Like so many things today, exactly how the 2021 Indiana General Assembly session will unfold is still up in the air. More recommendations are anticipated tomorrow (September 9) from the Legislative Continuity Committee. Final decisions by legislative leaders (with input from their caucus members) may not come until Organization Day on November 17 – making the traditional first day of session more meaningful than ceremonial.
While all this uncertainty swirls around an in-person or virtual 2021 General Assembly and even when it may take place, Indiana Chamber preparations for the new legislative activity are well underway.
Your lobbying team just concluded in-depth virtual meetings with all the Chamber’s policy committees, which are comprised of business leaders from around the state. The committees reviewed previous policy positions and determined needed changes, as well as what new issues warrant inclusion in the annual Legislative Business Issues document.
As a reminder, this piece forms the basis for Indiana Chamber advocacy at the Statehouse and in Congress. And once actual bills are introduced, it’s the guiding reference for whether we take a position on a measure and what that position is.
You can expect a list of urgent items related to the pandemic and economic recovery to be woven into the Legislative Business Issues or included as an addendum. Heading that list is legal protection for Hoosier employers that follow established safety guidelines from claims that the coronavirus was contracted at their place of business. This is becoming all the more critical at the state level with Congress’ continued inaction and likely compromised language if anything does get passed.
Two priority items that will definitely return from the 2020 list are the state’s adoption of a work share program and increasing the cigarette tax. Had the former been in place, the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund balance wouldn’t be depleted; that’s why action is vital in 2021 since the economy won’t bounce back overnight.
Momentum was gained in moving the smoking age to 21 earlier this year, and it should be easier for legislators to get on board with the cigarette tax increase (the Chamber emphasizes the health benefits) given the shrinking state general fund.
No matter the issue or what form the 2021 session takes, you can count on the Chamber to be ready to advocate on your behalf.
If there is live testimony in a safe environment, we will be masked up and present! We are also planning to submit detailed written comments electronically at all committee hearings to ensure our stance and reasons are fully understood, especially given the expectation that hearings may be shorter in 2021.
As more information on the upcoming session becomes available, we will analyze what it means in our Interim Update e-newsletter. You can find it in your inbox and in our policy center at www.indianachamber.com/policy. That resource page is also where all the new legislative documents will be placed as they are completed. We encourage you to bookmark the page and stay tuned!
