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Start of the 124th General Assembly


John,



This week, Republican lawmakers gathered at the Statehouse for Organization
Day, marking the first legislative session for the 124th Indiana General
Assembly. With our strong majorities, Republican leadership is prepared to
deliver on the priorities that matter most to Hoosiers. Under the vision of
Governor-Elect Mike Braun, Speaker Todd Huston, and President Pro Tem. Rod
Bray, we are excited to seeIndiana taken to places it’s never been before,
driving unprecedented progress and continuing to push our state into a national
model of conservative governance.

Additionally, we’re excited to announce that RSVPs are now open for Mike
Braun’s Inaugural Celebration! Join us as we honor this exciting new chapter
for Indiana. Details and RSVP information can be foundHere
<[link removed]>.



Thank you all for what you do!



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Chairman Randy Head


 

 


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Governor-Elect Mike Braun Sent a Letter to the 124th General Assembly



Governor-elect Mike Braun sent
<[link removed]> a letter wishing
member of the 124th General assembly a letter for organization day. To read the
full letter, click the link!



What's he saying: "I want to wish the members of the Indiana General Assembly
the very best as they begin their important work for Hoosiers across our state
on Organization Day.

Indiana has a proud tradition of leadership and innovation, and I’m committed
to partnering with the legislature to deliver bold, meaningful outcomes.
Together, we can address key priorities like property tax reform, public
safety, education quality, and lowering healthcare costs.

I look forward to working alongside the General Assembly to advance solutions
that make Indiana stronger and ensure our state remains a beacon of prosperity
and Hoosier values. Let’s get to work!"- Governor-elect. Braun said via X.
<[link removed]>


 


Governor-elect Mike Braun announced
<[link removed]> his excitement to
continue building Indiana's industries like Hydrogen Energy.



What's he saying: “I look forward to continuing Governor Holcomb’s success in
creating jobs for hardworking Hoosiers in industries where Indiana excels, and
leading the way in critical technologies of the future… The hydrogen hub offers
the opportunity to grow our national economy, and I look forward to working
with other hub leaders across the Midwest.” - Sen. Braun said via X.
<[link removed]>

* To stay up-to-date, follow Sen. Mike Braun on Facebook
<[link removed]>
orX.
<[link removed]>

 

Governor-elect Mike Braun Announces Executive Branch Reorganization


Governor-elect Mike Braun has unveiled his bold plan to reorganize Indiana’s
executive branch, delivering on his promise to create a more efficient,
accountable government. Drawing on the principles that made him a successful
entrepreneur, Braun’s plan consolidates state operations into eight focused
policy areas, ensuring streamlined leadership and better service for Hoosiers.


Government operations will be consolidated into eight focused policy areas,
each led by an entrepreneurial Secretary, ensuring accountability, improving
coordination, and delivering better service to taxpayers:

* Management and Budget: Overseeing financial operations to eliminate
wasteful spending.
* Commerce: Empowering job creation and economic growth by aligning economic
development, workforce training, and housing.
* Health and Family Services: Unifying health and social services to reduce
costs and improve care.
* Public Safety: Enhancing law enforcement coordination and emergency
response for safer communities.
* Energy and Natural Resources: Conserving resources while advancing a
comprehensive energy strategy.
* Education: Creating a seamless system from pre-K to college, ensuring more
choice and opportunity.
* Transportation and Infrastructure: Building modern infrastructure, from
roads to broadband connectivity.
* Business Affairs: Cutting red tape so businesses can grow and create jobs.

Governor-elect Mike Braun’s executive branch reorganization is a testament to
his commitment to limited, efficient government that puts Hoosiers first. By
streamlining operations, improving accountability, and fostering coordination
across agencies, this plan ensures Indiana’s government is equipped to meet the
challenges of today while building a stronger future.


 

District 7 State Rep. Jake Teshka's Op-Ed on K-12 Education



You can tell a lot about what a person values by examining what they spend
their money on. In fact, right in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
himself said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”



By extension, you can (or rather should be able to) tell a lot about what
society values by examining government expenditures.



As the 2025 budget session of the Indiana General Assembly approaches, I
thought that it would be worthwhile to level set about what we value and,
specifically, to look at the area which receives by far the largest share of
our state’s biennial budget: K-12 education. There are many misconceptions and
myths out there about how and at what levels the state funds education.



A persistent myth propagated by our state’s minority party is that the
legislature has somehow cut overall education funding in recent years. Nothing
could be farther from the truth. In fact, we have delivered historic increases
to education funding in each of the last two budget cycles.



In the 2024-25 budget, we increased tuition support by a whopping $1.5
Billion. Since 2011, the legislature has increased tuition support by 42% while
overall enrollment has only increased 5.7% during the same period.



You may be thinking, “It’s great that overall funding has increased but aren’t
private schools siphoning dollars away from traditional public schools through
the state’s Choice Scholarship Program?” Unfortunately, that’s another
misconception that I’ve seen spread over social media.



The truth is that, while only 91% of Hoosier students attend traditional
public schools, those schools receive 93% of state funding. And that is just
state funding. When you combine state, local and federal dollars, the average
traditional public school received $12,380 per student for the 2022-23 school
year (not including the $2.8 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds). In
contrast, the average Choice Scholarship amount was $6,263.66 for the 2023-24
school year.



Now, you may ask, “If funding for traditional public schools is increasing,
then why aren’t teacher salaries?” The first point I would make is that the
legislature doesn’t set teacher salaries and, quite frankly, I don’t think
you’d want us to.



What an educator might need to earn to live comfortably in Paoli or Rensselaer
is going to be markedly different from what that same educator would need in
Noblesville or Fort Wayne. And perhaps educators in a certain district prefer
to negotiate for more robust fringe benefits and forgo some amount of salary.
Lawmakers are not best suited to hash out these specifics. Rather, it is
locally elected school boards and hired administrators that make these
decisions.



With that being said, it is certainly important to note that only 58.7% of
state expenditures actually made it to the classroom during the 2020-21 school
year and, assuming the average classroom is 20 students (a conservative
estimate), teacher salary only accounts for roughly one quarter of the revenue
generated by a traditional public-school classroom. However, between 2011-2021
the number of administrative staff increased 25.2% nationwide.

Lastly, I would note that teacher salaries have indeed increased. During the
2022-23 school year, the average Hoosier teacher made $58,531 with total
compensation including benefits at $76,608. That was up 3.4% from the year
before and nearly 10% more than the average Hoosier worker.



Article 8 of the Indiana Constitution mandates that the General Assembly
“encourage, by all suitable means, moral, intellectual, scientific, and
agricultural improvement” and my hope is that by dispelling some of these
myths, we can have a more productive conversation about how those efforts are
funded during the next legislative session.



Jake Teshka District 7 Republican state representative.


 

📱 News You Can Use


Governor Eric Holcomb met <[link removed]>
with Indiana National Guard troops in Kuwait.



Secretary Diego Morales posted
<[link removed]> on American
Education Week, honoring the dedication of educators and staff.



Treasurer Daniel Elliott posted
<[link removed]> on Org Day welcoming in
new legislators to the Statehouse.



Comptroller Elise Nieshella participated
<[link removed]> in a panel with the
Indianapolis CFO Leadership council



Attorney General Todd Rokita Spoke
<[link removed]> on one of his top
priorities of fighting illegal immigration.



Senator Todd Young congratulated
<[link removed]> Purdue University for
being named Lead Academic Institution for national institute focusing on
digital twins for semiconductor manufacturing.



Senator Mike Braun announced
<[link removed]> his bipartisan Mark Our
Place Act bill has passed the House and is headed to the President's desk.



Congressman Rudy Yakym had
<[link removed]> a great tour of
@betterworldbook in Mishawaka.



Congressman Jim Banks spoke
<[link removed]> on Chuck Schumer's
blocking of a bill sanctioning the ICC.



Congressman Jim Baird spoke
<[link removed]> on the ICC's decision to
issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu.



Congresswoman Victoria Spartz spoke
<[link removed]> on the U.S. debt and
deficit.



Congressman Larry Bucshon commented
<[link removed]> on affordable
healthcare for Americans.


Congresswoman Erin Houchin spoke
<[link removed]> on her support of Speaker
Mike Johnson's decision to protect women on Capitol Hill.


 

Upcoming Events Across the State


November 23: IFRW Holiday Party
<[link removed]>



December 15: Owen County Republican Christmas Party
<[link removed]>







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