House GOP's 2022 priorities include tax cuts, curbing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

Indiana House Republicans' 2022 agenda is led by efforts to cut $1 billion in taxes and curb COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Those are also items that don’t have ringing endorsements from either Senate Republicans or the governor.

The House GOP’s tax reform package is a mix of business, utility and individual tax cuts, eventually costing the state more than $1 billion a year. Senate Republicans and the governor have balked at such a price tag this session, expressing concern for revenue stability and future spending needs.

READ MORE: Gov. Eric Holcomb's modest 2022 agenda led by business tax cut

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House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said the state’s revenues are strong enough, even with the proposed cuts contained in HB 1002.

“We’ll have the money to make the investments that need to be made … I am totally confident in that,” Huston said.

House Republicans are also prioritizing a bill, HB 1003, that aims to increase the number of health care workers in the state – something Huston said was a need even before the pandemic.

“It streamlines processes to get more people into that workforce faster,” Huston said.

The 2022 session is set to end in March.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.