gavel to lieutenant Governor crouch to two houses to order and present Governor Holcomb.

>> Thank you.

Pursuant to section 13 of article 5 of Indiana constitution assembly is convened for the purpose of hearing a message from the Governor.

Ladies and gentlemen of the house and senate and distinguished guests I have the high onYOO R introducing our Governor Eric Holcomb.

>> [Applause].

>> Oh, wow.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

>> Mr. Speaker.

Mr. President, Madam chief justice, lieutenant Governor, my partner, members of the general assembly, my fellow huesers it is a real honor and privilege to report to you once again on the state of our state and that is a state that is so beloved we share so much in common as Hoosiers about how we can make it just even a better place to live and work and build a future.

Please understand one thing up front.

I intend to work even harder over the next two years than I have at any other time to continue to improve our prospects for every single person who calls Indiana home.

>> [Applause].

After all and I suspect for many of you believing in the state and people is why I want the the job in the first place and a ticking clock increases my sense of urgency.

We know there is much more work wanting to be done.

So, to that end just last week, I laid out the specifics of my 2023 legislative agenda keeping with the very same pillars I have used over the last six years.

I will spare you a repeat of every single detail.

However, tonight, I do want to lay out three sets of goals and how we achieve them.

Worthy of a state that is doing well and turning heads and always seeking to improve.

One, let's secure Indiana's place in the economy of the future.

Two, let's transform the delivery of public health access across the state from how it was structurally designed over a century ago.

Three, let's continue to make unprecedented investments in the classrooms of Indiana schools from pre-K through K-12 through college and all of the various adult-learning pathways that we offer.

Here is why we can do all of these three things at the levels that I proposed in my budget last week.

Recall when I stood right here in 2017.

Our revenues were roughly $15.5 billion.

By the end of fiscal year 2022, revenues had grown to over $21 billion.

That is almost $6 billion.

We have controlled the size of government along the way.

>> [Applause].

>> Looking forward, our revenues are estimated to exceed what we spend by $2.3 billion and expected to grow by another 3% in each year of the next biennium.

Ladies and gentlemen, because of our strategic collaboration, Indiana has become known for our responsible budgets.

This one is no different.

We have, again, propose the to make an additional $1 billion contribution to the pre-1996 teacher's pension's fund.

Since 2011, 30 years have been cut from the time to fully fund this pension freeing up dollars and other uses beginning in 2029 not 2059.

Just since 2717th we have paid down our state debt by 31 %%.

Because of our revenue and population are both growing, we have the ability, rather the obligation to fuel that growth and utilize reserves for one-time projects even while we maintain a healthy surplus protecting our state's AAA credit rating.

Indeed, the work we have done together has brought us to this position of strength that calls us to invest in what I believe are needs and address head on both our competitive advantages and disadvantages.

Fortunately, because of our growth, we have the financial wherewithall to do so.

Unlike some other states that balance their books with high taxes and debt.

Back home again in Indiana, last year was the kind of year that would justify some grand language.

For starters, again, our revenues increased and taxes and debt decreased.

We are now among the top 5 lowest debt states per capitia in the nation.

You will recall that we even returned $1.5 billion to huesier taxpayers in the form of a refund.

Forbes just ranked Indiana as the best state to start a business in 2023.

>> [Applause].

Forbes said it best.

A healthy amount of funding opportunities and survival rate.

Please join me in thanking the legislature for the partnership that helped to make all this possible.

Thank you.

>> [Applause].

>> Yes, my friends.

Whether you are an employee or employer, Indiana's reputation for the career opportunities available and the kind of balance sheet that we oversee means all eyes are on our state and for good reasons.

Like for the sheer amount that career creators are choosing to invest in our state, I know that I'm a broken record on these broken records.

It bears repeating that over $22 billion in committed capital invested in 2022 is an all-time record many times over.

Much of it will take place in rural and mixed rural areas throughout our state with hourly wages nearly 40% higher than the state's average.

In case anyone is wondering why I travel overseas occasionally, an unprecedented $7.2 billion of that 22 billion came from places all over the world.

Rest assured that I bring suits and ties not shorts and sunscreen.

All these investments.

>> [Laughing].

>> All these investments have a huge impact on hoosiers throughout the state and in counties like Boone and Floyd and committed jobs average over $50 an hour and Daveys county over $70 an hour.

High-wage job opportunities are the best way to keep our kids close to home.

There is more coming.

Let's keep surfing Indiana's wave of momentum and reach 23 billion in 20 2023 this year.

>> [Applause].

>> Now, to do this and capitalize on the industries of the future that are looking for their new home somewhere in America like semiconductors and electric vehicles means we must formalize the economic development tools that you all gave us last session and established them in our budget.

If we have more opportunities, good problem to have, that exceed those resources, it is only prudent to provide state budget leaders the ability to be nimble and consider and allocate the needed resources so we can fly out of the FOSH turn edging out competition down the negotiation stretch.

It has been said that investment is the strongest sign of a promising future.

Ladies and gentlemen, investment loves our state.

We have a race plan in place to help all 92 counties reach their next-level aspirations.

>> [Applause].

>> That includes finishing I-69 next year.

>> [Applause].

>> Connecting Evansville to Indianapolis three years ahead and behind schedule by the way and double tracking the southshore rail line up in southwest Indiana.

>> [Applause].

>> And connecting homes and schools and businesses via broadband Internet.

Even on our most remote terrain.

Afterall there is autonomous tractors in the field and robotic assembly lines in factories that need to communicate up and down the supply chain.

Speaking of connecting, tonight I'm please the to announce through the next level trails program that we are adding a major acquisition to our state's trails legacy.

>> [Applause].

>> Wait for it.

>> [Laughing].

>> Director Dan Vortner and the department of resources team led negotiations on behalf of radius Indiana and City of Albany with big-time help with Steve Ferguson.

Abandoned rail corridor running through Washington and orange and Lawrence counties once completed recreational trail following route of historic railroad will be 62.3 miles, the longest contiguous multi-use trail in the state.

Trails and land conservation are sweet spots for Janet and our dog Henry and myself and a lot more other hoosiers and no wonder we were recognized last year as national rail to trail champion and our state park ins have the highest occupancy rate in the country.

With this -- yeah.

>> [Applause].

>> Yeah.

>> With this new south trail, we will have invested nearly $150 million in trails since 2019, another great example that the state is helping to meet the demand to explore and discover and Indiana right in our backyards.

I'm seeking $50 million more for trails to continue our momentum along with another 25 million to build on our highly successful land conservation program.

With partners like the nature concertify vancy and central Indiana land trust so that each more hoosiers and our guests can enjoy Indiana's great outdoors.

With this type of momentum and so much more, I'm forced to utter that familiar phrase.

Ladies and gentlemen, the state of our state is strong and about to get stronger.

>> [Applause].

>> But I don't want that phrase to distract us from my bigger purpose tonight.

It it is the getting stronger part of the equation that I ask for your help over the next two years.

Even though we have accomplished a great deal in Indiana, it is obvious that we have much more potential yet to be realized.

These challenges can't be ignored or wished or hoped away.

When individuals, communities, and businesses step up and acknowledge their challenges and take steps to reach their next levels, they should know that their state has their back.

It will take new action to get new results where public health is concerned.

So, let me first thank the public health commission, which completed its work last summer.

Especially the co-chairs.

Former state senator Luke HENly and former state health commissioner Dr. Judy Monroe and current health commissioner Dr. Chris bachs and her team.

Thank you.

>> [Applause].

>> Now, I hate to remind us, but I will, that we rank 45th for smoking, 46th for obesity, 4 third for access to mental health providers and 41st for childhood immunizations among all states, our competition.

But really, what really struck me is that our life expectancy in Indiana has declined in recent years, specifically among those who are front and center to our future, working aged adults between 25 and 64 years old that is a pattern we have to reverse.

I will politely push and prod and poke everyone I can to adopt the commission's recommendations including a significant increase in our state's public health Apropriation and $120 million in the first year and $227 million in the second year.

Nearly all of these dollars will be deployed locally in your districts where fellow hoosiers need them tailored to unique circumstances to each community partner.

In fact, this initiative will come from the willing counties to design and propose ways to leverage their own funds in an 80-20 state and local mix.

Our health and wellbeing challenges of course extend to addressing mental health problems and helping hoosiers defeat addiction, maternal and infant mortality and assisting our veterans who face double the risk of dying by suicide than other groups and our localize the pathways, two improvement must include programs to attack these issues close to home by building sustainable systems preventing and responding to a crisis like our 988 system is doing today and investing in data-driven evidence -- based community programs with opioid settlement funds that we are receiving now.

We don't have a day or dollar and certainly not a life to waste.

Taking the next four months to get this right, nothing could be more important.

>> [Applause].

>> Just as we craft our new state public health system, we have a great example already of a tailor-made community development program.

Our first 500 million dollar ready investment leveraged another $6.5 billion, over 2 billion towards housing alone.

It has become an indispensable part of our business and talent attraction efforts while offering a boon to every county and city and community that steps up.

There is already a queue of requests seeking $400 million to leverage 7 billion more of private and other non-state funding.

So, I'm asking you, the legislature, for another $500 million to launch ready 2.0 to lock in more transformational projects.

>> [Applause].

>> And while ready is our secret weapon to attract more talent to our rural and suburban and urban communities, it is irrefutable that we must do more to prepare and retain our home-grown talent to.

The most important determinant of a child success in adulthood is their education.

Furthermore, the quality of their education relies overwhelmingly on two groups of people: Parents and teachers.

Since 2017 I'm so proud of the work that we have accomplished together to support unprecedented investments in K-12 which is translated into school districts answering the call to raise teacher pay.

Starting teacher salaries now reach $40,000 and closing goal of achieving teacher's salary of $60,000 a year but to ultimately reach the goal, we need to continue what we started by making the state's largest ever investment in K-12 tuition support and increase a $1.1 billion giving schools resources to continue equipping our children's educators.

>> [Applause].

>> Hoosier parents are no more sheltered from the rising cost of living than their child's teachers.

For these parents of school-aged children, fees for curriculum materials essential for in-class instruction can be in the hundreds of dollars each year per child depending on the district.

Sadly, Indiana remains one of only 7 states that still allows this disguised tax to be levied on parents each year.

One such parent joins us tonight, Mandy Allen.

A school counselor in south VER millingon school corporation.

Mandy paid about $630 this year for books that were for her four children.

Our state's constitution promises a tuition-free education.

Let's cover the full cost of curriculum fees paid for by parents so that folks like Mandy don't have to pay this dread offul bill ever again starting the next school year.

>> [Applause].

And while parents and teachers are the essential human ingredients in a child's education and curricula materials are essential for instruction, no child can succeed without the ability to read.

There is overwhelming evidence that a child who cannot read by the third grade is more likely to become the adult parent who can't read and therefore disadvantaged for life and the cycle continues.

With nearly one in out of every five kids in Indiana currently at risk of falling behind in reading, we must do everything we can.

We must do it now.

Last summer was a good start with the help of the Lily endowment we made the state's largest investment in literacy to help prepare more current and future teachers for reading instruction.

The budget I submitted last week proposes to reward schools that improve their results in third grade reading as well.

But even before entering the classroom, children should have access to books at home and develop a love of reading.

That is why I have proposed funding Dolly Parton's imagination library so children from birth to age 5 can receive quality books each month at home with their name on them.

>> [Applause].

>> Then at the other end of the public education spectrum, I'm asking the legislature to support a $184 million increase in higher education funding and support the commission's higher education proposal to reward our world-class universities in our state to help keep their graduates here and careers in Indiana.

After all, Indiana's college campuses need to be the epicent errs of brain gain not brain drain.

>> [Applause]e of brain gain not brain drain.

>> [Applause]p of brain gain not brain drain.

>> [Applause] of brain gain not brain drain.

>> [Applause] of brain gain not brain drain.

>> [Applause].

We should support Martin university's mission.

We can easily, easily ensure thousands more students have their college opportunity paid for.

By automatically enrolling all financially eligible students in the immensely successful 21st century scholarship program and do it once and for all.

>> [Applause].

>> Finally but no less importantly, we must invest in adult learning and workforce training in a variety of tailored ways include increased support for next level job centers and expanded access to excel centers and pilot program to incentivize recipients to unemployment insure anxiety to retain high school diplomas and go on to a job and we need to expect even more great ideas and difference-making programs will beinishated and developed by our own workforce cabinet.

Indiana should light up a pathway to anyone looking for upward mobility.

We -- >> [Applause].

>> We don't just want everyone in the workforce, we need everyone in the workforce.

By golly, we will help you get there.

At the outset of this address, I mentioned that many of the investments were ones that we needed to make in this budget.

That is only made possible by our careful stewardship to grow the private not public sector.

Yet I'm mindful as public servants that we must maintain the strength of our good government services that hoosiers rely on each and every day to grow themselves.

There is no more essential service than public safety.

That is why my -- >> [Applause].

>> That is why our budget calls for major investments in school safety, law enforcement, and our firefighters across the state.

>> [Applause].

>> Specifically, I'm asking you the general assembly pleading with you to join me increasing school safety grants by 30% fully funding our court's request to upgrade technology making greater use of our problem solving courts making investments to finally realize a true statewide firefighter training system to buy the necessary protective equipment for our volunteer forces.

Let's -- and let's raise the starting pay for Indiana state police to $70,000 a year.

Ladies and gentlemen, in closing, I hope you will take away just a few things from tonight.

No.

1, like you, I hpe that I'm proud of our stewardship of state government.

Here in Indiana, we have a well-run soundly finance state and the word is out.

Two, more broadly, this is Indiana's time.

We are on the move.

Our economy is growing.

New and exciting opportunities are in reach.

Investors are giving us their vote of confidence.

They are creating industries and careers here.

They see their growth and their future here.

Let's prove them right.

For we know there is demand for what Indiana offers.

Let's redouble our focus on the supply by building pathways on which more hoosiers can travel on to become healthier and wealthier and wiser.

I stand before you as a full and faithful partner in getting this done.

I intend to step on it coming out of turn 4.

Thank you and may God continue to bless our efforts.

Thank you.

>> [Applause].

>> You have been watching the 2023 Indiana State of the State address.

Now we bring you in-depth reaction and analysis of the Governor's speech presented by public Indiana's broadcasting stations.

>> Special coverage of 2023 State of the State address I'm Indiana public broadcasting's Lauren Chapman.

Governor wants to spend more than $5 billion in new and increased spending in Indiana's budget from education to public health and economic initiatives in state of state address he made case about lawmakers agenda priorities provide increase in funding in health and Indiana's labor force.

For the rest of the hour we will get reaction to the speech and analysis of the Governor's policies and politics.

With us tonight is Laura Wilson at university of Indianapolis and Emmet Riley the third and he is professor of political science and Ari el-Brandy president of Indiana young democrats.

And Mike o-Brian present of 1816LLC.

Starting first with Laura Wilson from university of Indian list and state house supporter said this was beyond what he had seen from previous Governor's.

How significant is Holcomb's request?

>> It is significant we have had money in the state and had budget surplus and brought in lots of money in last legislative sessions and what to do with it.

Governor HOL come is putting together an aggressive agenda.

He is asking for major increases in areas we have come to expect to talk about workforce development and talk about education and health care that are the cornerstone what to look back on his tenure on and things he think are really important and wants to pry owe ortize here SCOMBL makes sense.

This is not substantial increase to state's budget from previous years Emmet Riley is Associate Professor of Africana studies and you look at state policy through lens of racial just es and Governor focused on public health and education and hoosier workers does budget come close to gaps we have seen highlighted in the past?

>> So, when we think about some of the legislative priorities the Governor laid out in his speech tonight it is important to consider that Indiana is a very red state and Republican Governor to propose mass increase in spending we have to counter that by understanding we are experiencing historic inflation in the nation and cost of number of things have gone up in terms of what it costs average hoosier to live on same token can't ignore numbers 24% of blacks living in poverty in state and significant disparities coming to health outcome and access.

Listening to the Governor's speech and listening to the picture he paints of the state and how well Indiana is dog from the state of Mississippi I wonder to what extent does this reality exist for communities of color and urban communities and rural pockets of Indiana Putnam county and rural white areas suffering from historic levels of unemployment and historic levels of economic access there is intersection of the issues and for me a stalking and interesting component of Governor's speech is talking about addressing mental health that we agree should be a priority but we can't talk about mental health without treating addiction as mental health and nonhoosiers in prison right now for marijuana convictions; right?

Talking about issues it is important that budgets preFLEKT people and priorities and at same time true concessions will come getting into the legislature and see what the legislature's priority are and how special interests might impact what actually gets implemented that are to some extent progressive ideas but peeling back a layer they are not that progressive historically they are implemented most of the time people that are poor or impoverished or people of color are pushed to margins and ignored in the policies.

> Great Seguinway.

Governor aNOUNLSed agenda last week and state democrats jumped in to support some of the same items and advocating for them.

Let's talk about some of the specific items Ariel Brandy.

>> Yeah.

I was pleased to see lots of things it that the Governor put forth today are things democrats have champion the for a long time more specifically free textbooks something that senator Jean has championed for a while and top priority for senator Andrea HENly who recently said earlier this week that students and kids in state of Indiana deserve to have opportunity and as constitution states a free and appropriate public education in the state of Indiana starting with the cost of that textbook fee we have been paying and one of the few states that still has it and happy to see we will be going before that.

Too, when you talk about federal money that Governor talked about, let's remember that democrats delivered on that just this past year and congressman André Carson and congressman frank kor van talking about ready that is AARP funded program talking about investments and inSTRA structure we have a democrat to thank for that looking at issues Governor Holcomb mentioned putting forth specifically around health care and mental health services democrats have CHAMonned these for a while and want to see in a bipartisan way that they happen this time around.

>> Taking a step back as we mentioned that the price tag is pretty significant.

Michael o-Brian let's move to you.

Have caution they will need to say no on lots of new spending are Republicans ready for a nearly 14% increase in the state's budget?

>> It is important to remember lawmakers and senators and representatives writing budget are doing it and not just taking Governor's into consideration but 150 members of the legislature in addition to that.

Through that is something that they have to do that is why they constantly don't let expectations get too far out of their control about how much money over what we currently spend can be spent and rewinding clock three years coming out of Covid no one knew what would happen or state budgets they would do they did practice prudence in how they were spending money and holding money back as inflation came in and inflation benefits government tax revenues and things get expensive and tax revenue comes in they need to know it is reliable and point now in Governor's budget time to let out the purse strings investing in the future and a few things struck me about Governor's speech tonight and submitting with the general assembly.

One govern YOOR talked tonight about finishing three years ahead of schedule next year and number of things in progress so long button things up and pivot to the future and get to next round of ready grants latest generation of decades of projects similar to that where communities come together to try to bring people out of poverty and increase wages and train up individuals in the workforce and improve infrastructure and whatever is needed.

Return on investment in the ready grants has been proven and Governor wants to reload that.

A number of things throughout the speech reflected and pivot to the future thinking about a Governor in last two years or 18 months of a relevant administration before we move on to the next one in 2024 election and you start to really think about the legacy and what he is leaving behind and he is clearly thinking about that in making sure that state Troopers start at $70,000 a year and continue to increase teacher wages and investments making in pre-K and stuff talking tonight projects ready education investments infrastructure investments he won't see as Governor and important things to continue to build in Indiana that he always wanted to build.

>> Let's go back to our health funding issue and Governor also highlighted his proposed increases for public health funding and initialle price tag quarter of a million and painted a stark picture where Indiana stands with metrics smoking obesity mental health access starting with you Republicans balked az at price tag do you think HOL come's pitch tonight will be effective?

>> So much has gone into that health commissioner Christina bachs and Republicans this week made top priority senate bill 4 reflects priority they will put on investments in public health looking at that has been an incredibly thoughtful and comprehensive look at something we already knew that is that we know numbers that is 4 fifth in state in smoking and 4 eighth in obesity big price tag costs money to catch up and we talk about looking into the future and investments into the future public health in Indiana is an exercise in catching up and has to happen I think legislative leaders reflected that will be a priority for them and will be expensive.

We will see where it winds up and has been an early commitment to take a look at that and execute a plan they put in place.

>> Let's go to you democrats in both chambers support fully funding request to GOFRPor's public health commission and talking about if democrats are better situated and plans are better situated to close that gap?

Looks like we have a little bit of a technical issue.

Emmet, let's actually go to you first.

Emmet what do you make of HOL come's pitch to lawmakers on health issues?

>> This is interesting coming from Republican Governor and conservative politics around how they traditionally addressed public health typically is an issue that has been reserved to families as of late we see discussions about role of governmentment in making sure we are prioritizing public health with pandemic reveals SUGly how unprepared we were to deal with a health crisis and on same token we can't ignore how black communities are disproportionately impacted by heart disease and infant mortality rates and elements we can talk about with respect to how these communities are hit hard and is encouraging to see how the state prioritize the this and being honest addressing these particular issues and thinking of state and in terms of where metrics is we are significantly behind and is step into the right direction and what will be the make or break point is how do we address these issues is a way to put a price tag on help ensure public health is addressed through X number of dollars is conversation with implementation of policy opening access making sure people in rural communities have access to treatment preventive care and making certain we drive down cost of insurance and how to control spending has got as relates to health care and going into public schools and find people who don't have insurance or kids that don't have access in communities providing them with this particular support.

Again, this is a proposed budget and priorities are on agenda and Republican control legislature might not fully fund pry orities pitted against some other elements happening and think this is an interesting [Indiscernible] and reports of Governor considering running for senate that lots of this is moderate progressive politics to some extent that the Governor is embracing in terms of messaging and will be interesting to see what a political -- I'm a political scientist and sort of interested in the politics and how it will unfold in the future and interesting to see how it plays up in campaign you have Republican Governor championing issues that haven't been addressed by conservatives or [Indiscernible].

>> Excellent point and before making pitch for public health funding they SPENTD a good amount of time at speech talking about state's fiscal record and government spending taxpayer refunds and how important is this messaging to get members of his party on board with this level of spending?

>> It is essential.

His pitch is saying look.

We will be spending more money here.

Traditionally we are conservative and thoughtful how we spend and outlining budget last week he said how much they will spend and argument why they will spend these amounts of money that is absolutely necessary and especially for Republicans in senate and conservative aspects of Republican party to make an argument we will spend more looking at 14% increase and are reasons why and giving an explanation for what that increase is.

>> Makes a ton of sense.

Part increased proposed budget is dedicated to education spending and increasing education spending by 8% or $1.1 billion.

Lawmakers increase state funding to schools in last biennium budget.

Laura, let's keep with you.

HOL come's goal is increasing teacher's salary to Indiana to $60,000 a year is that enough to make a goal and attract teachers to Indiana?

>> Depending on using money and $1.1 billion increase for K-12 is massive.

Looking at not just attracting good teachers but retaining them having reasonable salary $60,000 a year would do something for people considering going into K-12 education and pursuing different career paths 184 million towards higher education talked about not wanting to be a drain brain but brain gain state higher education and K-12 and across the board but think these increases are really important and emphasize his priority in terms of education and what he wants to see for the future of ow R state in it as well.

>> Yeah.

Emma, I would love to hear your perspective as well budget is huge part of Indiana attracting teachers you are watching out for other education topics while this legislative session.

>> Absolutely.

One comment with respect to increase in education is that I think that you saw on one hand that they are calling for 60,000 a year for teachers.

That is great.

Let's be honest about the rate of inflation and where it takes a person raising a family.

$60,000 is not a lot of money rent has increased astronomically and housing affordability is out and at same time placed salary that is largest increase for law enforcement in any agency to 70,000.

How do we put a price tag on 70K for law enforcement versus 60 for teachers and that messaging has capacity to resonate in particular campaign and relating to education policy one thing I'm interested in when legislative session begins is whether or not there is revisiting of conversation around critical race theory and thinking about attempts to restrict what information is taught in public schools and think many Republican control legislatures across the nation such as Florida restrict teaching critical race theory in public schools and what we call our selves free and open society or democracy I never thought I would experience America restrict books and fundamental principle of liberty.

If that conversation is revisited it will be interesting to see whether it is taken up in this session and whether it is able to pass and what implications it has for shielding of white kids in particular from really, really learning about the true history of this nation.

Does that mean they are anti-America or anti-this?

It does not.

It requires a critical interrogation how this country has created and functioned around the social construction of race.

We know if we teach it early, we can remedy most of our racial problems or that is one aspect of it.

That is one thing I'm looking out for in this legislative session is conversations around the teaching of free and open ideas in American society.

>> Arielle, I'm curious your thoughts house and senate democrats release legislative priorities yesterday.

They largely aligned with the Governor especially from the democratic perspective.

Is the Governor going far enough with education funding?

>> I think so.

I also think that we have a really great opportunity for democrats to really shine during this time.

If we have all of the legislation and policy being proposed that democrats have aligned with, it is our time now to make sure we can get Indiana GOP to align with us too to make these things happen.

We are in desperate need of a good education system here in state of Indiana.

I'm a mother and have kids in middle school and elementary school and greatly care about the education system and what they are provided with and one thing that stuck out most to me is brain drain thing that Governor Holcomb mentioned I serve democrats and young professionals talk about all the time and reason we lose young good talent out of state of Indiana.

We don't have good quality jobs pay us enough or good education system thinking about starting a family or black woman like me coming to maternal mortality is 3 times higher than my white counterparts thinking about having children in this state.

So this -- >> Oh, I believe we lost Ariel.

Let's move to Mike.

We talked about how significant an increase in the budget that the Governor is asking for.

Mike, do you think this will be a bigger fight for the Governor among his own party?

>> Well, it always has been over the last, you know, six years, and even before that.

I mean, when you have one -- one of the dynamics of having single control of governmentment for as long as Republicans have had single control decade majority is legislature and two decades into Republican Governors SHG the fight does become within your own party.

That is just -- it becomes like a coalition legislature, right?

Far right contingent and Republicans moderate contingent and democrats and come enough to serve priorities that the party has articulated.

That is always -- that is always a debate.

That is always a process that requires compromise and give and take and of course the legislature as I said they will come to the state house this winter and spring with own priorities that need to be funded and only so much money that we talk about historic investments in education and funding $1.1 billion increase here and $1.9 billion increase in last biennium in part federal money from Covid stimulus money from federal government funding to a historic degree and now on our own or back to being on our own with our own money and K-12 funding and higher ed funding Medicaid and department of corrections put agencies together in entire budget fighting over a small and huge budget that is small when you take K-12 being over half of it and another 10 to 12% being higher ed and other things.

These are debates to have and setting priorities and choosing what you will fund and Governor is first person in this process to lay that out and house and senate will debate that with him.

What we will see is a large increase in funding in areas that the Governor wants legislator said that is a priority for them too.

>> Speaking of legislative priorities last few minutes let's see what everyone is looking ahead to for 2023 legislative session.

Laura let's start out with you.

What are you keeping eye on in last few minutes.

>> Abortioning.

Indiana supreme court reviews it and makes a decision and if going back to legislature conveniently enough they are in session and elephant in the room and organizations influencing legislation being a budget year you will see lots of that watching out for that.

>> Makes tons of sense.

Dr. Riley cutting to you quickly what are things you are looking out for during the legislative session.

>> I mentioned this before as a race scholar and looking for conversations around critical race theory and whether or not it reemerges and legislator will make around this and conversations around legalization of marijuana and policies adopted in particular about how to address and treat addiction as a mental health issue versus criminal activity and whether or not conversations of decriminalizing certain elements of that.

>> Makes a ton of sense.

Ariel if we have you back what are you looking for in the legislative session?

>> Paying attention to issue of abortion something I championed this past session I was passionate about making sure all people who decide to have children or don't want to have children in state of Indiana have access to make that decision.

>> With the last 30 seconds LETSD go over to Michael Brian.

What are you looking at for the last legislative session this year.

>> Last couple days this feels like a normal session and abortion is in rear view mirror hopefully and redistricting and critical race theory that is hot last few years back to debates of health costs utility reform and you name it back to core issues legislature is good at and traditionally debated in these sessions.

>> A little more than a normal legislative session.

Thanks so much to our guests tonight.

Laura Wilson Associate Professor of political science at university of Indianapolis.

>> Emmet Riley the third professor of political science.

-- secretary of young democrats of America and Mike o-Brian president of 1860LLC.

I'm Lauren Chapman and thank you for joining us.

Special KOFRNor of Governor Holcomb's 2023 State of the State and Indiana public broadcasting.

>> This program is made possible through the support of Indiana public broadcasting stations.