- Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb spoke about efforts in manufacturing, public health and the arts in his final State of the State address Tuesday.
- Holcomb, who is unable to seek re-election due to term limits, said he intends to serve until the end of his term, but declined to say what his plans for the post are.
- A $250 million grant from Lilly Endowments was announced for community redevelopment, arts and cultural initiatives across the state.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb delivered his final State of the State address Tuesday, promoting a new agenda for his final term, noting a strong manufacturing industry and innovative public health and arts initiatives. listed.
Holcomb addressed a joint session of the General Assembly, renewing his commitment to serve the state “until the mission before me is finally completed.” Indiana law limits governors to two consecutive terms, so he cannot run for reelection. Mr. Holcomb has not announced his plans after his departure.
His speech came a day after Indiana lawmakers returned to the state Capitol in Indianapolis for the start of the 2024 legislative session.
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The Republican governor declined to speak directly about the coronavirus pandemic, which hit in the same year as his re-election. His popularity took a hit due to some COVID-19 regulations, including a statewide mask mandate early in the pandemic.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (center) and others look out to the balcony during the State of the Union address to a joint session of the General Assembly at the State Capitol in Indianapolis, January 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
Instead, he sought to highlight Indiana's economy and manufacturing, including partnerships with the federal government to fund manufacturing hubs in hydrogen, microelectronics and biotechnology.
He also highlighted Health First Indiana, a public health initiative he promoted as part of his major budget proposal last year. The governor received widespread attention for the program, which allows counties to choose state funding for services such as chronic disease prevention. Infectious disease prevention and control. and maternal and child health.
In his speech, Holcomb announced the receipt of a $250 million grant from Lilly Endowments for community redevelopment and arts and culture initiatives across the state.
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He also laid out his agenda for the final year of his term, focusing primarily on improving access to childcare and educational outcomes.
The outgoing governor said Monday he wants to lower the minimum age for caregivers at child care facilities to include some teens and expand eligibility for free or reduced-cost child care for frontline workers.
On the education front, the primary concern of the governor and Republican lawmakers is the literacy skills of elementary school students. Holcomb wants lawmakers to require state reading tests to be administered to second-graders and provide indicators of their aptitude and how to improve.
According to the Indiana State Department of Education, about 18% of third graders did not pass Indiana's reading comprehension test last year. Holcomb also wants to make it harder for students who fail the test to advance to her fourth grade.
“My term is limited, but this is my promise to you as we look ahead to 2024,” Holcomb said in his speech.
After the speech, Senate President Pro-Tem Roderick Bray (R) said he looked forward to working with the governor on his new initiatives, especially on children's literacy. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston told reporters he supports the governor's efforts to further curb the enrollment of third-grade students who don't meet reading standards.
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Houston also called the Lilly Endowment grant for redevelopment and cultural initiatives “amazing news.”
Democratic leaders criticized parts of Holcomb's speech, saying it had topical gaps.
State Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor expressed optimism about Indiana's economic outlook but praised Democratic leadership in pushing for a minimum wage increase. Assembly Minority Leader Phil Giaquinta criticized Holcomb for not addressing a recent miscalculation that left the state $1 billion short of its projected Medicaid needs.
“This unacceptable budgeting error could devastate the one-third of Hoosier families who rely on Medicaid for critical health care,” Giaquinta said in a written statement.
Mr. Holcomb did not submit any proposals that would have fiscal implications. That's because these proposals are only processed in odd-numbered years, when lawmakers hold longer budget-writing sessions. The 2024 session must end by March 14th.
