Feb 09, 2025
NATIONAL NUTCASERY
people power
If you were online last week, hopefully your feeds were full of picture after picture of people protesting at Senators’ offices, or for the 50501 Movement’s protests across the country, or to support immigrants. There was a protest at the Department of Labor, too!
Finally, Democratic Senators are already listening to us and improving their performances dramatically! We saw them filibustering Russell Vought’s nomination for over 30 hours, and show up at the Department of Education to demand answers.
Cynics will say: but what was accomplished? Right now, the Democrats don’t have any power, so there are limits to what can be done. Let’s encourage the actions - they are keeping things in the news and the public eye. Let’s get caught trying.
new Dem leadership
On Saturday, February 1, DNC members voted to elect a new slate of DNC Officers including positions for Chair, Vice Chair of Civic Engagement and Voter Participation, three Vice Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and National Finance Chair.
The new elected DNC Officers include:
Chair: Ken Martin
Vice Chair for Civic Engagement and Voter Participation (CEVP): Reyna Walters-Morgan
Vice Chair (three positions): Artie Blanco, Malcolm Kenyatta, and David Hogg
Martin told ABC News his first three priorities are setting up a rapid response "war room" to message against Trump and define the party's agenda, beginning the process of reviewing the party's strategy that led to its losses in the White House and Congress and conducting a review of the party's finances.
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US immigration games Google to make it seem like they are doing something
Thousands of press releases about decade-old enforcement actions topped search results, all updated with a timestamp from after Trump’s inauguration… Since the Guardian reached out to ICE and Google for comment, some of the press releases have reverted back to their original dates on Google search. Therefore, those releases are no longer appearing at the top of Google search results. read more at the Guardian.
EO no you betta don’t!
Trump’s many multiplying Executive Orders continue to be fought in the courts. Thankfully, Biden was able to add 235 judges to the federal bench during his presidency. Keep an eye on the lawsuits all in one place at courtwatch.news
STATEWIDE SHENANIGANS
Braun’s Budget
Here is a write-up of HB 1001 (the House version of the budget bill) from the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute that includes a good explainer of the process too
Here are some of the major proposals:
Changes the homestead standard deduction so that it is either: 60% of the homestead's assessed value (AV) if the AV is over $125,000; or $48,000 plus 60% of the remaining AV if the AV is $125,000 or less.
Eliminates the supplemental homestead deduction. Introduces a property tax liability credit for all taxable real property.
Limits referendums only during general elections in even-numbered years.
This bill would be retroactive to 1/01/2025, and in the next three years, it would cause significant decreases in revenue for local community services, including a loss of $1.8 billion from school corporations, $140 million from libraries, $1 billion from local municipalities, and $4 billion from counties.
let your elected officials know what you think about the proposed budget, or contact the House Committee on Ways and Means with your thoughts!
BILLWATCH 2025
it’s the last week before bills switch to the other chamber (House bills go to the Senate and Senate bills go to the House). Any bills that did not get three readings will be dead. There will be a lot fewer bills to watch after the switch.
Schedules are out and the House and Senate will be in session on Monday starting at 1:30 pm. Here are some bills that are scheduled, though the schedule can change at any moment:
Second reading:
SB 201 Closed Primary Elections. one amendment filed. Requires voters to register with a political party, and restricts them to only voting for candidates of that party in the primary election. Disenfranchises and limits voters (especially Independents!) by requiring voters to select a party, and prioritizes partisan allegiance over quality candidates. View Call to Action.
SB 284 Early Voting. six filed amendments. Reduces the early voting (in-person absentee voting) to just 14 days before the election. Early voting is critical for voter accessibility and improved turnout. Indiana has one of the lowest voter turnout rates, and this bill would worsen turnout. Amended. View Call to Action
SB 235 Limitations on diversity, equity, and inclusion. this bill has been passed to the House; this hearing is only the 8 amendments. Prohibits the funding of DEI programs, officers, and initiatives at state agencies, state universities, and health professional licensing boards. This would eliminate training, programming, activities, policies, and procedures that explore allyship, antiracism, intersectionality, social justice, privilege, bias, and more. View Call to Action.
SB 355 Municipal elections (moving city elections to Presidential election years). 4 filed amendments
SB 523 School chaplains. Permits chaplains to work or volunteer in public schools, offering both secular and nonsecular advice and guidance. Public schools are not Sunday schools. Students shouldn't feel pressured or evangelized at school. View Call to Action.
Third reading:
SB 120 DNA samples at arrest. Requires a sheriff to take a DNA sample of a person taken into custody for a felony, and makes it a Class C misdemeanor if a person refuses to provide. This would seem to violate a person's right to due process. View Call to Action.
SB450 Article V Convention is up for the third reading.
Second reading:
HB 1413 Rape kits. Creates a fund to help law enforcement and testing labs reduce the backlog of untested rape kits. Indiana has the nation's 2nd highest number of untested rape kits; data collected per this bill would inform on best practices to address the backlog, and empower and support victims as they seek justice. View Call to Action.
HB 1679 Various election matters. Outlines several changes to election and voting laws - one that would require a county voter registration office to conduct a "voter list maintenance program" at least once every 30 days. These programs can be unreliable and will flag and purge actual eligible voters, in addition to failing to protect data privacy. Read more. View Call to Action.
IDs please
SB 10 has passed through the State Senate and is now headed to the House. This bill would ban the use of student IDs to verify a person’s identity when voting, something students at public colleges and universities in Indiana have been allowed to do for about two decades.
Republicans pushing the bill have offered no evidence of any issues surrounding the use of student IDs for voting. Terre Haute senator Greg Goode was quoted saying that student IDs don’t have the same rigor as other allowable forms of identification and a student ID “was never intended to be used off campus,” Goode said. He later voted against SB10.
Sen. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis) said Indiana’s real crisis is its low voter turnout — which won’t be helped by further restricting access to the polls.
“Senate Bill 10 is not about securing elections — it’s about choosing who gets to participate in those elections,” Ford said.
other bills on the move:
House Bill 1007, which would enable Indiana’s utilities to recover development costs of small module nuclear reactors, passed out of committee.
House Bill 1006 passed out of committee this week. It could impact Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears for his decision not to prosecute lower-level marijuana charges.
SB 191 would require that Terminated Pregnancy Reports be treated as the medical records they are and kept confidential. Urge Chairman Senator Charbonneau to hear SB 191 and protect abortion patients and their doctors at this link
A post shared by @ppallianceadvocates
from Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute:
Paid Family and Medical Leave is a bipartisan bill (SB 115) but to make it happen we need Senator Linda Rogers, chair of the Pensions & Labor Committee, to give it a hearing. Can you make a quick call to leave a voicemail requesting a hearing of SB 115 (317-234-9443) or email [email protected]?
A Newborn Tax Credit will be going up for a hearing. Ask your State Senator to co-sponsor SB 497 today to ensure that we help millions of future Hoosiers across the state thrive! (You can find who they are on the Indiana State Legislature webpage!)
LOCAL FOCUS
Local party elections are coming up in March. You can read 2025 IDP Reorganization Guide and 2025 IDP Reorganization Procedures for specific processes.
On March 1, Vigo County precinct committeepersons & their vices will vote for Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer & Secretary. Candidates must declare to the current chair at least 10 days prior to voting.
On March 8, county party officials will then elect the leadership for each of our Congressional District Parties. Chairs and Vice Chairs of each congressional district, along with leadership of constituency caucuses and DNC members from Indiana will vote to decide the State Party leadership on March 15.
Our District 8 chair is currently Dave Crooks (812.617.0179), and vice-chair is Cheryl Schultz (812.459.7645). You can contact them at their numbers above to share your support for Destiny Wells for State Party Chair, plus email [email protected] (Women’s Caucus chair) prior to March 15th.
GOOD TROUBLE
Last week, as a result of Trump’s anti-DEI EO, the Army Women’s Museum website went offline
send an email to Francis Reynolds ([email protected]) and let him know about your concern for the safety of the Army Women’s Museum collections & educational resources, and how important the museum is to our history.
you can order cookies from trans girl scouts or from scouts living in NY’s shelter system, including asylum-seekers.
RESOURCE CENTER
You may have seen this excellent 13-minute video going around the internet last week. Here is the Youtube version, highly recommended. Ezra Klein: Don’t Believe Him
Last week AOC did a great Instagram Live, explaining what’s going on in government right now and what we can do about it. The video is over 90 minutes, but here is the Youtube link, where you can watch on 2x speed. AOC: What’s Happening and How You Can Take Action
Also, if you haven’t seen this comprehensive guide to calling your Representatives from Emily in Your Phone, I suggest printing it out! Her substack issues are auto-paywalled after 2 weeks.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, Feb. 11, is an Indiana State Teacher’s Association Day of Action at the Statehouse. Days of Action start with a briefing on high-priority legislation, equipping you to engage in meaningful conversations with your lawmakers at the Statehouse. ISTA staff are available to help first-time attendees. Register today!
Wednesday 2/12: Democracy Day at the Statehouse sponsored by MADVoters, StandUp Indiana, and Common Cause; League of Women Voters' League Day at the Statehouse Register here
From reader Shannon: 2/12 is also Tobacco-Tree Indiana day. We are taking two bus loads of folks there to press for raising the tobacco tax $2 per pack. Would both raise revenue and reduce Medicaid costs.
Tuesday, February 18th: Nasty Women meeting 5-7pm at VCPL main branch, meeting room D. We will be discussing the INDEMs’ 2025 IDP Reorganization Guide and 2025 IDP Reorganization Procedures
Thursday 2/20: Reproductive Health day at the Indiana Statehouse. Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, ACLU of Indiana, All Options, Good Trouble Coalition, Hoosier Jews for Choice, Indiana TaskFORCE, ACOG, Our Choice Coalition, and Women4Change are partnering together to urge legislators in passing bills aimed at bettering the status of reproductive health in Indiana. Register here.
Friday, February 21st: Vigo Dems meeting 1111 Veterans Square 5:30 pm
END ON A HIGH NOTE
The ban on birthright citizenship has been indefinitely paused.
A bill to abolish the death penalty in Indiana has gained bipartisan support.
Indiana AG Todd Rokita is facing new charges from the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission.
Trump's time in the White House runs out in:
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