’t dependent on referendums to pay for projects. And, lawmakers should create direct relief for property owners facing financial hardship, rather than deferring taxes that could create future financial burdens. Rep. Thompson’s version seems to be a more reasonableF approach to property taxes and should be given priority. Thank you.”