This week, the Senate Republicans released their version of the state budget proposal for the next two years. House Bill 1001, commonly known as the “budget bill,” passed out of the Senate Committee on Appropriations by a vote of 8-3.
HB 1001 is a balanced budget that focuses on funding Indiana’s most important needs and creating a strong foundation for Indiana’s economic future. State Senator Randy Head said, “My colleagues and I are committed to continuing Indiana’s track record of responsible budgets that put taxpayers first and maintain our hard-fought reserve funds.”
Senator Head highlighted portions of the budget include:
Education which has an increases in K through12 funding by $466 million over the biennium (2.3% increase in FY 2016 and a 2.3% increase in FY 2017) in an effort to freeze tuition increases, the budget increases total university operating funds by $220 million over the biennium and provides a one-time funding of $25 million for repair and maintenance at all regional campuses. Also in the senate budget is the requirement of the Commission for Higher Education to review tuition increases at state universities and in-state vs. out-of-state student ratios at state universities. The budget proposal does not increase funding for charter schools.
As for the balanced budget Head said, “Our ongoing revenues exceed ongoing expenditures.” He noted it ends the biennium with $1.88 billion in reserves.
Public safety and corrections in the senate proposed budge provides community corrections funding of $151 million over the biennium. It also increases funding for offender mental health and addiction treatment by $30 million over the biennium.
There is an increase in funding for the Department of Child Services by $7.5 million per year to improve caseworker-to-child ratios and the senate alloted $13.5 million over the biennium for Safety P.I.N. grants to reduce infant mortality.
Looking at economic development the senate budget provides $200 million per year for Major Moves 2020 highway projects, establishes a statewide “Launch Indiana” program for aspiring Hoosier entrepreneurs and provides $20 million over the biennium for the governor’s Regional Cities Initiative which strives to attract talented people to live and work in Indiana by inspiring regional collaboration, development and strategic planning. To learn more about this initiative, click here.
To view the biennial budget proposal in detail, including a power point presentation and a school funding formula simulation, click here.
