Take Five: 5 Things you Need to Know About Indiana Government - April 2022
April 5, 2022
By: Amy M. Levander and Amy E. Schwarz
1. Legislative Vetoes and Technical Corrections Day
Governor Holcomb has vetoed two bills out of the 177 bills that were sent to his desk by the Indiana General Assembly: HEA 1211 and HEA 1041. HEA 1211 was a bill that originally dealt with blockchain technology but was amended in the final days of session to include language regarding requirements for broadband infrastructure and language from House Bill 1100 concerning executive rulemaking authority. HEA 1041 would have prohibited transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports in K-12 schools. After the veto was issued on HEA 1041, Speaker Todd Huston pledged that the House would take action on a veto override when they return for Technical Corrections Day, currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 24.
2. Republican Primary Overview
It is open season for Republican primaries in the Indiana House of Representatives, with 23 races involving Republican incumbents. Some races to watch include: HD 22 (Warsaw), where Rep. Craig Snow takes on Rep. Curt Nisly after the two were drawn into the same district; HD 81 (Ft. Wayne), where House Insurance Chair Rep. Martin Carbaugh is challenged by David Mervar; HD 50 (Huntington), where Rep. Dan Leonard faces Lorissa Sweet; HD 91 (Marion County), where House Education Chair and longest-serving House Republican Rep. Bob Behning runs against David Hewitt; and HD 60 (Martinsville), where Rep. Peggy Mayfield squares off against Brittany Carroll.
A combination of the redistricting process that occurred in the fall of 2021 and backlash over government action taken in response to COVID-19 have led to an influx of Republican primary challengers in the House that is unprecedented in recent years. It has been widely speculated that some of the controversial issues tackled by the House of Representatives this year were driven by potential primary challenges, although the results of the session did not seem to ward off primary opponents for House Republican incumbents.
Surprisingly, only two contested primaries involving incumbents will occur in the Senate. Sen. Kevin Boehnlein (New Albany), who has the support of Senate leadership and the Senate Majority Caucus Committee, will face Sen. Gary Byrne (Byrneville), who won a caucus to replace former Sen. Erin Houchin in January. Their respective Senate districts were drawn together during the redistricting process. Sen Mike Gaskill (Anderson) also faces a primary challenger, Evan McMullen. Outside of the two Senate races mentioned above, another notable Senate primary involves the open SD 14 (formerly represented by Sen. Dennis Kruse) in Eastern Allen County. Here, businessman Ron Turpin faces Dr. Tyler Johnson, an emergency physician, in a primary contest that is quickly heating up.
3. Governor’s Public Health Commission
The Governor’s Public Health Commission has finished its meetings on specific health topics and is now moving to draft recommendations for the Governor. The Commission will be discussing and voting on recommendations on the topics of governance/infrastructure, data and information integration, and workforce at the April meeting and childhood and adolescent health, funding, and emergency preparedness at the May meeting, with a capstone meeting in June to make final recommendations and sign off on the full report. You can view the Commission’s website resources here or ask any member of the Governmental Affairs Team for more information.
4. Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Requests
Each year, the United States Congress has a constitutional obligation to pass legislation, known as annual appropriation bills, which fund the operations of the federal government and maintain services for the American public. The appropriations bill funds all of the federal government’s activities. Congress is beginning the Fiscal Year 2023 funding cycle, and members may submit “programmatic requests” on behalf of local organizations, like public safety. In addition to programmatic requests, Congress is once again providing local communities the opportunity to submit applications for Community Project Funding Requests, for a very limited number of specific projects. More information about the Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Requests can be found here. The deadline to submit an appropriations request is April 11, 2022.
5. Krieg DeVault Welcomes New Legislative Coordinator
Krieg DeVault welcomes Bianca Mizimakoski to the firm as the Government Affairs Practice Group’s Legislative Coordinator. Prior to joining Krieg DeVault, Bianca served as a member of the communications team with the Indiana House of Representatives. While with the House, her team contributed to caucus strategy, managed written communications, developed a media relations framework and successfully developed and grew social media platforms, including launching viral campaigns. Bianca has also served as a member of the policy team in the Indiana Senate, performing policy analysis and research, staffing committees and tracking key legislation.
Bianca began her career in healthcare, spending over a decade as a clinical care provider in a variety of setting including private practice, nonprofit, public health and higher education. In her free time Bianca enjoys traveling, spending time with her husband and 2 cats and practicing yoga. Bianca looks forward to serving clients and opportunities for professional growth with the firm.
Disclaimer. The contents of this article should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult with counsel concerning your situation and specific legal questions you may have.
Practices
Industries
April 5, 2022
By: Amy M. Levander and Amy E. Schwarz
1. Legislative Vetoes and Technical Corrections Day
Governor Holcomb has vetoed two bills out of the 177 bills that were sent to his desk by the Indiana General Assembly: HEA 1211 and HEA 1041. HEA 1211 was a bill that originally dealt with blockchain technology but was amended in the final days of session to include language regarding requirements for broadband infrastructure and language from House Bill 1100 concerning executive rulemaking authority. HEA 1041 would have prohibited transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports in K-12 schools. After the veto was issued on HEA 1041, Speaker Todd Huston pledged that the House would take action on a veto override when they return for Technical Corrections Day, currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 24.
2. Republican Primary Overview
It is open season for Republican primaries in the Indiana House of Representatives, with 23 races involving Republican incumbents. Some races to watch include: HD 22 (Warsaw), where Rep. Craig Snow takes on Rep. Curt Nisly after the two were drawn into the same district; HD 81 (Ft. Wayne), where House Insurance Chair Rep. Martin Carbaugh is challenged by David Mervar; HD 50 (Huntington), where Rep. Dan Leonard faces Lorissa Sweet; HD 91 (Marion County), where House Education Chair and longest-serving House Republican Rep. Bob Behning runs against David Hewitt; and HD 60 (Martinsville), where Rep. Peggy Mayfield squares off against Brittany Carroll.
A combination of the redistricting process that occurred in the fall of 2021 and backlash over government action taken in response to COVID-19 have led to an influx of Republican primary challengers in the House that is unprecedented in recent years. It has been widely speculated that some of the controversial issues tackled by the House of Representatives this year were driven by potential primary challenges, although the results of the session did not seem to ward off primary opponents for House Republican incumbents.
Surprisingly, only two contested primaries involving incumbents will occur in the Senate. Sen. Kevin Boehnlein (New Albany), who has the support of Senate leadership and the Senate Majority Caucus Committee, will face Sen. Gary Byrne (Byrneville), who won a caucus to replace former Sen. Erin Houchin in January. Their respective Senate districts were drawn together during the redistricting process. Sen Mike Gaskill (Anderson) also faces a primary challenger, Evan McMullen. Outside of the two Senate races mentioned above, another notable Senate primary involves the open SD 14 (formerly represented by Sen. Dennis Kruse) in Eastern Allen County. Here, businessman Ron Turpin faces Dr. Tyler Johnson, an emergency physician, in a primary contest that is quickly heating up.
3. Governor’s Public Health Commission
The Governor’s Public Health Commission has finished its meetings on specific health topics and is now moving to draft recommendations for the Governor. The Commission will be discussing and voting on recommendations on the topics of governance/infrastructure, data and information integration, and workforce at the April meeting and childhood and adolescent health, funding, and emergency preparedness at the May meeting, with a capstone meeting in June to make final recommendations and sign off on the full report. You can view the Commission’s website resources here or ask any member of the Governmental Affairs Team for more information.
4. Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Requests
Each year, the United States Congress has a constitutional obligation to pass legislation, known as annual appropriation bills, which fund the operations of the federal government and maintain services for the American public. The appropriations bill funds all of the federal government’s activities. Congress is beginning the Fiscal Year 2023 funding cycle, and members may submit “programmatic requests” on behalf of local organizations, like public safety. In addition to programmatic requests, Congress is once again providing local communities the opportunity to submit applications for Community Project Funding Requests, for a very limited number of specific projects. More information about the Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Requests can be found here. The deadline to submit an appropriations request is April 11, 2022.
5. Krieg DeVault Welcomes New Legislative Coordinator
Krieg DeVault welcomes Bianca Mizimakoski to the firm as the Government Affairs Practice Group’s Legislative Coordinator. Prior to joining Krieg DeVault, Bianca served as a member of the communications team with the Indiana House of Representatives. While with the House, her team contributed to caucus strategy, managed written communications, developed a media relations framework and successfully developed and grew social media platforms, including launching viral campaigns. Bianca has also served as a member of the policy team in the Indiana Senate, performing policy analysis and research, staffing committees and tracking key legislation.
Bianca began her career in healthcare, spending over a decade as a clinical care provider in a variety of setting including private practice, nonprofit, public health and higher education. In her free time Bianca enjoys traveling, spending time with her husband and 2 cats and practicing yoga. Bianca looks forward to serving clients and opportunities for professional growth with the firm.
Disclaimer. The contents of this article should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult with counsel concerning your situation and specific legal questions you may have.