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The Raatz Roundup: An update on the legislative session

THE RAATZ ROUNDUP
Submitted for use on March 31, 2025
Word Count: 452

An update on the legislative session

By State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond)

The Indiana General Assembly is less than a month away from the end of the 2025 legislative session. This means the Senate is now reviewing bills that have passed the House of Representatives.

Senate Republican priority bills for the 2025 legislative session, which all advanced to the House, are

aimed at aimed at property tax reform, containing Medicaid costs, lowering health care costs, responsibly managing our water resources and promoting fiscal integrity and contract accountability.

Of the 521 bills that were filed in the Senate, 156 passed and are now in the House. More than 91% of the bills passed by the Senate received bipartisan support, with nearly half of them passing unanimously.

As the chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development, I am working closely with my colleagues on several pieces of legislation that would modernize our education system and connect it with the workforce needs of our state.

  • Senate Bill 146 would increase the minimum salary for teachers from $40,000 to $45,000 and direct the Indiana Department of Education to look into the feasibility of increasing school corporation employee health benefits.
  • Senate Bill 249 would allow schools to increase the pay for certain teachers in high-need fields, like STEM, to ensure they can continue to provide quality education to Hoosier students.
  • Senate Bill 448 would empower the Indiana Commission on Higher Education (CHE) to play a more active role in the strategic growth of public colleges and universities, calling for CHE review and approval on degree programs. It would also provide effective opportunities for students to still receive certification if they change degrees during their education, saving time and money to operate in the best interest of our students.
  • Senate Bill 365 would improve the requirements of Indiana’s Career Coaching Grant program to ensure better outcomes for participating students. The program helps provide students with comprehensive and relevant information about career pathways.
  • House Bill 1002 would reduce regulations on K-12 schools to increase flexibility and give local communities more control over education decisions.
  • House Bill 1348 would make it easier for students who are homeschooled to attend college or be employed by a state agency and ensure they cannot be discriminated against based solely on receiving their diploma from a nonaccredited, nonpublic school.

I look forward to reviewing more House bills during this second half of the legislative session and continuing to champion the needs of the Hoosiers of Senate District 27.

To follow these bills and others as they go through the legislative process, visit iga.in.gov. Constituents can reach out to me with any questions or concerns they may have by filling out a "Contact Me" form on the IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Raatz website or by phone at 800-382-9467.

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State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) represents Senate District 27, which includes
Henry, Union and Wayne counties, and portions of Franklin County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.