Indiana House Democrats' focus for 2025 session is 'helping working Hoosiers get ahead'

Indiana House Democrats said their focus for the 2025 legislative session will be helping working Hoosiers get ahead.

Caucus leader Phil GiaQuinta (R-Fort Wayne) said a major part of that will be addressing the rising cost of living — from housing to health care to utilities.

On the health care front, GiaQuinta said Republicans have been “fixated” on hospitals as the cause of high health care prices.

“It’s time to take on insurance companies for their role in rising costs and cut the paperwork red tape,” GiaQuinta said.

Property tax reform is a top priority for both parties this legislative session. And Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) said one of the ways Indiana can address skyrocketing tax bills is to crack down on investors, many of them outside the state and even country, buying up housing.

“And they are paying $40,000, $50,000, $70,000 over the asking price,” Pryor said. “That is knocking a significant number of people out of the opportunity to purchase a home.”

Democrats said one way to help ease property tax bills would be increased state funding of public schools — meaning those schools wouldn’t have to ask local property tax payers for more money.

READ MORE: Lawmakers list education funding as priority. But Republicans, Democrats split on vouchers
 

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And Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) said Republicans shouldn’t prioritize giving the wealthiest 3 percent of Indiana families money for their children’s private school education.

“Could instead be spent on pre-K for all,” Hamilton said. “We are one of only six states in the nation that does not make that critical investment in early learning — an investment that we know will lead to improved outcomes for our students.”

Other provisions on House Democrats’ agenda include a temporary pause on all utility rate increases and an end to the state’s child care voucher waitlist.
 

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.