Photos: Mary Blackburn, IFCL Earth Care lobbyist, attended Organization Day at the Indiana Statehouse to meet with legislators and other environmental lobbyists.
Members of the Indiana General Assembly were sworn in, and the two caucuses shared their priorities with the public during the traditional Organization Day, Nov. 22.
Additionally, leaders of the committees were either affirmed or reassigned. Senator Mark Messmer, R-Jasper, was demoted from his Senate floor leadership as well as his chairmanship of the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee.
The main focus of the “long session” is the budget. The IGA plans to shrink the state government by reducing income taxes and lowering property taxes. There does not appear to be support for improving public health even though Indiana access to affordable health care is a significant problem. (Indiana ranks 48th in the nation.)
There also is concern that charter schools may draw financial resources away from public school districts.
While the world is experiencing unprecedented flooding, weather changes and drought, state leadership wants to proceed cautiously with the transition to renewable energy and wants to restrict the state government from divesting any investments based on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles. The power of coal and fossil fuels in Indiana will help maintain the high level of CO2 pollution and continue to drive up earth’s warming.
See the link below for more information.https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2022/11/22/tax-cuts-education-dominate-organization-day/