>> PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF ARTICLE 5 OF THE INDIANA CONSTITUTION, THE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS CONVENED FOR THE PURPOSE OF HEARING A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, I HAVE THE HIGH HONOR OF INTRODUCING OUR GOVERNOR, ERIC HOLCOMB.

[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT.

MR. SPEAKER, MR. PRESIDENT, MADAM CHIEF JUSTICE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, MY FELLOW HOOSIERS, IT IS INDEED AN HONOR TO ONCE AGAIN DISCUSS THE STATE OF OUR GREAT STATE AND THE WORK BEFORE US AS WE ALL SEEK TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR ALL HOOSIERS.

WINSTON CHURCHILL ONCE SAID, "A PESSIMIST SEES THE DIFFICULTY IN EVERY OPPORTUNITY; AN OPTIMIST SEES THE OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY DIFFICULTY."

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU CAN COLOR ME AN OPTIMIST, BECAUSE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MORE OPPORTUNE TIME TO REALIZE OUR TRUE POTENTIAL THAN RIGHT NOW.

EVEN AS WE'RE CONTENDING WITH THE CHALLENGES OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WE'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY, RE-SKILLING OUR WORKFORCE, BUILDING UP AND OUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ENHANCING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE READY AND ABLE, WE'RE REVITALIZING AND CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE STATE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

TONIGHT, I'LL REPORT ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR ECONOMY, OUR PEOPLE, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STRONG ECONOMY, WE'VE EARNED IT.

SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT OVER TIME HAS BECOME OUR STATE'S REPUTATION.

WE'VE PRODUCED NINE STRAIGHT HONESTLY BALANCED BUDGETS SINCE 2005.

[APPLAUSE] AND FROM JUNE OF 2017 TO JUNE OF 2021, WE'VE REDUCED OUR DEBT BY 24 PERCENT.

THANK YOU, SENATOR MISHLER AND DOC BROWN.

[APPLAUSE] OUR DISCIPLINE HAS LED US TO RECORD REVENUE AND RESERVES, AND WE REMAIN JUST ONE OF 13 STATES THAT HAS RECEIVED A TRIPLE A CREDIT RATING FROM ALL THREE PRIMARY RATING AGENCIES.

WE CLOSED THE 2021 FISCAL YEAR WITH $3.9 BILLION IN RESERVES, SO WE PUT AN EXTRA $1.1 BILLION TOWARD OUR OBLIGATION TO OUR TEACHERS' PENSION FUND.

AND WE'RE SENDING BACK $545 MILLION BACK TO HOOSIER TAXPAYERS IN THE FORM OF AN AUTOMATIC TAXPAYER REFUND.

[APPLAUSE] OUR RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT OF TAXPAYER MONEY HAS SOLIDIFIED INDIANA'S DISTINCTION AS A PLACE OF INVESTMENT-CERTAINTY, STABILITY, PREDICTABILITY, AND CONTINUITY THAT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR BUSINESSES LOVE AND OUR NEIGHBORS ENVY.

AMONG EVERY STATE WE BORDER, INDIANA NOW RANKS NUMBER ONE IN GDP GROWTH FROM 2015 TO 2020.

IN FACT, OUR GDP HAS GROWN FROM $353 BILLION IN 2017 TO NOW $415 BILLION AT A RATE OUTPACING MICHIGAN, OHIO, ILLINOIS, AND KENTUCKY.

[APPLAUSE] WE RANK NUMBER ONE AMONG THOSE IN PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH FROM 2015 TO 2020.

AND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, 3%, IS OUR LOWEST IN 21 YEARS AND LOWER THAN EVERY STATE WE TOUCH.

TODAY, MORE THAN 73,000 MORE HOOSIERS ARE WORKING COMPARED TO JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT.

73,000 MORE.

IN ANOTHER MEASURE OF OUR GROWTH AND VITALITY, MORE PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO LIVE IN INDIANA.

SINCE 2010, OUR POPULATION HAS INCREASED BY 300,000 PEOPLE, FAR ECLIPSING THE RATE OF ANY NEIGHBORING STATE.

IN FACT, THE U.S. CENSUS JUST PUT OUT THAT FROM JULY 2020 TO JULY 2021, INDIANA SAW MORE PEOPLE MOVE TO OUR STATE THAN ANY OF THE 11 OTHER STATES THAT MAKE UP THE ENTIRE MIDWEST REGION.

WE INCREASED OUR POPULATION BY 20,000 PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME OHIO LOST 10,000, MICHIGAN LOST 16,000, AND ILLINOIS LOST 113,000 RESIDENTS.

U-HAUL JUST RELEASED ITS ANNUAL REPORT SHOWING INDIANA RANKED SIXTH HIGHEST IN THE NATION FOR INBOUND MIGRATION.

[APPLAUSE] AND IT'S NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CHOOSING INDIANA.

BUSINESSES ARE, TOO.

OUR LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN INVESTMENT AND JOB COMMITMENTS.

LAST YEAR, THE INDIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SET ALL-TIME RECORDS IN THREE KEY CATEGORIES: $8.7 BILLION IN NEW CAPITAL INVESTMENT, OVER $1.8 BILLION IN NEW PAYROLL, AND 31,700 NEW JOB COMMITMENTS WITH AVERAGE WAGES OVER $28 AN HOUR.

WE SAW 29 HEADQUARTERS PLANT THEIR FLAG IN INDIANA, BOTH HOME-GROWN START-UPS AND OUT-OF-STATE RELOCATIONS.

OUR MONTHLY SINGLE-FAMILY HOME BUILDING PERMITS ARE MORE THAN EVERY STATE WE TOUCH AND OUR STATEHOUSING IS HOT ALL ACROSS INDIANA.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY IS INDIANA STRONG!

[APPLAUSE] STRONG LIKE INDIANA STEEL.

WE'RE NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY FOR STEEL PRODUCTION, PART OF OUR RICH HERITAGE.

AND WE'RE ALSO BECOMING A MAGNET FOR THE INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE, SUCH AS HYPERSONICS, MICROELECTRONICS, CYBER, SOLAR, DRONES, QUANTUM COMPUTING, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, PLANT GENETICS, AND BATTERY TECHNOLOGY.

I COULD GO ON AND ON.

SO I WILL.

[LAUGHTER] FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE PUTTING NEW ENERGY IN NEW ENERGY.

MORE AND MORE SOLAR PROJECTS ARE CROPPING UP ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

AFTER I VISITED TEL AVIV LAST YEAR, DORAL RENEWABLES ANNOUNCED THEY WERE BUILDING THE LARGEST SOLAR FARM IN THE UNITED STATES ON 13,000 ACRES IN STARKE AND PULASKI COUNTIES.

EVENTUALLY, IT WILL GENERATE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO POWER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES, ALL BY CULTIVATING THE SUN.

THANK YOU, NICK, FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE AND INCREDIBLE INVESTMENT IN THE STATE OF INDIANA AND OUR PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] THESE INDUSTRIES MAKE INDIANA THE SHINY NEW BUCKLE ON WHAT USED TO BE REFERRED TO AS THE OLD RUST BELT.

AND, TO KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING, WE NEED TO REVISE THE INDIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S TOOLKIT TO INVEST IN ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME, TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY WITHIN OUR EXISTING TAX-CREDIT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, RECRUIT MORE REMOTE-WORKER JOBS AND, AS THE NUMBER ONE MANUFACTURING STATE IN AMERICA PER CAPITA, WE MUST ELIMINATE THE 30 PERCENT BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX FLOOR ON NEW EQUIPMENT TO INSTANTLY ENSURE INDIANA IS EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING STATES, ENCOURAGING FURTHER CAPITAL INVESTMENT HERE, AND POSITIONING US TO BECOME AN EVEN MORE DOMINANT PLAYER IN THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AGE.

SO HEREIN LIES OUR MOST PRESSING CHALLENGE.

I THINK.

WITH MORE THAN 150,000 CURRENT JOB OPENINGS POSTED AND A RECORD NUMBER OF NEW JOBS COMING, WE NEED TO ENSURE ALL HOOSIER STUDENTS AND WORKERS CAN, AND ULTIMATELY WILL, FILL THEM.

THAT STARTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WHICH IS WHY, WITH YOUR SUPPORT, THE BUDGET PASSED LAST SESSION.

WE MADE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION.

WE'RE INVESTING A RECORD $1.9 BILLION IN NEW DOLLARS FOR K-12 [APPLAUSE] THAT'S OVER THE BIENNIUM, AND WE'RE INCREASING THE K-12 TUITION-SUPPORT FORMULA BY 9%, WHICH IS MORE THAN $1 BILLION.

THAT INVESTMENT IS ALREADY PAYING BIG DIVIDENDS.

MORE THAN 85 PERCENT OF SCHOOL CORPORATIONS HAVE RAISED TEACHER BASE SALARIES BY AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY $1,800 IN THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, AND 99 PERCENT ARE EXPECTED TO RAISE SALARIES IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT GOAL FOR NEW TEACHER SALARIES, OUR STATE'S GOAL OF $40,000 BY JULY 1, SOME 80% OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL HAVE ACHIEVED IT.

THINK ABOUT THAT, WHAT THIS BUDGET -- WHAT IT'S DOING.

AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR REGIONS AND YOUR DISTRICTS AND OUR TOWNS, THEY'RE PARTNERS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THEIR PARTNERS ARE LASER-FOCUSED ON PROVIDING MORE PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFELONG STUDENT SUCCESS, BE IT ENLISTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, OR ENROLLMENT.

THOSE EFFORTS START EARLY IN LIFE, SO WE MUST STRENGTHEN BOTH THE QUALITY AND THE ACCESS TO EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, ALL ACROSS INDIANA FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5, TO BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN AND THEN EVERYTHING BEYOND THAT.

MOREOVER, WE KNOW OUR CHILDREN HAVE SUFFERED ACADEMICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

SO IN RESPONSE, LAST YEAR, THE D.O.E.

LAUNCHED SEVERAL ACCELERATED LEARNING PROGRAMS, TOTALING NEARLY $160 MILLION EXTRA, WITH A SECOND ROUND UNDERWAY.

RIGHT NOW.

WE'LL BE ROLLING OUT THE GRADUATES PREPARED TO SUCCEED DASHBOARD, SO FOR THE FIRST TIME, PARENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND SCHOOL CORPORATIONS THEMSELVES CAN HAVE EASY PUBLIC ACCESS TO ROBUST DATA REGARDING SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.

AND LET'S MAKE PROGRESS ON STRENGTHENING OUR TEACHER PIPELINE WHILE WE'RE AT IT, AND ATTRACTING AND RETAINING MORE EDUCATORS, FOCUSING ON DIVERSITY AND TEACHERS IN HIGH-NEED AREAS LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND STEM.

TO DO THAT, WE'LL LAUNCH A STATEWIDE TEACHER MARKETPLACE THAT CONNECTS THEM WITH SCHOOL OPENINGS IN REAL TIME.

WHILE EDUCATION IS THE STARTING POINT, WE MUST DO MORE TO ALIGN OUR STATE'S K-12, HIGHER ED, WORKFORCE, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

THERE IS POWER IN THEIR SYNERGY.

THAT'S WHY WE LAUNCHED THE ONE-STOP-SHOP WEBSITE THAT PROACTIVELY CONNECTS UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED HOOSIERS WITH CUSTOMIZED, PERSONALIZED JOB AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

240 EMPLOYERS AND 16,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE ALREADY CREATED PROFILES.

AND OUR WORKFORCE READY AND OUR EMPLOYER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO MOVE MORE HOOSIERS INTO HIGHER-PAYING JOBS AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACHIEVING A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.

SINCE 2017, MORE THAN 52,000 HOOSIERS HAVE ENROLLED IN OUR WORKFORCE READY PROGRAM, AND THOSE WHO EARNED A CREDIT SAW AN AVERAGE WAGE GAIN OF $6,800 A YEAR.

AND THROUGH OUR EMPLOYER TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM, 3,700 EMPLOYERS HAVE TRAINED MORE THAN 41,000 HOOSIERS, AND THEY ACHIEVED AN AVERAGE PAY RAISE OF OVER $4,000 A YEAR.

ALL THESE PROGRAMS GIVE INDIANA A LEG UP IN GROWING OUR BUSINESSES AND BRINGING IN NEW ONES.

A GREAT EXAMPLE IS SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR DONTE WILBURN, WHO OWNS PREMIER AUTO DETAILING AND WASH IN LAFAYETTE.

AS A TROUBLED YOUTH, DONTE SERVED A THREE-YEAR SENTENCE IN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.

BUT A WORK-RELEASE PROGRAM ENABLED HIM TO WORK AT AN AUTO DETAILING COMPANY AND FINISH A DEGREE AT PURDUE.

HE HAD BIG AMBITIONS, SO HE STARTED HIS OWN DETAILING COMPANY WITH A GOAL NOT JUST TO MAKE MONEY, BUT ALSO TO GIVE EMPLOYEES, HIS EMPLOYEES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREERS AND ADVANCEMENT.

TODAY, HE OWNS SEVERAL BUSINESS, HE EMPLOYS 40 INDIVIDUALS, AND DONTAE SAYS, STATE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN THE BACKBONE OF MY GROWTH AND THERE IS NO WAY, NO WAY I COULD HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM."

[APPLAUSE] WE WANT MORE DONTE WILBURNS, AND MORE HOOSIERS TO HAVE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED.

DONTE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

[APPLAUSE] I TOLD YOU I'D SEE YOU AGAIN.

NOW, AS WE STRENGTHEN HOOSIER TALENT, WE ALSO MUST STRENGTHEN HOOSIER HEALTH.

WHILE WE'VE MADE PROGRESS IN AREAS LIKE REDUCING INFANT MORTALITY, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO TRULY BE CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

HERE ARE THE FACTS: INDIANA RANKS 46TH IN OBESITY, 46TH IN SMOKING, AND 40TH IN CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS, EACH OF WHICH CAN LEAD TO LIFE-THREATENING AND COSTLY COMPLICATIONS DOWN THE ROAD.

LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE IN AMERICA, OUR EFFORTS TO TACKLE ADDICTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY THE PANDEMIC AND WE'VE SEEN INCREASED FENTANYL USE AS AN EXAMPLE.

SO WE MUST DOUBLE DOWN TO REACH MORE PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND GET THEM INTO RECOVERY AND BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES, BACK TO WORK AND BACK TO SCHOOL.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CROUCH HAS MADE IT HER PERSONAL MISSION TO PROMOTE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO SUPPORT HOOSIER MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT.

OUR STRATEGY INCLUDES MAKING INVESTMENTS TO GROW OUR MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE WITH MORE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND QUALITY EFFORTS BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ROLLING OUT THE NEW FEDERAL 988 SUICIDE HOTLINE, AND INVESTING MORE TO REDUCE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

[APPLAUSE] AND WE WILL ALSO PROMOTE YOUNG HOOSIER HEALTH AND WELLNESS BY STRENGTHENING THE GUIDELINES FOR CHILDHOOD LEAD SCREENING AND GATHERING MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CAUSES OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATHS SO WE CAN CONTINUE REDUCING INFANT MORTALITY AND SAVING THESE PRECIOUS LIVES.

THE TASK OF IMPROVING HOOSIER HEALTH COULDN'T AGAIN BE MORE IMPORTANT AND THE TIME TO DO IT, NEVER MORE PRESSING.

TO REALIZE NEW RESULTS, ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES WILL REQUIRE NEW APPROACHES.

THAT'S WHY THE INDIANA PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WILL SUBMIT A REPORT THIS SUMMER WITH RECOMMENDATIONS READY FOR THE 2023 BUDGET SESSION, SO WE CAN MODERNIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM OVERALL, ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

EVEN AS WE PUT MASSIVE RENEWED EFFORTS INTO PUBLIC HEALTH, WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR AGGRESSIVE PACE TO BUILD A 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK THAT LINKS HOOSIERS TO EACH OTHER, THE NATION, AND THE WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US.

WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF DEPLOYING $60 BILLION OVER 20 YEARS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE ROADS AND BRIDGES THAT CONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES, PAID FOR WITH CASH, NOT DEBT FINANCED.

WE'RE INVESTING $3.6 BILLION JUST THIS YEAR IN ROAD PROJECTS THROUGHOUT INDIANA.

OUR ENTIRE STATE.

AND WE'RE NEAR COMPLETION, THREE YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, ON I-69, WHICH WILL CREATE -- [APPLAUSE] THAT'S A LONG TIME COMING AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE ONE CONTINUOUS ROUTE FROM CANADA STRAIGHT THROUGH INDIANA, ALL THE WAY TO OUR NATION'S SOUTHERN BORDER.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TRADING CORRIDOR FOR US.

ADD TO THAT, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY CROSSINGS PROGRAM, CITIES, TOWNS, COUNTIES HAVE RESURFACED OR RECONSTRUCTED MORE THAN 20,000 LANE-MILES OF ROAD AND REPAIRED OR REPLACED 119 BRIDGES IN JUST THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO FAST-TRACK TWO OF THE NATION'S MOST TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUTER RAIL PROJECTS.

WHEN THE SOUTH SHORE DOUBLE TRACK AND THE WEST LAKE CORRIDOR PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, THEY WON'T JUST REDUCE TRAVEL TIMES, THEY WILL, BUT THEY'LL FUEL AN EXPLOSION OF NEW INVESTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY IN NORTHWEST INDIANA, THE LIKES WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN DECADES.

WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NUMBER OF NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS THROUGHOUT OUR STATE, INCLUDING $420 MILLION COMMITTED TO WASTEWATER, DRINKING WATER, AND STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND $780 MILLION FOR A NEW STATE ARCHIVES BUILDING, A NEW WESTVILLE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, NEW BLIND AND DEAF SCHOOLS, AND A NEW INN AT POTATO CREEK STATE PARK.

THE FIRST NEW INN SINCE 1939 IN OUR STATE.

[APPLAUSE] WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF WALKING, HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS IN OUR STATE HISTORY, INVESTING UP TO $150 MILLION HELPING HOOSIERS AND OUR GUESTS SEE AND FEEL, BE PART OF OUR NATURAL BEAUTY, LINKING 112 MILES OF NEW HAPPY TRAILS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

94% OF HOOSIERS NOW LIVE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF TRAIL ACCESS.

AND YOU'LL FIND MORE SHADE ON THOSE TRAILS, BECAUSE OUR COMMITMENT TO PLANTING 1 MILLION NEW TREES, WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON THAT FRONT TOO.

WE'VE ALREADY PLANTED MORE THAN 400,000 TREES SO FAR AND ANOTHER 200,000 WILL BE PLANTED THIS SPRING.

AND TO FORTIFY OUR INFORMATION HIGHWAYS, WE'VE MADE THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND IN OUR STATE'S HISTORY.

SINCE THE NEXT LEVEL CONNECTIONS PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED IN 2018, WE'VE ALLOCATED $350 MILLION TO PROVIDE EVERYONE, WHEREVER THEY LIVE IN INDIANA, WITH ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY BROADBAND AND THE LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITY IT AFFORDS.

THIS MOST RECENT ROUND SAW MORE THAN $600 MILLION IN REQUESTS FROM NEARLY EVERY COUNTY IN OUR STATE.

IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT FORBES CALLS US, INDIANA, A NATIONAL MODEL.

I HEAR ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE, I'M SURE YOU DO TOO, THAT THIS IS MAKING IN PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY DAY.

LIKE WHEN AMY AND SCOTT HOUSE FROM NEW CASTLE DECIDED TO RUN THEIR BUSINESS FROM THEIR HOME SO THEY COULD CARE FOR THEIR FAMILY, THEY CONSIDERED MOVING.

BUT BECAUSE OF A NEXT LEVEL CONNECTIONS GRANT, THEIR HOME WAS COVERED, ALONG WITH 69 OTHER HOMES, AND 10 BUSINESSES, WITH 1 GIGABYTE SERVICE.

THANKS TO SCOTT AND HIS MOTHER PATTI FOR CONNECTING WITH US HERE TONIGHT.

[APPLAUSE] AND THANKS FOR STAYING IN INDIANA.

[APPLAUSE] AND NOW WE'RE TAKING ONE GIANT LEAP TOWARD CREATING ONE INDIANA.

WE'RE A STATE WITH INCREDIBLE URBAN, RURAL AND SUBURBAN AREAS, AND YET MANY OF OUR RURAL AREAS HAVE STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN THEIR POPULATION.

THAT'S WHY, LAST YEAR, I PROPOSED DEDICATING $500 MILLION TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE ACCELERATE THEIR ECONOMIC GROWTH, IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS, AND BECOME MAGNETS FOR TALENT.

TO ALL OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, I SALUTE YOU FOR GOING BIG AND BOLD.

THIS READI PROGRAM IS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN HOOSIER HISTORY AIMED AT TRANSFORMING EVERY REGION OF OUR STATE, REPRESENTING ALL 92 OF OUR COUNTIES.

EVERY REGION RECEIVED A PORTION OF THAT $500 MILLION.

BUT THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

LOCAL LEADERS IDENTIFIED NEARLY 800 PROJECTS AND $1.5 BILLION IN DEMAND, WITH $15 BILLION IN THEIR OWN MATCHING FUNDS.

THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO COME BACK IN 2023 AND GO BIG AGAIN.

[APPLAUSE] TO FURTHER HELP OUR COMMUNITIES PROSPER, WE'LL CONTINUE TO PARTNER ON PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS AND DELIVER GOOD GOVERNMENT SRVICE THAT HOOSIERS HAVE COME TO EXPECT AND, QUITE FRANKLY, DESERVE.

THAT INCLUDES SUPPORTING AND APPROPRIATELY FUNDING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

[APPLAUSE] WE'LL DO THAT IN MANY WAYS, BUT INCLUDING 70 MILLION IN OUR STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY, AND CONTINUING TO IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICES.

TO INDIANA'S LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, I SAY, WE SAY, "THANK YOU" AND "WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK!"

[APPLAUSE] TWO MORE THANK YOUS BEFORE I CLOSE.

THIS SEPTEMBER, CAMP ATTERBURY WAS TRANSFORMED FROM A MILITARY TRAINING SITE INTO A TEMPORARY HOME FOR SOME OF THE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO FLED AFGHANISTAN.

WE TOOK IN 7,500 EVACUEES, MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF THEM CHILDREN, PROVIDED MEDICAL CARE, TRADITIONAL AFGHAN MEALS, LESSONS IN ENGLISH, AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THEIR NEW COUNTRY.

WE SAW AN OUTPOURING OF DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS ON A SCALE LIKE NO OTHER STATE EXPERIENCED.

NOW, MOST ARE STARTING THEIR NEW LIVES SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA, WITH ABOUT 500 CALLING INDIANA THEIR NEW HOME.

I COMMEND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN -- FROM A SMALL TASK TO A LARGE COMMITMENT, EVERYONE, FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS TREMENDOUS, UPLIFTING EFFORT.

TO ME, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HOOSIERS ARE ALL ABOUT, AND WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.

[APPLAUSE] FINALLY, I COULDN'T GIVE A STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS WITHOUT GIVING AN UPDATE ON COVID AND THE EXTRAORDINARY PERSONAL TOLL IT'S HAD ON OUR FAMILIES.

TO DATE, MORE THAN 19,000 HOOSIER LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST, MORE THAN LIVE IN HUNTINGTON, OR CRAWFORDSVILLE OR JASPER.

HOSPITALS ARE DIVERTING PATIENTS IN SEARCH OF AVAILABLE BEDS.

THE NUMBER OF ICU BEDS IN USE IS ALMOST AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND ONE AROUND THE STATE.

I WANT TO THANK OVER 3.5 MILLION HOOSIERS WHO ARE VACCINATED AND GETTING BOOSTED.

[APPLAUSE] YOU ARE A BIG REASON OUR HOSPITAL NETWORK HASN'T COLLAPSED.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING VACCINATED AND BOOSTED OVERWHELMINGLY STAY OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, STAY OUT OF THE ICU, AND THEY DON'T DIE.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED, I ENCOURAGE - I PLEAD - I EVEN BEG OF YOU TO SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND DO SO.

I SAY THIS EVEN IF YOU'VE DISAGREED WITH EVERY POSITION I'VE TAKEN.

BECAUSE I WANT US BOTH TO BE AROUND TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE DISAGREEMENTS.

[LAUGHTER] A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE PUTTING OTHERS ABOVE THEMSELVES TO CONTINUE THE BATTLE AGAINST COVID.

OUR HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN UNDER SIEGE.

OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE EXHAUSTED, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY, AS ARE THOSE TAKING CARE OF OUR NURSING HOME RESIDENTS, AND STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR OWN STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT QUARTERBACKING IT ALL, AND EVERYONE SUPPORTING THEM.

YOU ALL HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN OVERDRIVE FOR TWO STRAIGHT YEARS.

NO WORDS, SALARY, OR EARTHLY% AWARDS WILL EVER BE ENOUGH TO REPAY YOU FOR THE LIVES THAT YOU'VE CARED FOR AND SAVED.

THE ULTIMATE JUDGE WILL BE KIND TO YOU FOR LIVING YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR.

HISTORY HAS SHOWN -- [APPLAUSE] THIS IS AN EXAMPLE AND HISTORY HAS SHOWN US TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT IT IS WHEN WE'RE FACING THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN BE OUR BEST.

DESPITE OUR CHALLENGES, THIS IS A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH, CONNECTIONS, MOMENTUM AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL HOOSIERS.

THIS IS OUR TIME, INDIANA.

NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT FOR DECADES TO COME.

AND THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS OUR GREAT STATE, AND GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] ♪ >> THIS IS SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE 2022 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S LAUREN CHAPMAN.

GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB WAS BACK IN THE STATEHOUSE FOR THIS YEAR'’S SPEECH.

IN 2021, HE PRE-TAPED THE ADDRESS DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS.

THIS YEAR HE PRESENTED HIS PRIORITIES FOR THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND HIS VISION FOR INDIANA TO A FULL CHAMBER OF LAWMAKERS.

THE GOVERNOR TOUTED THE STATE'’S ECONOMY AND NEW BUSINESSES.

HE ALSO TOUCHED ON SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS FROM THE 2021 BIENNIUM BUDGET.

AND HE TALKED ABOUT COVID-19'’S DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE HOOSIER STATE.

FOR THE REST OF THE HOUR, WE'LL GET REACTION TO THE SPEECH AND ANALYSIS OF THE GOVERNOR'S POLICIES AND POLITICS.

WITH US VIRTUALLY TONIGHT: LAURA WILSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.

ANDREW DOWNS, DIRECTOR OF THE MIKE DOWNS CENTER FOR INDIANA POLITICS AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE, ARIELLE BRANDY, PRESIDENT OF THE INDIANA YOUNG DEMOCRATS AND JENNIFER HALLOWELL% PRESIDENT OF HALLOWELL CONSULTING.

LAURA, ANDY, LET'’S START WITH YOUR INITIAL REACTIONS TO TONIGHT'S SPEECH.

LAURA, WHAT WERE YOU LISTENING FOR, AND DID THE GOVERNOR DELIVER?

>> I THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS WE QUITE FRANKLY WOULD EXPECT TO HEAR FROM GOVERNOR HOLCOMB AT THIS POINT, AND HE DEFINITELY DELIVERED ON THOSE POINTS.

YOU HEARD ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU HEARD ABOUT THE WORKFORCE, YOU HEARD ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE.

I THINK THE CHALLENGE WITH THE STATE OF THE STATE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO COVER A GAMUT OF POLICIES AND SMOOSH THEM INTO A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HOOSIERS WILL BE WILLING TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

SO IN THOSE REGARDS, I THINK HE DID DELIVER ON EVERYTHING YOU EXPECTED TO HEAR AND SEE.

I DON'T THINK THERE WERE MANY SURPRISES, QUITE FRANKLY, BUT I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE THINGS I THOUGHT WAS REALLY A HIGHLIGHT AT LEAST FOR ME LISTENING AT THE END WHERE HE SAYS HE BEGS, HE PLEADS, HE REALLY DEPOLITICIZED THE QUESTION OF THE VACCINE AND ASKED ALL HOOSIERS TO DO THAT.

YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN A STATE OF THE STATE, AND TO BE FAIR, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE STATE OF THE STATES DURING INTERNATIONAL PANDEMICS, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REAL MOMENT OF LEADERSHIP AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT AT THE VERY END THERE.

>> AND WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT COVID-19 IN JUST A SECOND, BUT ANDY, LET'S GO OVER TO YOU.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM TONIGHT'S SPEECH?

>> GOVERNOR HOLCOMB IS VERY CONSISTENT IN HIS DELIVERY OF SPEECHES.

FOR SOME FOLKS, YOU LISTEN TO HIM AND THEY'RE REALLY GREAT AT ONE POINT, THEY'RE NOT SO GOOD THE NEXT TIME.

HE'S REALLY CONSISTENT IN THE WAY HE DELIVERS A SPEECH, AND I THINK PART OF THAT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT HE ACTUALLY COVERS MUCH OF THE SAME MATERIAL OR AT LEAST SUBJECT AREAS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE HE'S RUNNING AWAY FROM SOMETHING THAT HE SAID HE WANTED TO DO A YEAR AGO AND THEN DOESN'T TALK ABOUT IT THE NEXT YEAR.

AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY SHOULD APPLAUD THAT.

IT DOESN'T SOUND PARTICULARLY EXCITING BUT HE IS KIND OF INCREMENTAL IN WHAT HE DOES, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU DO THESE THINGS INCREMENTALLY, YOU ALSO CREATE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY WILL LIVE BEYOND YOU.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT IN FOREST, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT IN TRAILS, INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT MOVE BEYOND YOU OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO PROGRAMS LIKE THE READI PROGRAM, THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SO POPULAR THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY HARD FOR ANYBODY TO SAY MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT AGAIN, AND SO IN SOME RESPECTS, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM HIM.

HE DELIVERED IT WELL, AND HE COVERED A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT WE WOULD EXPECT HIM TO COVER.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE.

JENNIFER HALLOWELL, I'D REALLY LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OVERALL REACTION, ESPECIALLY AS OUR REPUBLICAN PANELIST.

>> I REALLY THINK THE SPEECH IS QUINTESSENTIAL GOVERNOR HOLCOMB.

HE'S AN OPTIMIST, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN AN OPTIMIST, HE ALWAYS FOCUSES ON THINGS THAT UNITE US AND DON'T DIVIDE US, HE DOESN'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUTSIDE OF THAT, AND I THINK IT ALSO KIND OF FOCUSED ON THE BIG PICTURE.

THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT FACE THE STATE, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, CONNECTIVITY, WORKFORCE, JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS, AS ANDY MENTIONED, HE'S FOCUSED ON THE BIG PICTURE AND CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS IN ALL THOSE AREAS AND NOT DISTRACTED BY SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.

SO I THOUGHT IT WAS FANTASTIC, AND REALLY A GREAT SPEECH.

>> AND ARIELLE BRANDY, WHAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM THE SPEECH TONIGHT?

>> YEAH, I THINK THE GOVERNOR DEFINITELY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB AT TOUTING INDIANA AS THE PLACE FOR MORE OPPORTUNITY AND ALSO TALKING MORE ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MADE IN OUR STATE, SO IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THAT BROKEN DOWN.

AND ALSO LIKE LAURA SAID, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A GOVERNOR THAT BELIEVES IN SCIENCE AND IS REALLY TAKING THIS PANDEMIC SERIOUSLY, SO TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE END THAT WITH A STRONG MESSAGE FOR HOOSIERS IS GREAT.

THE ONE THING I WILL SAY ON A PARTISAN SIDE IS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO REALLY TALK ABOUT HOW DEMOCRATS DELIVERED.

A LOT OF THESE INVESTMENTS FOR OUR STATE FEDERALLY.

IT WAS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN THAT HAD BROUGHT A LOT OF THAT TO THE STATE, AND IT WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE HIM REACH ACROSS THE AISLE AND REALLY GIVE THAT THANKS TO DEMOCRATS FOR BEING ABLE TO DELIVER FOR HOOSIER FAMILIES.

>> AND ON THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC COVID-19, THE GOVERNOR SAVED COVID-19 FOR THE LAST CHUNK OF HIS SPEECH.

OBVIOUSLY HE'S NAVIGATING A LOT OF POLITICAL PRESSURES, JENNIFER, LET'S START WITH YOU, TALKING ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.

>> WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS NOW FOR LONGER THAN ANY OF US WANT TO.

HE'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO IGNORE IT, IT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATELY PLACED AT THE END OF THE SPEECH AS WE HOPEFULLY ARE LOOKING TO THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL HERE, AND AGAIN, AS I SAID BEFORE, FOCUSING ON THINGS THAT UNITE US AND TRYING TO BRING FOLKS TOGETHER IN THE WAY THAT WE CAN TO BE SAFE AND SO I THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATELY PLACED AND NOT NEED TO SPEND ANY MORE KIND OF TIME ON WHAT MIGHT DIVIDE US ON THIS ISSUE.

>> ARIELLE, THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T LAY OUT ANY PARTICULAR POLICIES ON THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS ON COVID-19, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONTEXT THAT WE DID ACTUALLY HIT A PANDEMIC RECORD FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS TODAY?

>> YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR IS THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN POLITICIZED SO MUCH, WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH TEARING APART FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE OVER MASK MANDATES, WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE THEM, OUR VACCINES, WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE.

WE HAD ROKITA TELLING US THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE PANDEMIC HAPPENING AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO SEE FROM THE GOVERNOR AND I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IS REALLY THAT PUSH FOR GETTING EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF PARTY PARTISANSHIP, TO REALLY REALIZE THAT THIS PANDEMIC IS REAL, AND THAT THE FACT THAT WE ARE SEEING MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE NEW VARIANT, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT HOW WE'RE REALLY ADVOCATING TOWARDS GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED AND ALSO HOW WE'RE NOT POLITICIZING WHAT THIS VACCINE OR WHAT THIS PANDEMIC IS DOING TO HOOSIERS HERE IN OUR STATE.

>> LET'S GO TO ANDY ON THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SHOEING SOME OF THE POLITICIZATION OF COVID-19 IN THIS PARTICULAR SPEECH?

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT PART OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID SOME TIME AGO IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE NOW IN A WAY THAT SHOULD ALLOW FOR MORE LOCALIZED STEPS TO BE TAKEN, AND IF HE REALLY CONTINUES TO THINK THAT, I THINK HE DOES, THEN HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE ROLLING OUT A BIG PLAN FOR WHAT TO DO AND, INSTEAD, MAKE A COUPLE OF STATEMENTS IN GENERAL ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING, MAKE STATEMENTS THAT ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF VACCINES, THE DANGERS OF BEING INFECTED AND HOSPITALIZED AND THEN, OF COURSE, THANKING THE PEOPLE WHO DO THOSE THANKLESS JOBS, BUT REALLY IN THE END, PUSH BACK TO THE COUNTIES TO HAVE THEM AND CITIES TO HAVE THEM TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN PLACES.

THAT'S WHAT HE SAID WE SHOULD DO A WHILE AGO, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S STILL SORT OF DOING THROUGH HIS WORDS TONIGHT.

>> STICKING ON THE SAME TOPIC, LAURA, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR THAT DOES REALLY PUT THE EYETHEONUS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CONTEXT THE GOVERNOR MADE THESE COMMENTS IN?

>> WELL, IT MAKES SENSE.

CERTAINLY AS ANDY SAID, IF THAT IS HIS PERSPECTIVE AND STRATEGY, AND THAT MAKES SENSE IDEALOGICALLY, THAT ALIGNS WITH THE POLICY POSITIONS HE'S HAD BEFORE, SO NONE OF THIS IS UNUSUAL OR UNEXPECTED, THEN HE SHOULD ADDRESS IT AS HE DID, HE MENTIONED IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS POWERFUL WITH THAT MESSAGE AT THE END THAT HE'S BEGGING AND PLEADING FOR VACCINATION AND HE ALSO GAVE THOSE NUMBERS SAYING THIS IS AS BIG AS HAVING FOLKS IN CRAWFORD AND HUNTINGTON AND JASPER, BUT IF HE BELIEVES IT'S LOCALIZED, I BELIEVE WITH ANDY, I THINK HE DOES, THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY AND A NICE BALANCE AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO THAT, BUT THE NICE BALANCE OF BEING ABLE TO SAY I'M THE GOVERNOR, I'M THE LEADER OF THE STATE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, THIS IS WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, I'M ASKING PEOPLE AS THE HEAD OF STATE TO DO THIS, BUT ALSO HE'S NOT GOING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS OF THE POLICY BECAUSE HE HAS ALREADY SAID HE THINKS THAT SHOULD BE A LOCAL LEVEL DECISION.

IT'S HARD TO DO THAT, AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CRITICS AND ANALYSTS LIKE US THAT WILL SAY DID HE TALK ABOUT TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH.

BUT AT LEAST IN TERMS OF LINING UP WITH WHAT HE SAID BEFORE AND HIS POLICY, HIS IDEOLOGY, ALL THESE LINE UP COMPLETELY.

>> THAT MAKES A TON OF SENSE.

IN FACT, I BELIEVE WITH THE DEATH COUNT TODAY, THAT THE TOTAL POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO'VE DIED FROM COVID-19 IN INDIANA IS NOW LARGER THAN 17 COUNTIES IN THE STATE.

MOVING ON, THOUGH, THE GOVERNOR TALKED ABOUT OTHER HEALTH PRIORITIES LIKE SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND INFANT MORTALITY.

THE COMMISSION HE CREATED WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AHEAD OF THE NEXT STATE BUDGET.

WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONS OVER THE YEARS.

DOES THIS HOLISTIC VIEW MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE?

LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO LAURA TO START.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.

AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS WE UNDERSTAND NONE OF THESE ISSUES ARE ISOLATED, AND SO RATHER THAN HAVING DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT LEAD AND HAVE SEPARATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, SEPARATE RESPONSIBILITIES, SEPARATE BUDGETS, BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION WHERE YOU ARE HAVING PEOPLE COMMUNICATING, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE DIFFERENT, YOU TALK ABOUT INFANT MORTALITY AND ADDICTION, TWO MAJOR ISSUES IN OUR STATE WHERE HE ADMITTED WE'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL AND WANT TO BE BETTER AT, THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

THERE ARE STRATEGIES, THERE ARE TACTICS, THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM TRYING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN ONE AREA, TO BE SUCCESSFUL, MAYBE CONVENE THAT IN ANOTHER WAY.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF HOLISTIC APPROACH, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE INDIVIDUALIZED, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION WILL MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNICATION IS VERY CLEAR, AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LEARN FROM WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT, TRYING TO ULTIMATELY MAKE THE MOST IMPACT WE CAN FOR OUR STATE.

>> GOING BACK TO ARIELLE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FROM THE DEM C TICKDEMOCRATIC PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE HAD THESE COMMISSIONS FOR A LONG TIME, THESE ARE NOT NEW ISSUES TO INDIANA, DO YOU THINK THIS IS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT KIND OF POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE?

>> I THINK ANY INVESTMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HOOSIERS IS GOOD.

WHETHER IT'S FROM OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND ALSO FOR ME, MOST IMPORTANTLY, INVESTING IN MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT AND HIGH PRIORITY.

WE KNOW THAT THE STATE OF INDIANA FOR BLACK OTHERS, THE LIKELIHOOD OF YOU MAKING IT OUT OF CHILDBIRTH IS VERY SLIM.

MAKING TO 1-YEAR-OLD IS EVEN SLIMMER.

AND I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF ADDRESSES, HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ADAMANT ABOUT MENTIONING MATERNAL HEALTH, I'D LIKE TO SEE OUR STATE BE BETTER AT INVESTING IN ACTUAL WHAT WE CAN DO FOR MOTHERS AND BABIES, SPECIFICALLY BLACK MOTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE HERE IN ST. JOSEPH COUNTY WHERE I'M AT, WE SEE THE OUTCOMES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND IT'S VERY GLIM.

FOR ME, AS SOMEONE WHO'S A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL, ALREADY A MOTHER, THINKING ABOUT HAVING MORE KIDS IN THE FUTURE, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT I'M PROMISED WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF CHILDBIRTH AND KNOW THAT MY CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE AFTER WARDS, BEING ABLE TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF INVESTMENTS INTO MATERNAL HEALTH IS GOING TO MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT BUILDING A FAMILY OR ALREADY ARE MOTHERS AND WANT TO SEE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

>> JENNIFER, WE'LL TAKE THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE STRATEGY IS REALLY GOING TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS IN THE STATEHOUSE?

>> I THINK SO, AND I THINK IT DOES TAKE TIME.

THESE ARE REALLY COMPLICATED ISSUES.

AND PERHAPS THE HARDEST TO MAKE CHANGE IN THE STATE BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT LIKE BUILDING A ROAD FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE CAN JUST PUT MONEY INTO THAT.

THIS REQUIRES MONEY AND A WHOLE% LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

I THINK YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE THINGS, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING OUR STATE AND OTHERS BUT THE SUICIDE RATES IN INDIANA HAVE REALLY GROWN OVER THE YEARS AND HE MENTIONED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CROUCH IS VERY FOCUSED ON THIS.

I THINK ON THIS AND OTHER TOPICS, HE'S SETTING THE STAGE FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH WILL BE HIS LAST BUDGET SESSION, HE'S SETTING THE STAGE FOR WHAT IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE, I THINK, BUDGET TO TACKLE SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR.

>> A PERFECT SEGUE INTO OUR NEXT TOPIC.

THE GOVERNOR IS CALLING FOR TARGETED TAX CUTS FOR BUSINESSES TO BOOST INVESTMENTS AND GROWTH.

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE PROPOSED SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER TAX CUTS.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH ANDY, WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS WILL END UP LANDING?

>> THIS WILL BE INTERESTING.

THE SHORT SESSION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS INTENDED TO BE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE JUST ANOTHER SESSION WHERE WE DON'T DO THE BUDGET, BUT FOR EXTREME SITUATIONS.

WE NOW SEE IT VERY MUCH AS JUST ANOTHER SESSION.

OPENING UP THE BUDGET OR GETTING INTO TAX ISSUES IN THIS SHORT SESSION.

I THINK SOMETHING JENNIFER MENTIONED IS WORTH ECHOING HERE.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS A LITTLE FORESHADOWING OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE BUDGET.

SO I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TAX CUTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL ACTUALLY HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT YEAR IN ADDITION TO THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE IN THE BUDGET SESSION AS WELL.

>> LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THAT SPECIFIC TOPIC.

I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW SPENDING, MUCH OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH WAS DEDICATED TO THAT FUTURE SPENDING WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, HOLDING OFF UNTIL 2023 FOR A LOT OF LARGER INVESTMENTS IN THE STATE.

DEMOCRATS HAVE OUTLINED A NUMBER OF NEW INVESTMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM THE STATE IN THEIR PRIORITIES.

LET'S GO ACTUALLY AHEAD AND START OFF WITH ARIELLE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS STRATEGY OF KIND OF PUMPING THE BRAKES FOR THE MOMENT?

>> I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR WANTING TO PUMP THE BRAKES BUT FOR HOOSIER FAMILIES THAT STRUGGLING ON A DAILY BASIS AND THEY NEED THOSE INVESTMENTS NOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO GET THEM TO WRAP THEIR MINDS AROUND WHAT PUTTING A PAUSE TO SOMETHING AND WAITING FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS ACTUALLY MEANS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN BARELY UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF CIVIC EDUCATION HALF OF THE TIME, SO FOR US TO SAY LET'S PAUSE THE BRAKE ON THESE INVESTMENTS WHEN HOOSIER FAMILIES ARE HURTING, IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNOPTIMISTIC.

SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THOSE DIRECT INVESTMENTS TO THE FAMILIES THAT NEED THEM.

THIS PANDEMIC HIT NOT ONLY BUSINESS OWNERS AND FAMILIES HARD, BUT LOW WAGE WORKERS, MIDDLE CLASS WORKERS, WE WERE ALL STRUGGLING AND STILL ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT OUT OF THIS ECONOMY, SO I THINK MAKING THOSE DIRECT INVESTMENTS NOW WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES TO NOT ONLY COME OUT OF POVERTY BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.

>> KIND OF GOING BACK TO SOME OF THAT TAX CUT DISCUSSION, JENNIFER, I'M CURIOUS, WE ARE SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND SPECIFICALLY HOUSE REPUBLICANS, NOT ONLY ON THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR APPROACH TO NEW TAX CUTS BUT ALSO THE WAY THAT THEY ARE APPROACHING THEIR BILL THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BAN VACCINE MANDATES.

I'M KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT HOW SOME OF THAT TENSION IS PLAYING OUT AND FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, DO YOU SEE THIS AS KIND OF PUBLIC INFIGHTING OR IS THIS JUST KIND OF A NATURAL PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS?

>> IT'S DEFINITELY A NATURAL PART OF THE PROCESS.

CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE BORING IF WE ALL AGREED EVERY TIME ON EVERYTHING BUT IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL PICTURE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FINDING A NEW BALANCE AND WITH THE BACKDROP OF A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR SAID WHICH I THOUGHT WERE REALLY NEWSWORTHY IS, WE'VE REDUCED OUR STATE DEBT BY 24%.

WE ARE NUMBER ONE IN GDP GROWTH, WE'RE NUMBER ONE IN PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH, AND WE'VE SEEN WAGES GO UP FOR ALL KINDS OF WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE WHICH IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO INVEST IN THINGS, WE'VE ALSO SEEN TEACHER SALARIES GO UP BASED ON THE BIG INVESTMENT THAT WAS MADE LAST YEAR IN THE SESSION.

SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY HAVING AN IMPACT ON EVERY HOOSIER AND THEIR POCKETBOOK, SO WE HAVE THAT HAPPENING AND WE HAVE THIS AUTOMATIC TAXPAYER REFUND GOING OUT WHICH IS GOING TO IMPACT 3 MILLION HOOSIERS.

SO THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING NOW WHILE WE ARE SETTING THE STAGE FOR ADDITIONAL THINGS TO COME.

>> LAURA, LET'S GO TO YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THAT TENSION THAT WE'RE SEEING BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW -- IT'S JUST KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE THIS KIND OF OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TENSION?

>> YEAH, AS JENNIFER SAID, IT WOULD BE BORING IF WE ALL AGREED ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT MORE CONFLICT, IT FEELS, IN THE NEARLY TWO YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD COVID, AND SEE THAT PLAY OUT, BOTH WITHIN THE INDIANA ASSEMBLY, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH VERSUS THE EXECUTIVE, WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE GOVERNOR.

I THINK THE POSITIVE PART OF THIS, AND I'M AN OPTIMIST SO I WILL TAKE THAT SPIN, BUT IT'S HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES IT'S VERY EASY TO OVERSIMPLIFY POLITICS AND SAY, WELL.

REPUBLICANS THINK THIS WAY, DEMOCRATS THINK THAT WAY.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF DIVERSITY WITHIN THE UMBRELLAS OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES, AND THAT'S TRUE HERE IN INDIANA, OF COURSE IT'S TRUE NATIONALLY.

AS WE SEE THOSE DEBATES PLAY OUT, SOMETIMES THEY'RE IDEOLOGICAL, SOMETIMES THEY'RE MORE PRAGMATIC, SOMETIMES THEY'RE BASED ON PRINCIPLE AND SOMETIMES THEY SEEM VERY REALISTIC TO A CONSTITUENT, A NICHE CONSTITUENT.

BUT AS WE DO WATCH THOSE, I THINK THE BENEFIT IS FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT THERE IS A VARIETY OF OPINION AND THE LARGEST -- CONSTITUTIONALITY AND ALSO THE LARGER IDEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS, WHAT WE THINK GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN, WHICH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WHO IN GOVERNMENT, THINGS THAT I THINK AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST, I GET REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BUT I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO.

>> I DO KIND OF WANT TO GO BACK VERY BRIEFLY TO ANDY.

I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THAT THIS STRATEGY WILL PAY OFF FOR THE GOVERNOR, KIND OF KICKING THAT FUTURE SPENDING TO 2023?

>> WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE IS HAVE A TRACK RECORD FOR DOING.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE EXPECT.

AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT REPUBLICANS VERSUS DEMOCRATS BUT REALLY ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT LEGISLATIVE BODIES AT THE BICAMERAL STRUCTURE IS TO SAY IT'S THE HOUSE AGAINST THE SENATE, WHETHER THEY'RE OF THE SAME PARTY OR DIFFERENT PARTIES.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, AS CAUCUSES, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

OF COURSE IF THE TWO CAUCUSES, IF THE TWO CHAMBERS CAN'T COME TOGETHER, THEN THE GOVERNOR IS NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AND IT WILL GET KICKED TO THE BUDGET YEAR.

WE JUST HAVE THE TO WAIT TO WAIT AND SEE HOW IT WILL PLAY OUT.

THERE WILL BE A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION.

I THINK PART OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS YEAR IS WHETHER THESE ARE GOING TO BE ONE TIME EXPENDITURES OR RECURRING EXPENDITURES.

IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO SAY HERE'S MONEY TO BUILD A BUILDING, TO BUILD A ROAD, THAN TO SAY HERE'S MONEY TO RAISE WAGES.

THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

>> AND TO WRAP THINGS UP, I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY, WHAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION ARE YOU WATCHING FOR THIS YEAR?

LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH JENNIFER.

>> WELL, I'LL SAY KIND OF EYE TO THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR TALKED ABOUT THE BIG SOLAR PROJECT, AND LAST SESSION WE SAW THE SOLAR SIDING BILL GET KIND OF CAUGHT UP IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS AND DIFFERENT INTERESTS, AND I THINK IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE MAYBE WHAT HAPPENS ON SOME OF THE SOLAR ISSUES AND BATTERY STORAGE, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES WILL BE INTERESTING THAT ARE A LITTLE LESS TALKED ABOUT IN THE SPEECH.

>> ARIELLE, WE'LL GO TO YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

>> WELL I THINK THE GOVERNOR COVERED A LOT OF WHAT I'M GOING TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO.

I MEAN, I'M A MOM OF SCHOOL AGED KIDS, MY PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE THEIR EDUCATION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.

WE ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE HOW THOSE INVESTMENTS FOR K-12 ARE REALLY GOING TO PAY OFF FOR MY KIDS BECAUSE I CARE A LOT ABOUT THEIR FUTURE AND FOR THEIR CLASSMATES.

I ALSO HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE EDUCATORS, SO I'M GOING TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THAT PAY RAISE LOOKS LIKE FOR US.

I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO SEE US BUMP IT UP SO WE COULD BE MATCHING SURROUNDING STATES AROUND US.

BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE EDUCATION AND SEEING HOW THAT SHAPES UP, ESPECIALLY FOR URBAN AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR GUESTS THIS EVENING.

JENNIFER HALLOWELL, PRESIDENT OF HALLOWELL CONSULTING, ARIELLE BRANDY, PRESIDENT OF INDIANA YOUNG DEMOCRATS, ANDY DOWNS, DIRECTOR OF THE MIKE DOWNS CENTER FOR INDIANA POLITICS AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE, AND LAURA WILSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.

I'M LAUREN CHAPMAN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THIS HAS BEEN SPECIAL COVERAGE OF GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB'S 2022 STATE OF THE STATE.

FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

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