Indianapolis, In. — With the start of the 2019 legislative session just around the corner, I am grateful for another opportunity to serve our community. This session, legislators will work to address many topics. Personally, I am excited to start working on workforce development opportunities for public safety officers, safety protocol improvements for local schools and our state budget.
As a former firefighter with the Indianapolis Fire Department for 26 years, I know the important role public safety officers play in our community. I plan to introduce legislation that would provide public safety officers with workforce ready scholarship grants so they can pursue an associate degree or bachelor’s degree from either Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University. These educational opportunities would help public safety officers gain and maintain valuable skills, while making public safety a more attractive career option.
Throughout my years as a firefighter, I learned every minute counts in emergency situations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, uncontrolled post-trauma bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death among trauma patients. “Stop the Bleed” is a nationwide initiative to place life-saving control kits in public venues like schools and community centers in case of emergencies. Under legislation I plan to author, “Stop the Bleed” protocols and kits would be placed in every school. All school personnel would be trained to use these kits, and they would be mounted on the wall near AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, for easy access.
Our top priority this session will be crafting the state’s biennial budget. Indiana has a history of strong fiscal discipline and honestly balanced budgets. Our AAA credit rating lowers the state’s borrowing rates, making projects like roads and bridge maintenance less expensive. During this legislative session, we will work to sustainably fund education, Medicaid, health and human services, corrections, public safety and capital projects while continuing to live within our means just like Hoosiers do every day.
Once session starts, you can track these bills and other legislation as they move through the process and watch live committee meetings and House proceedings by visiting iga.in.gov.
Throughout the year, it is important we stay connected. I will continue to provide updates on legislation as it moves through the process, and I encourage you to sign up to receive my e-newsletters by visiting in.gov/h67. Knowing your thoughts and opinions on topics impacting the state help me make decisions on legislation that comes before me, and you can contact me at 312-234-9450 or [email protected].
