Submitted for use on June 29, 2023
Word Count: 433
The Indiana General Assembly passed a total of 252 laws during the 2023 legislative session, and a majority of them go into effect July 1. I supported the following bills to help our state become a greater place to live, work and raise a family.
Tax Relief
Many Indiana residents are experiencing financial pressure due to rising inflation. The new state budget speeds up planned income-tax cuts, dropping Indiana's tax rate to 2.9% by 2027 and potentially saving residents over $100 million next year and over $1 billion in the next five years. Senate Enrolled Act 3 also establishes a State and Local Tax Review Task Force to study all aspects of Indiana's tax system, including property taxes, starting this summer.
Health Care
Focusing on preventing health problems, rather than treating them, will help improve the state's poor health ratings and foster a healthy workforce. To strengthen Indiana's mental health, I supported Senate Enrolled Act 1, which provides ongoing funding to build out a system of certified behavioral health clinics. I also authored Senate Enrolled Act 4, which increases the quality of services local health departments perform by promoting their collaboration with the Indiana Department of Health.
Higher Education
Indiana's college-going rate fell from 59% for the high school class of 2019 to 53% for the class of 2020. I authored Senate Enrolled Act 167 and sponsored House Enrolled Act 1449 to help students see higher education as an attainable option.
To help students realize what financial aid they may qualify for, SEA 167 requires all Indiana students, unless exempted by a parent, principal or counselor, to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during their senior year of high school. HEA 1449 requires the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana Department of Education to identify eligible students for automatic enrollment in the 21st Century Scholars Program during their seventh and eighth-grade year of school.
Public Safety
No one should ever feel unsafe while going about their life in our communities. With electronic tracking on the rise, Senate Enrolled Act 161 creates penalties for using electronic tracking devices to track another individual without their knowledge in order to commit a crime.
Additionally, Indiana became one of the first states to take steps to protect consumers by passing Senate Enrolled Act 5, which gives residents more authority to identify, correct and delete their personal data that private businesses have collected.
To view other new laws going into effect, visit iga.in.gov.
If you have any questions or concerns on these or other topics, feel free to contact me at Senator.Leising@iga.in.gov or 317-232-9493.
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State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) represents Senate District 42, which includes Decatur, Fayette, Ripley and Rush counties, and portions of Franklin, Jennings and Shelby counties.
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