Variety of issues

Travis Holdman spent about 15 minutes explaining two of the key issues in front of the state legislature this year. Jay County residents had other topics of interest to discuss.

Attendees at Saturday’s Third House Session, sponsored by Jay County Chamber of Commerce at Community Resource Center, had a variety of questions for their state senator, but not much to say about the state budget or the hate crimes bill that has gotten statewide attention. Topics that drew significant discussion included drug abuse and treatment, career and technical education funding oversight and redistricting reform.

Holdman (R-Markle), the state senator for the 19th district, was solo at the event Saturday as State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) was unable to attend. He and his wife Brooke were at the hospital following the birth of their second child. 

(The Commercial Review will be meeting with Prescott this week to discuss his thoughts on the legislative session thus far. Anyone who has specific questions for him can email them to [email protected].)

Nick Miller, president of Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition, launched a discussion about the local and state drug epidemic, asking what measures the legislature is undertaking this year to try to combat the problem. Holdman responded that lawmakers are in somewhat of a holding pattern in an effort to see how legislation passed over the last two years, including to limit opioid prescriptions, would impact the state. He also noted that Gov. Eric Holcomb has authorized an additional drug treatment center.

“When I was a kid growing up, if somebody was on drugs they were a ‘bad person,’” added Holdman, specifically referencing those who get hooked after being prescribed a narcotic or opioid drug. “We’ve come to understand that … it’s a brain issue … It’s not because you’re a bad person.

“I think we need to start to change our frame of reference and our mindset that we have about people who have a drug issue. They need help.”

Brittany Kloer, an agriculture teacher at Jay County High School, expressed concern about the possible removal of oversight of how CTE dollars are spent. She also questioned a move that would cut the requirement of professional experience required for those without a teacher’s license to lead such courses.

House Bill 1002, which addresses Kloer’s first concern, passed the House unanimously and has been referred to the Senate.

Rick Gibson asked about redistricting reform, with Holdman responding that there are no plans for such reform this year. The senator said he does not support efforts to create an independent commission.

Gibson and Holdman went back-and-forth on the issue, with the former saying there is a need for more balance in state government. Holdman said any redistricting change would require amending the state constitution, which says the legislature is responsible for drawing district lines.

Other questions from the about 35 in attendance Saturday covered topics including local control of Department of Child Services offices, potential tax changes, senior citizen and other vouchers for local farmers markets, vaping, solar energy, industrial hemp and environmental issues.

In his opening statements, Holdman reiterated that most of the additional funding available in the two-year budget is needed for additional staff and improvements in DCS and to cover Medicaid obligations. He added that the House version of the budget includes an increase of just over 2 percent in funding for schools, and that Holcomb has committed to spending $150 million from the state’s reserves to help with the teachers’ state retirement fund.

On the topic of the hate crimes bill, he said Republicans removed the list that specified “race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, disability, nation origin, ancestry, sexual orientation and age” in favor of one word — bias — explaining that judges in the state already have the ability to give longer sentences if there are aggravating factors involved in crimes. Holcomb, who has advocated for the legislation as Indiana is one of just five states without a hate crimes bill, is unhappy with the legislature, Holdman said, but added that “the governor isn’t necessarily always right.”

Holdman’s staff offered a live webcast of the event. The archived video can be viewed at bit.ly/2BROWyK.