Governor Eric Holcomb delivered a strong State of the State address this week! In case you missed it, you can watch it HERE, and you’ll hear about the bold leadership he’s bringing to tackle our state’s biggest issues. This includes two issues that made news this week – efforts to boost teacher pay and pass a bias crimes law.
When it comes to boosting teacher pay…
The goal is to make salaries more competitive when compared to neighboring states, allowing Indiana to attract and retain the best teachers. As Governor Holcomb said, “A strong economy depends on a world-class workforce. That workforce depends on a great education. A great education depends on great teachers.” The governor’s plan is to free up money that schools are currently spending on teacher pensions, directing limited surplus dollars of $140 million over the next two years to pay off a pension liability. He’s suggesting that local school districts allocate 100% of these savings to boosting teacher pay.
With bias crimes legislation…
Governor Holcomb supports legislation that would strengthen Indiana law by ensuring judges can sentence more severely when a crime targets a group – even if there may only be one actual victim. This law does not criminalize or police thought to impact freedom of speech – it only comes into play when a crime has been committed and recognizes that certain crimes have a deeper impact on a larger group – and not just one victim. This would take Indiana off the list of five states that lack a bias crimes law, and open Indiana up to more economic opportunities with companies looking for a place to locate, grow and create jobs.