>>BRANDON: WE LOOK AHEAD INTO

2021.

COVID-19'S IMPACT ON THE

LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

A POTENTIAL FIGHT OVER EMERGENCY

POWERS.

PLUS, REDISTRICTING, THE BUDGET

AND MORE ON INDIANA WEEK IN

REVIEW FOR THE WEEK ENDING

JANUARY 1ST, 2021.

>>>THIS WEEK, WE LOOK AHEAD TO

THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION...A

SESSION THAT'S ALMOST CERTAIN TO

BE DOMINATED, IN ONE WAY OR

ANOTHER, BY COVID-19.

THE TONE OF THE SESSION WAS

LIKELY SET ON ORGANIZATION DAY

IN NOVEMBER, WHEN LEADERS OF

BOTH PARTIES TALKED ABOUT THE

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE

COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND HOW THEY

WOULD INFLUENCE LAWMAKERS'

AGENDAS THIS YEAR.

HOUSE SPEAKER TODD HUSTON SAID

HE'S LEARNED THAT THE HOOSIER

STATE'S POOR PUBLIC HEALTH HAS

HAD A DISPROPORTIONATELY

NEGATIVE IMPACT DURING THE

PANDEMIC.

>>REP. TODD HUSTON: WE HAVE TO

CREATE INCENTIVES AND POLICIES

TO HELP HOOSIERS BE HEALTHIER.

AND THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

WILL BRING LEGISLATION FORWARD

THIS SESSION TO DO JUST THAT.

>>BRANDON: SENATE MINORITY

LEADER GREG TAYLOR SAYS THE

PANDEMIC EXPOSED SHARP

DISPARITIES THAT ALREADY

EXISTED.

>>SEN. GREG TAYLOR: AND YES,

COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE NOW

MOVED TO THE FOREFRONT AND ARE

MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM THIS

VIRUS.

>>BRANDON: THE LEGISLATIVE

SESSION'S SCHEDULED START IS

JANUARY 4.

JUST HOW MUCH WILL COVID-19

DOMINATE THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE

SESSION?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR

INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW PANEL:

DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY

REPUBLICAN JENNIFER HALLOWELL

JON SCHWANTES, HOST OF INDIANA

LAWMAKERS AND

NIKI KELLY, STATEHOUSE REPORTER

FOR THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL

GAZETTE.

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

STATEHOUSE REPORTER BRANDON

SMITH.

JENNIFER HALLOWELL, HOW MUCH

-- IF YOU ARE A LAWMAKER THAT

WANTS TO GET SOMETHING DONE NOT

DIRECTLY RELATED TO COVID HOW

DIFFICULT WILL THAT BE IN THE

2021 SESSION?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

IT'S A BUDGET SESSION AND

EVERYTHING WILL BE DOMINATED BY

COVID AND THE SCHEDULE MAY END

UP CHANGING.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE GOING

TO BE A LOT OF ISSUES, SOME

DIRECTLY COVID RELATED AND SOME

FRANKLY, ISSUES THAT WERE

BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE

OF THE PANDEMIC.

YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE BROADBAND

ACCESS, ISSUES AS THE SPEAKER

MENTIONED, A LOT OF THINGS THAT

REALLY WE REALIZED OUR BIGGER

ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

THROUGH THIS TIME PERIOD.

AND SO THERE WILL BE SECOND AND

THIRD LAYER EFFECTS OF ISSUES

THAT COME TOGETHER.

ULTIMATELY THEY HAVE TO PASS A

BUDGET.

THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO MUCH

MORE IN MAY AND JUNE INSTEAD.

AND THAT MIGHT ALSO HELP SOME

LOGISTICAL ISSUES.

>> THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE

INFORMATION TO REDISTRICT AND I

WILL REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT

THE DEADLINE TO ADJOURN THE

SESSION IS APRIL 29 BUT THAT

DEADLINE EXIST IN STATE LAW AND

IS EASY TO CHANGE OR SAY ONE

YEAR IF THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE FOR

NO PARTICULAR REASON.

JON SCHWANTES, LAWMAKERS HAVE

ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO

LIMIT THE BILLS THEY ARE

CONSIDERING BECAUSE THE REALITY

OF ALL OF THIS IS IT WILL NOT BE

A NORMAL SESSION IN EVERY SINGLE

WAY AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE

TO GET NEARLY AS MUCH DONE AS I

WOULD LIKE TO.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HOOSIERS

SHOULD EXPECT FOR ONE YEAR?

>> THERE WILL BE A CONTRACTION

INCAPACITY AND IT MAY TRANSLATE

INTO A LAMENT MEANING THERE ARE

FEWER BILLS INTRODUCED BY

MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

I DO THINK THE VAST MAJORITY

WILL EITHER HAVE A DIRECT FOCUS

ON COVID-19 ISSUES OR TO THE

EXTENT SOMEBODY CAN TAKE AN

ISSUE AND ARGUE IN SOME

TANGENTIAL FASHION THIS WILL

BENEFIT THE STATE IF AND WHEN

THE NEXT PANDEMIC ROLES AROUND,

WE WILL SEE THAT.

I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED FOR

INSTANCE, DURING THE BUDGET

PROCEEDINGS TO SEE ANY AND ALL

THE UNIVERSITIES CERTAINLY THE

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AND STATES

MAKE A PITCH FOR ANY PLANS

THEY'VE HAD STORED IN THE CLOSET

FOR ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC

RESEARCH, VACCINATION RESEARCH,

CUTTING EDGE IN TERMS OF THOSE

TYPES OF THINGS.

IF THERE WOULD BE AN APPETITE IN

THE CAPITAL BUDGET OR OPERATING

FOR EXPANSION IT WOULD PROBABLY

HAPPEN.

LASTLY, I'M NOT SURE THEY WOULD

EVEN NEED TO CHANGE THE LAW AND

THAT'S ONE WAY TO DO IT, BUT

WITHOUT A STATE BUDGET THE

SIMPLEST SOLUTION IS FOR THE

GOVERNOR TO CALL THEM BACK INTO

SESSION I WOULD ASSUME SINCE THE

MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS AND

HOUSE AND SENATE AND A

REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, THEY COULD

WORK TOGETHER WITHOUT HAVING TO

ENACT LEGISLATION TO CHANGE THE

SCHEDULE AND THE MANNER IN WHICH

SPECIAL SESSIONS ARE CALLED.

>> SPEAKING OF THE GOVERNOR AND

THE MAJORITIES WORKING TO GATHER

...

>>>A MAJORITY OF HOOSIERS SAY

THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS

SHOULD BE MORE LIMITED - THAT'S

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST EDITION

OF THE BALL STATE HOOSIER

SURVEY.

THE LATEST POLL OF 600 HOOSIERS

SHOWS THAT 60 PERCENT OF

RESPONDENTS SUPPORT CHANGING

INDIANA LAW TO REQUIRE THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO APPROVE ANY

EXTENSION OF A GOVERNOR'S

EMERGENCY ORDER BEYOND 30 DAYS.

THAT INCLUDES 56 PERCENT OF

DEMOCRATS AND 63 PERCENT OF

REPUBLICANS IN THE SURVEY.

THE SURVEY RESULTS COME AHEAD OF

A LIKELY DEBATE IN THE 2021

SESSION OVER MANY REPUBLICAN

LAWMAKERS' DESIRE TO CURTAIL THE

GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWERS.

BALL STATE POLITICAL SCIENTIST

CHARLES TAYLOR SAYS IT WILL BE A

TEST OF GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB'S

LEADERSHIP AND SWAY OVER THE

GOP-CONTROLLED GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

>>CHARLES TAYLOR: TO TRY AND

TALK THEM DOWN FROM ANY

PROPOSALS THAT WOULD SEVERELY

LIMIT FUTURE GOVERNORS OR LIMIT

HIM IN HIS SECOND TERM.

>>BRANDON: LEGISLATIVE LEADERS

HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY INTEND TO

AT LEAST DEBATE THE ISSUE.

AND ALIGNING, WE ARE 9-10

MONTHS WITH THE GOVERNOR

ESTABLISHING THIS PUBLIC HEALTH

EMERGENCY ISSUING EXECUTIVE

ORDER AFTER EXECUTIVE ORDER TO

CONFRONT IT WITH NO LITERAL

INPUT FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

AT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID HE'S

TALKED TO LEGISLATIVE LEADERS SO

SHOULD THEY TIGHTEN THEIR

CONTROL OR ASSERT MORE AUTHORITY

OVER THESE -- THE GOVERNOR.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I TAKE THE

GOVERNOR AT HIS WORD BUT I HAVE

NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHILE THIS WAS

GOING ON AND I DON'T KNOW HOW

REALISTIC IT IS TO SET AN

ARBITRARY 30 DAY DEADLINE.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEVERE

PANDEMIC AND WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU

CAN'T GET A QUORUM OR YOU HAVE

LEGISLATORS WHO ARE EITHER

WORRIED ABOUT CONTRACTING

WHATEVER THE NEXT PANDEMIC IS OR

ARE ALREADY UNDER THE WEATHER?

WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

THE EMERGENCY ORDER JUST EXPIRES

EVEN AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED IT

THE MOST.

WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC.

GOV. ERIC HOLCOMB DID NOT MAKE

HIS RIGHT WING HAPPY BECAUSE HE

PRESUMABLY DID SO MUCH AND

DIDN'T MAKE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE

WORRIED ABOUT THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY OF HOOSIERS BECAUSE HE

DID TOO LITTLE.

I THINK YOU CHALK THAT UP.

THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN EVERY YEAR

BUT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND A

GOVERNOR, WHEN YOU CAN'T PREDICT

WHAT THE NEXT CRISIS IS IS NOT

VERY GOOD PUBLIC POLICY.

>> JENNIFER IS HOLCOMB HEADED

FOR A FIGHT OVER THIS ISSUE?

>> I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN

DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST

SEVERAL MONTHS AND I THINK THERE

ARE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE RAISED

CONCENS, BUT ULTIMATELY AS ANN

AND OTHERS HAVE INDICATED, THE

GOVERNOR HAS TO BE ABLE TO

OPERATE AND RUN THE STATE AND

IT'S NOT ALWAYS FEASIBLE OR

ADVISABLE TO BRING 150

LEGISLATORS TO INDIANAPOLIS

DURING A PANDEMIC.

SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME

DISCUSSION AROUND THIS BUT I

DON'T EXPECT IT WILL BE A

CONTENTIOUS ISSUE.

>> JON SCHWANTES, WOULD YOU

PREDICT WE WOULD SEE CHANGES TO

THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY POWER

AUTHORITIES?

>> AT THE EDGES WE MIGHT SEE

SOME CHANGES AND IT MIGHT BE

SOME SORT OF ADDITIONAL LAYER OF

REVIEW BY THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

WHETHER -- I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD

NECESSARILY REQUIRE A QUORUM FOR

THE REASONS ANN MENTIONED.

HOW DO YOU GET 150 PEOPLE OR 2/3

OF THOSE PEOPLE TO INDIANAPOLIS

TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.

MAYBE SOME SORT OF LEADERSHIP

REVIEW OR SOME OTHER GROUP THAT

MIGHT BE EASIER TO CONVENE.

BUT I DOUBT WE WILL GO BACK TO

WHAT WE HAD FOR INSTANCE, THIS

ALL CAME OUT OF HURRICANE

KATRINA AND THE AFTERMATH ONE

STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE

SAYING IF NOT A HURRICANE I

DOUBT A HURRICANE WILL HIT

INDIANA, BUT IF SOME SIMILAR

DISASTER WITH THAT SIGNIFICANT

IMPACT, WHAT WOULD WE DO SO I

DON'T THINK WE WILL GO BACK TO

BEFORE THAT WHEN THERE WAS

NOTHING ON THE BOOKS.

JUST SOME WORK AT THE MARGINS.

>> NIKI KELLY IN TERMS OF THE

CHALLENGES OF SOMETHING

HAPPENING TO THAT EMERGENCY

AUTHORITY, WE BOTH TALKED TO

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AND THERE'S

NOT A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO

DON'T LIKE ALL THE POWER THAT

ERIC HOLCOMB HAS HAD FOR THE

LAST TEN MONTHS.

>> VIRTUALLY EVERY GOP LAWMAKER

I TALKED TO WANTS SOME SORT OF

DISCUSSION.

THERE'S A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN

A 30 DAY OR NOTHING OR NINE

MONTHS OR TEN MONTHS AND KEEP

REVIEWING IT AND SOME THINGS

I'VE HEARD ARE BASICALLY SAYING

MAYBE DO IT FOR THREE MONTHS AND

THEN THE LEGISLATURE WOULD HAVE

TO ACT.

SO TO ANN'S POINT FROM EARLIER,

IF THEY COULDN'T GET THERE OR

WHATEVER IT WOULD REQUIRE LIKE A

PROACTIVE VOTE TO STOP IT.

SO THAT IS ONE OPTION ON THE

TABLE.

>>>2021 IS A REDISTRICTING YEAR,

AND INDIANA VOTER ADVOCACY

GROUPS ARE CREATING WHAT THEY'RE

CALLING A "SHADOW" REDISTRICTING

COMMISSION TO GIVE HOOSIERS AN

INDEPENDENT CONTRAST WHEN

LAWMAKERS REDRAW LEGISLATIVE

DISTRICT LINES.

GROUPS LIKE COMMON CAUSE INDIANA

HAVE LONG CALLED FOR AN

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING

COMMISSION TO DRAW INDIANA'S

LEGISLATIVE MAPS.

TAKING IT OUT OF THE HANDS OF

LAWMAKERS, THEY SAY, WILL RESULT

IN FAIRER, MORE COMPETITIVE

DISTRICTS.

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM RODRIC

BRAY - WHOSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

HAS LONG OPPOSED SUCH A

COMMISSION - HAS SAID A TRULY

INDEPENDENT BODY WOULD BE

DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO

PUT TOGETHER.

>>SEN. RODRIC BRAY: YOU CAN SAY

IT'S A NONPARTISAN BOARD THAT

YOU WOULD APPOINT.

BUT EVERYBODY COMES TO THE POLL

OR ANY POSITION WITH SOME

POLITICAL INTEREST.

AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO

APPOINT THAT NONPARTISAN PERSON

ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE AN

INTEREST IN WHAT THAT PERSON'S

PHILOSOPHY IS EITHER, WHETHER

IT'S PUBLICLY KNOWN OR NOT.

>>BRANDON: BUT COMMON CAUSE

INDIANA DIRECTOR JULIA VAUGHN

SAID THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS

SHADOW COMMISSION HOPES TO

DISPEL.

SHE SAYS THE GROUP WILL INCLUDE

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND

PEOPLE WHO DON'T BELONG TO

EITHER PARTY.

THE SHADOW COMMISSION HAS NO

ACTUAL POWER.

IT SERVES AS A PUBLIC

ALTERNATIVE TO WHATEVER MAPS

LAWMAKERS DRAW IN 2021.

>> JENNIFER ALL COME TO YOU ON

THIS QUESTION DO YOU THINK THIS

SHADOW COMMISSION THEY ARE

CALLING IT WILL HAVE ANY

PRACTICAL EFFECT ON THE

REDISTRICTING PROCESS THIS YEAR?

>> I DON'T THINK -- YOU KNOW I

DON'T THINK IT WILL.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH PRO TEM

SENATOR BRADY.

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A

GROUP WITHOUT BIAS.

EVERYONE IS GOING TO BRING BIAS

TO THE SITUATION AND WHETHER

IT'S DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS

NONPROFITS ET CETERA THEY HAVE

POLITICAL LEANINGS AND FRANKLY,

I THINK IT IS BETTER TO LEAVE

THE PROCESS UP TO PEOPLE WHO

REPRESENT THE VOTERS OF THE

STATE.

THEY HAVE BOTH THE SPEAKER AND

SENATOR PRO TEM HAVE SAID THAT

THEY WILL HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS

AND IT WILL BE A TRANSPARENT

PROCESS AND SO THE PUBLIC WILL

HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN

AND SHAPE THAT PROCESS.

BUT I BELIEVE IT IS AS IT SHOULD

BE, A DECISION MADE BY

LEGISLATORS WHO ARE ELECTED BY

VOTERS.

>> ANN DELANEY WILL THIS

COMMISSION HAVE ANY PRACTICAL

EFFECT?

>> I THINK IT MIGHT SHAME THE

REPUBLICANS INTO DOING SOMETHING

A LITTLE MORE FAIR.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE

DISTRICTS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE

A THEOLOGIAN TO JUSTIFY THE

PARAMETERS OF THE DISTRICTS THAT

HAVE BEEN DRAWN.

I FIND IT REALLY IRONIC WHEN THE

SENATOR SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE A

NONPARTISAN COMMISSION.

YOU CAN HAVE NONPARTISAN FACTS

AND STATISTICS AND ALL IN AREAS

OF INTEREST AND BOUNDARIES AND

THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A NONPARTISAN

BOARD, HE WANTS TO HAVE THE MOST

PARTISAN GROUP MAKE THE

DECISION.

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOLDING

THOSE PIECES AND YOU'D THINK

THEY DON'T WANT TO PROTECT THEM.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY

SHOULD CHOOSE THEIR VOTERS

RATHER THAN HAVE VOTERS CHOOSE

THEM AND THEY'VE TAKEN IT TO AN

ART FORM WITH COMPUTERS SO IT'S

THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY FOR HIM

TO SAY YOU CAN'T HAVE

NONPARTISANSHIP WHEN HE AND HIS

CAUCUS AND THE CAUCUS IN THE

HOUSE ARE THE MOST PARTISAN OF

ALL.

>> JON SCHWANTES, I ASKED

ORIGINALLY ABOUT PRACTICAL

EFFECT AND I WANT TO ASK THAT

AGAIN, BUT NOT IN THE SHORT-TERM

AND LONG-TERM, VOTER ADVOCACY

GROUPS CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR

AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO

DRAW LINES INTO THE NEXT DECADE

BEFORE WE DRAW DISTRICT LINES

AGAIN TEN YEARS FROM NOW.

WILL HAVING THIS GROUP DESIGN A

MAP AND BE ABLE TO CONTRAST THAT

WITH WHATEVER LAWMAKERS COME UP

WITH INTO THE FUTURE, WILL THAT

GIVE THEM MORE HOPE THAT CHANGE

COMES IN THE FUTURE?

>> MAYBE.

I DOUBT AS A PRACTICAL MATTER,

IT WILL NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME.

THE MAPS THE SUPER MAJORITY WANT

TO PRODUCE WILL IN THE END BE

THE MAPS THE REPUBLICAN SUPER

MAJORITIES WANT TO PRODUCE.

CLEARLY AS WE SEE FEWER AND

FEWER CONTESTED RACES, WHILE WE

SEE VOTER TURNOUT SUFFERING

ACCORDINGLY WITH THIS PAST

ELECTION BEING A BIT OF AN

EXCEPTION BECAUSE PERS BECAUSE

PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS.

I THINK WE GET TO A POINT WHERE

PEOPLE SEE WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE

RACES IN OUR LEGISLATIVE

DISTRICT SO WE CAN VOTE FOR IT.

CLEARLY THE CURRENT SYSTEM

DISCOURAGES THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE POLITICS

OUT OF IT YOU COULD SAY WITH THE

EMERGENCE OF ARTIFICIAL

INTELLIGENCE YOU COULD -- I'M

ONLY BEING HALF FACETIOUS.

YOU COULD HAVE AN ALGORITHM THAT

WOULD BE A STARTING POINT.

OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE WILL SAY

HUMANS WRITE THE ALGORITHMS AND

THAT'S TRUE, BUT IF YOU WANTED

TO HAVE A STARTING POINT WHERE

IT'S BLINDLY POPULATION CENTERS

AND THE NOTION OF HAVING

CONTIGUOUS AREAS AND THOSE TYPES

OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE A

STARTING POINT.

>> THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.

>>>LAWMAKERS WILL WRITE A NEW,

TWO-YEAR STATE BUDGET THIS

SESSION - AND IT'S NOT NEARLY AS

ROSY AS ANYONE WOULD HAVE HOPED.

AS WE TAPE THIS, WE DON'T KNOW

WHAT THE LATEST REVENUE FORECAST

LOOKS LIKE...BUT IT'S LIKELY

LEGISLATORS WILL HAVE TO MAKE

PLENTY OF TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT

SPENDING THE NEXT COUPLE OF

YEARS AS THE PANDEMIC HAS

WREAKED HAVOC ON STATE FINANCES.

GOVERNOR HOLCOMB WAS ABLE TO

ENSURE K-12 SCHOOLS GOT THEIR

FULL FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT

BUDGET YEAR.

HOWEVER...NIKI KELLY, WILL

SCHOOLS BE SPARED THE KNIFE IN

THE UPCOMING BUDGET?

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD

TO AVOID THAT.

MAYBE EVEN HOPING FOR STATUS QUO

BUDGET WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION.

OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU HAVE

$7 MILLION A YEAR SPENT ON K-12

A 1 PERCENT INCREASE AS A AMOUNT

OF MONEY TO FIND NEW REVENUE OR

TAKE IT SOMEPLACE ELSE.

>> TO NIKI'S POINT IS A STATUS

QUO BUDGET GETTING THE SAME

MONEY THEY GOT IN THE LAST STATE

BUDGET IS THAT REALLY THE BEST

CASE SCENARIO FOR A LOT OF FO

FOLKS?

>> REALISTICALLY IT PROBABLY

WOULD BE ABOUT AS GOOD AS WE

MIGHT EXPECT WHICH IS TOUGH

BECAUSE ONE COULD ARGUE IN THE

WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC THERE NEVER

HAS BEEN A GREATER NEED FOR

EDUCATION FUNDING BECAUSE JUST

THE FATE OF THE PANEMIC WE HAVE

KIDS WHO REALLY HAVE BEEN DEALT

A SIGNIFICANT BLOW IN THEIR

FUNDAMENTAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT

ESPECIALLY IN THE PRIMARY GRADES

WITH MATH AND BASIC ENGLISH AND

GRAMMAR.

YOU WOULD ARGUE IF EVER THERE

WAS A TIME TO BUMP IT UP THIS

WOULD BE IT BUT THAT WISH AND

THE REALITY OF TIGHT BUDGETS

WILL UNDOUBTEDLY COLLIDE.

>> THAT'S THE CASE WITH A LOT OF

ISSUES WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY

FOCUSED ON LOOKING FOR BROADBAND

AND WHERE TO FIND THE MONEY FOR

THAT WHEN YOU NEED IT MORE THAN

EVER.

JENNIFER HOLLOWELL AS WE LOOK

AHEAD TO THE STATE BUDGET HOW

MUCH WILL END UP BEING

DETERMINED BY WHETHER OR NOT WE

GET MORE FEDERAL RELIEF AND WHEN

I SAY FEDERAL RELIEF DIRECTLY TO

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

>> THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR

AND CERTAINLY WHERE SHOULD THAT

THE FOLKS IN WASHINGTON COULD

COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WOULD

HELP STATE AND LOCAL

COMMUNITIES.

WE CLEARLY NEED MORE COVID

RELIEF FUNDING AND THE SOONER

THE BETTER.

I WILL SAY KEEP IN MIND GOV.

ERIC HOLCOMB AND THE REPUBLICAN

GENERAL ASSEMBLY INCREASE THE

K-12 EDUCATION BUDGET IN THE

LAST CYCLE BY $760 MILLION WHICH

IS GREAT AND CERTAINLY A GOOD

PLACE TO START.

THE GOVERNOR HAS STATED THAT

EDUCATION IS A PRIORITY, THE

HOUSE SPEAKER AS AS WELL AS THE

SENATOR PRO TEM SO IT'S GOING TO

BE A TOP PRIORITY BUT WE ARE

GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME

DECISIONS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A

REALLY DIFFICULT BUDGET CYCLE

AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GOING TO

BE DISAPPOINTED.

>> ANN DELANEY IF EDUCATION

SIMPLY CAN'T GET A BUDGET

INCREASE IN THE NEXT TWO-YEAR

STATE BUDGET IS IT HARD TO BLAME

LAWMAKERS FOR THAT?

>> I THINK IT IS.

THE ENTIRE YEAR BUDGET IS

CONFIRMED BY SPENDING AND IT'S

ALSO BEEN DETERMINED BY REVENUE

AND WASHINGTON SHOULD HELP AND

LET'S MAKE IT CLEAR THE

DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE PROPOSE

FUNDING FOR LOCAL AND STATE

BUDGETS.

IT'S MITCH MCCONNELL WHO WON'T

LET THAT OCCUR.

NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO THERE ARE REVENUE

SOURCES.

THAT IS THERE.

WE COULD ROLLBACK THAT THE

INCOME TAX MIKE PENCE PUT IN AND

THE CORPORATE TAX THAT'S GOING

THROUGH.

THERE ARE WAYS TO INCREASE

REVENUE.

THE GOVERNOR HAD PROMISED

TEACHERS NOT JUST THAT THEY

WOULD BE, TOLD BUT THAT WE WOULD

ACTUALLY BEGIN TO FUND THEM

COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS AND IF YOU

ARE GOING TO FLAT LINE OR CUT

THE BUDGET YOU WILL NOT DO THAT

AND THAT'S INEXCUSABLE.

AND STOCKING OR HOUSES AND IT

DOESN'T REQUIRE THE STATE HAVE

THE INPUT AND IF THE GOVERNOR

FAILS TO LIVE UP TO HIS PROMISE

YES.

>> LET'S NOT FORGET TEACHER

SALARY NOT DETERMINED BY THE

STATE BUT THE LOCAL SCHOOLS.

>> IT'S DETERMINED BY WAYS TO

MAKE IT DETERMINED BY THE STATE.

>> THEY HAVE RESISTED.

THEY'VE RESISTED DOING THAT.

VERY QUICKLY ...

>>>2020 BROUGHT A RENEWED FOCUS

ON RACIAL INEQUITY AND POLICE

VIOLENCE IN THE WAKE OF THE

KILLINGS OF GEORGE FLOYD AND

BREONNA TAYLOR, AMONG OTHERS.

IT'S PROMPTED THE INDIANA BLACK

LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS TO DEVELOP AN

EVEN MORE ROBUST AGENDA FOR

2021.

AND REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE

GREG STEUERWALD IS PRIVATELY

WORKING ON WHAT HOPES TO BE A

CONSENSUS AGENDA FOR POLICE

REFORM ISSUES.

ANN DELANEY, WILL WE SEE THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASS ANY POLICE

REFORM LEGISLATION IN 2021...AND

IF IT DOES, WILL IT BE SOMETHING

THE BLACK CAUCUS WILL SUPPORT?

VERY QUICKLY.

>> I THINK THE REPRESENTATIVE IS

WORKING HARD TO COME UP WITH A

COMPROMISE SOLUTION THAT I THINK

IT WILL NOT BE EVERYTHING THE

BLACK CAUCUS WANTS BUT WILL BE

AN IMPROVEMENT.

WE HAVE TO GET REPUBLICAN RURAL

LEGISLATURES TO SAY IT LET THE

CITIES DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.

THIS IS PART OF THE DIFFICULTY.

THEY WANT TO INTRUDE THEMSELVES

ON HOW DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF

RACIAL INEQUALITY IN THE

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND

THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

LET THE LOCALS DEAL WITH THIS

AND A LOT OF THE PROBLEM WILL GO

AWAY AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO

CAST THE TERRIBLE VOTES.

THAT WOULD BE THE WAY THE BLACK

CAUCUS SHOULD HAVE THIS HAPPEN.

>> JENNIFER HOLLOWELL WILL THERE

BE POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION THE

KIND THE BLACK OFFICE WOULD

SUPPORT?

>> ROBUST DISCUSSION WILL BE HAD

AROUND THIS.

I DO THINK SOMETHING WILL PASS

AND FRANKLY, I THINK IT WILL BE

MORE THAN WHAT ANYONE COULD HAVE

IMAGINED A YEAR AGO AND ALSO I

WOULD JUST POINT OUT GOVERNOR

HOLCOMB HAS TAKEN STEPS WITH THE

STATE POLICE TO MAKE CHANGES AT

THE STATE LEVEL.

>> AT THE STATE POLICE ACADEMY.

>>>THAT'S INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW

FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ANN

DELANEY,

REPUBLICAN JENNIFER HALLOWELL

JON SCHWANTES OF INDIANA

LAWMAKERS AND

NIKI KELLY OF THE FORT WAYNE

JOURNAL GAZETTE.

IF YOU'D LIKE A PODCAST OF THIS

PROGRAM YOU CAN FIND IT AT

WFYI.ORG/IWIR OR STARTING MONDAY

YOU CAN STREAM IT OR GET IT ON

DEMAND FROM XFINITY AND ON THE

WFYI APP.

I'M BRANDON SMITH OF INDIANA

PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

STAYS SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, HAPPY

NEW YEAR AND

JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT

CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.