Governor Eric Holcomb, of Indiana, is entering his final year of his first term. In his first term, Governor Holcomb has proven himself through his accomplishments. With session underway, Governor Holcomb has recently outlined his legislative goals for the 2020 session. These legislative goals focus on the economy, infrastructure, workforce, public health and drugs, and government services (FOX59 2019).
When addressing the economy, Governor Holcomb wants to promote Indiana as a destination for corporations. Governor Holcomb has started the Indiana Destination Development Corporation with this goal in mind. Governor Holcomb, also wants to make Indiana a defense innovation hub by tripling federal defense investment in Indiana by the end of his second term (Brown 2019).
Governor Holcomb has also expressed his wish to continue improving infrastructure throughout the state. Governor Holcomb has been implementing his “Next Level” Indiana plans. With regard to infrastructure, Governor Holcomb has his Next Level Connections program. This program helps to improve broadband service, expand Indiana’s trail system, create more international flights, and preserve and improve Indiana’s roads (FOX59 2019).
In terms of workforce, Governor Holcomb is focusing on education. Governor Holcomb will be addressing teacher pay next session, in the budget year, but there are some goals that were laid out for this session (Van Wyk 2019). This session, Governor Holcomb has publicly supported the Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission. Governor Holcomb is looking for unfunded programs and unnecessary requirements to eliminate in K-12 education. Republican party members in the House and Senate, along with Governor Holcomb, are pushing for a hold harmless in relation to the ILEARN scores, and changing career-related professional growth points from required to optional. In Governor Holcomb’s State of the State address he gave an early sign of things to come. Governor Holcomb plans to spend $250 million of the state surplus to pay down teachers pensions. This, along with the money spent last session on teacher pensions, will free up $115 million a year that is planned to be used to raise teachers salaries (Associated Press 2020). Holcomb indicated that he and the Republicans will take whatever recommendations that the Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission will give this fall. In other workforce related areas, Governor Holcomb has laid out his plan to redesign the prison education system to better prepare offenders for re-entry (FOX59 2019).
The major goal of Governor Holcomb in the public health sector was to raise the age to buy tobacco to 21. This goal has already been accomplished on the federal level (Howard 2019). However, Governor Holcomb’s 2020 public health agenda also includes providing healthcare transparency, protecting consumers from surprise medical bills, and improving mental health services at schools and hospitals. Governor Holcomb has vowed to continue the fight against the drug epidemic. Governor Holcomb will continue on his promise to become the best state in the Midwest for infant mortality by 2024 (Brown 2019).
Finally, when addressing government services, Governor Holcomb laid out his plan to use the state surplus on capital projects which will save taxpayers $125 million in borrowing costs. Governor Holcomb also plans on integrating the 211 helpline into FSSA call centers (FOX59 2019).
Governor Holcomb’s State of the State address on Tuesday, January 14, touched on many on these same topics. Governor Holcomb also spent part of his speech outlining his accomplishments as he gears up for reelection. Governor Holcomb’s first term has been full of nothing but success.
Governor Holcomb has partnered with the Markle Foundation to launch Skillful Indiana to bridge the divide between the skills Hoosiers have and the skills businesses need. Indiana is just the second state to have this program. Under Governor Holcomb, Indiana has had two consecutive record-breaking years for job commitments. In 2018, 320 companies committed to create at least 31,000 jobs in Indiana (IN.GOV 2019).
Governor Holcomb has worked hard on his Next Level Jobs program to help connect workers to high-demand, high-wage careers. Governor Holcomb has found an innovative way to expand the workforce in his Last Mile program. It helps reduce recidivism by teaching computer coding inside prisons. Governor Holcomb has introduced high-wage, high demand certificate training to prepare offenders to be successful in their communities upon release (IN.GOV 2019).
Governor Holcomb has been increasing Indiana’s competitiveness in the global economy. Governor Holcomb brought Indiana its first-ever nonstop transatlantic flight from Indianapolis to Paris. Governor Holcomb has met with officials and industry leaders in the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Canada, Israel, India, France, Belgium, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic helping to bring Indiana to the world and the world to Indiana (IN.GOV 2019).
Governor Holcomb has expanded pre-kindergarten for qualifying Hoosiers (IN.GOV 2019). This allows those parents that want to get back into the workforce, but may not have had the means for childcare, to get back to work.
Governor Holcomb has also launched the Next Level Recovery program to help combat the drug epidemic (IN.GOV 2019). The drug epidemic has been a stain on Indiana and Governor Holcomb has only just begun addressing this issue in his first term.
In the first few months in office, Governor Holcomb launched a fully funded 20-year, Next Level Roads program. This program was funded with $60 billion and it is the only such plan in the country (IN.GOV 2019).
This was all be touched on in the Governor’s State of the State Address. Governor Holcomb, with his accomplishments and 2020 session goals, will be a freight train heading into the 2020 elections. Governor Holcomb will continue taking Indiana to the Next Level.
Sources
Associated Press. (2020, Jan 14). Gov. Holcomb outlines plan to free up funds for teacher pay boost during State of the State address. Retrieved from https://fox59.com/2020/01/14/gov-holcomb-to-deliver-state-of-the-state-address/
Brown, Alex. (2019, Dec 10). Holcomb Details 2020 Priorities. Retrieved from https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/41432621/holcomb-details-2020-priorities
FOX59. (2019, Dec 10). Gov. Holcomb outlines goals for 2020, including raising smoking and vaping age. Retrieved from https://fox59.com/2019/12/10/gov-holcomb-outlines-goals-for-2020-including-raising-smoking-and-vaping-age/
Howard, Jacqueline. (2019, Dec 20). US raises legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes to 21. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/20/health/tobacco-age-21-trump-spending-bill-bn/index.html
IN.gov. (2020). About Governor Eric J. Holcomb. Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/gov/2358.htm
Wyk, Rich. (2019, Dec 4). Governor Holcomb talks teacher pay raises after protest. Retrieved from https://www.wthr.com/article/governor-holcomb-talks-teacher-pay-raises-after-protest
Politics with Kegan Prentice 