January 7, 2016 at 6:13 p.m.
Session is not just about politics
Editorial
I don’t care about politics.
That’s a phrase we’ve all heard a time or two.
There are a lot of voting-aged citizens who don’t pay attention to politics at all.
Some feel like those representing them don’t really represent them. Others find distaste in the amount of money involved. Some just don’t want to spend their time worrying about any of it.
But one doesn’t have to care about politics to care about politics.
That may seem illogical, but take a moment to consider …
We all care about something.
Maybe it’s gun control.
Or gun ownership rights.
Maybe it’s our roads.
Maybe it’s our schools.
Maybe it’s civil rights.
Maybe it’s religious liberty.
Or maybe it’s something far less serious, like fantasy football.
Anyone who cares about any of those things, or a nearly unending list of others, cares in some way about politics. That’s because politicians — the men and women we elect to represent us, from the president of the United States to our town board members — are the ones who make the rules about those issues and a litany of others that effect our everyday lives.
Two of the men — Rep. Greg Beumer (R-Modoc) and Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) — who represent us at the state level will make a visit Saturday to Jay County to hear from you about whatever you care about.
Jay County Chamber of Commerce will host the legislators in what is called a Third House Session at 11 a.m. Saturday at Community Resource Center, 118 S. Meridian St., Portland.
These sessions, which are held throughout the state, offer local residents a face-to-face forum with their representatives. Generally, Beumer and Holdman will each speak for five minutes or so, and the rest of the hour-long event is open to questions and concerns from those in attendance.
Holdman has introduced perhaps the most high-profile proposal of the 2016 session with Senate Bill 100, which stems from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was passed last year. The measure is an effort to balance religious liberty and civil rights protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) Hoosiers.
That issue may be high on your priority list. Or, you may think it’s much ado about nothing.
Either way, it’s far from the only thing the legislature will be discussing this year.
Beumer has introduced one bill that would repeal a requirement passed during the 2015 session that all candidates for city court judge to be attorneys, another that would create a sales tax exemption for gold and silver bullion and a third that exempts property owners from being forced to connect to municipal sewer systems in certain circumstances.
Holdman has proposed legislation to help prevent the sale of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, which are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, from being sold to those who have drug-related felonies on their record.
Other bills that have already been filed deal with:
•Regulations for operations that slaughter poultry.
•Whether Sunday alcohol sales should be allowed.
•Setting rules about equipment and supplies for beauty schools.
•Requiring eight hours of training for those applying for handgun licenses.
•Making battery on a sports official a Class A misdemeanor.
•Requiring electricity suppliers to produce at least 25 percent of their power via renewable resources by the end of 2026.
•Designating the firefly as the state insect.
And that’s just a short list of the proposals for 2016.
If you care about any of those listed, or really anything at all, take advantage of the opportunity to let Beumer and Holdman know Saturday. And if you’re not available, at least fill out the legislative surveys that have been sent via mail and are also available at http://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/constituent-survey-hd-33/ and http://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/forms/senator-holdman-2016-legislative-survey/.
We can’t speak for the entire General Assembly, but Beumer and Holdman take the answers to those surveys seriously and use them when they make decisions in Indianapolis.
Instead of thinking about politics when considering a visit to Saturday’s session, think about your daily life and the lives of all Hoosiers.
That’s something we all care about. — R.C.
That’s a phrase we’ve all heard a time or two.
There are a lot of voting-aged citizens who don’t pay attention to politics at all.
Some feel like those representing them don’t really represent them. Others find distaste in the amount of money involved. Some just don’t want to spend their time worrying about any of it.
But one doesn’t have to care about politics to care about politics.
That may seem illogical, but take a moment to consider …
We all care about something.
Maybe it’s gun control.
Or gun ownership rights.
Maybe it’s our roads.
Maybe it’s our schools.
Maybe it’s civil rights.
Maybe it’s religious liberty.
Or maybe it’s something far less serious, like fantasy football.
Anyone who cares about any of those things, or a nearly unending list of others, cares in some way about politics. That’s because politicians — the men and women we elect to represent us, from the president of the United States to our town board members — are the ones who make the rules about those issues and a litany of others that effect our everyday lives.
Two of the men — Rep. Greg Beumer (R-Modoc) and Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) — who represent us at the state level will make a visit Saturday to Jay County to hear from you about whatever you care about.
Jay County Chamber of Commerce will host the legislators in what is called a Third House Session at 11 a.m. Saturday at Community Resource Center, 118 S. Meridian St., Portland.
These sessions, which are held throughout the state, offer local residents a face-to-face forum with their representatives. Generally, Beumer and Holdman will each speak for five minutes or so, and the rest of the hour-long event is open to questions and concerns from those in attendance.
Holdman has introduced perhaps the most high-profile proposal of the 2016 session with Senate Bill 100, which stems from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was passed last year. The measure is an effort to balance religious liberty and civil rights protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) Hoosiers.
That issue may be high on your priority list. Or, you may think it’s much ado about nothing.
Either way, it’s far from the only thing the legislature will be discussing this year.
Beumer has introduced one bill that would repeal a requirement passed during the 2015 session that all candidates for city court judge to be attorneys, another that would create a sales tax exemption for gold and silver bullion and a third that exempts property owners from being forced to connect to municipal sewer systems in certain circumstances.
Holdman has proposed legislation to help prevent the sale of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, which are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, from being sold to those who have drug-related felonies on their record.
Other bills that have already been filed deal with:
•Regulations for operations that slaughter poultry.
•Whether Sunday alcohol sales should be allowed.
•Setting rules about equipment and supplies for beauty schools.
•Requiring eight hours of training for those applying for handgun licenses.
•Making battery on a sports official a Class A misdemeanor.
•Requiring electricity suppliers to produce at least 25 percent of their power via renewable resources by the end of 2026.
•Designating the firefly as the state insect.
And that’s just a short list of the proposals for 2016.
If you care about any of those listed, or really anything at all, take advantage of the opportunity to let Beumer and Holdman know Saturday. And if you’re not available, at least fill out the legislative surveys that have been sent via mail and are also available at http://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/constituent-survey-hd-33/ and http://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/forms/senator-holdman-2016-legislative-survey/.
We can’t speak for the entire General Assembly, but Beumer and Holdman take the answers to those surveys seriously and use them when they make decisions in Indianapolis.
Instead of thinking about politics when considering a visit to Saturday’s session, think about your daily life and the lives of all Hoosiers.
That’s something we all care about. — R.C.
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