News Release

Eric Holcomb

INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced as part of his 2023 Next Level Agenda he will pursue transformational changes to the way public health is delivered in Indiana, historic investments in K-12 education — including fully funding the cost of textbooks for Indiana students and new literacy initiatives, and — even stronger economic development tools to capture key economic development projects and investing another $500 million in the successful READI program.

Governor Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda details, both legislative and administrative priorities, can be found in five key categories.

Health and Wellbeing

The governor will pursue implementation of the Governor’s Public Health Commission recommendations, including a budget request for $120 million for state fiscal year 2024 and $227 million in 2025, with most of the dollars available to county officials. The increased funding will be used to:

• Provide sustainable core public health service investments in all 92 counties.
• Standardize governance, infrastructure and services to all 92 counties.
• Establish a State Health Workforce Council to help develop a framework for state health employees.
• Maintain a state health office of data and analytics to integrate public health data for quality improvement and disease prevention.
• Invest in emergency preparedness through EMS training and readiness and maintain a state strategic stockpile of supplies.
• Promote access to child and adolescent health screenings.

In addition to improving and expanding the 988 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline services the state is:

• Piloting four mobile crisis teams in 15 counties to ensure there is someone to respond.
• Developing crisis stabilization units by awarding grants for pilot programs to ensure Hoosiers have a safe place to go to receive help.
• Continuing the transition to a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic system.
• Implementing the Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among veterans and service members by investing $4.25 million over the next two years.

In 2023, the governor will launch a new Treatment Finder Program to connect Hoosiers battling addiction with the appropriate treatment.

Education and Workforce

Gov. Holcomb’s 2023 agenda elevates education and workforce, again, to the Next Level.

K-12

Among the governor’s proposal are:

• Increase tuition support by 6% in FY2024 and 2% in FY2025 equaling $1.157 billion. Gov. Holcomb will push for additional dollars to go to the classroom to continue the effort to increase average teacher salaries to at least $60,000 a year.
• Collaborate with legislators to establish a $20 million incentive program that rewards schools and teachers that improve students’ passing rate for IREAD3.
• Prohibit textbook and curricular material fees for Indiana K-12 families.
• Fully fund the cost of textbooks and other curriculum materials for more than 1 million students at all traditional public and charter schools and eligible students in non-public schools.
• Work to ensure high-quality STEM curriculum is in every Indiana classroom.
• Implement the Dolly Parton Imagination Library statewide. The program provides every child from birth to 5-years-old with one book each month.

Gov. Holcomb supports the Commissioner for Higher Education in its goal of auto-enrolling eligible students in the 21st Century Scholarship Program.

Early Learning

The governor will also expand eligibility for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers and work with legislators to expand On My Way Pre K eligibility by raising the income eligibility limits for the programs from 127% to 138% of the federal poverty limit.

The Family and Social Services Administration will use $25 million in federal funds to develop an innovative grant program to encourage employer-sponsored childcare to provide more onsite options for working caregivers.

Workforce

Gov. Holcomb is committed to providing Hoosiers with more opportunities to obtain the skills they need to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. Among what he will seek:

• Invest in Department of Workforce Development adult education training by requesting an additional $12 million over two years for education programs.
• Increase funding from $1 million to $1.5 million annually for the Graduation Alliance, an online education program for adults to achieve a diploma or credential.
• Support the Workforce Ready Grant by increasing the investment to $6 million a year at DWD, $6 million a year at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and maintaining the Employer Training Grant investment.
• Facilitate relocating veterans to Indiana through INVETS by doubling funding to $2 million annually.

Economic Development

The agenda focuses on diversifying the Indiana Economic Development Corporation toolkit to remain competitive for future growth. Gov. Holcomb commits to do the following:

• Formalize a $300 million per year deal closing fund and an additional $300 million per year tax credit cap to give the state the flexibility and competitive edge to attract new businesses and jobs.
• Establish an ongoing revolving fund of $150 million for site acquisition efforts.
• Expand the Manufacturing Readiness Grant Program by doubling the funding to $40 million over two years to support the growth of existing businesses.
• Increase Indiana Destination Development Corporation’s funding by $20 million to attract visitors and retain students as they transition to the workforce.

Community Development

Connections

Gov. Holcomb will request an additional $500 million to fund another round of the Regional Economic Acceleration & Development Initiative.

The governor is requesting an additional $50 million for Next Level Trails to continue the historic pursuit of becoming the most trail friendly state in the country, and he will request $25 million for additional land conservation efforts.

The state will move forward with a fourth round of Next Level Connections to address broadband service gaps. Indiana also is developing a plan in anticipation of the release of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to continue to bring quality and affordable service to all corners of the state.

The state will continue its partnership with the state’s food bank network by increasing funding from $1 million to $2 million each year.

Public Safety

Supporting public safety to maintain safe communities and schools will continue to be a priority in 2023. The governor will work with legislators to improve school safety by increasing the Secured School Safety Grant Fund to $25 million, expanding the ways schools can use the grants, and aligning policies across all public schools.

The governor will also propose a $24.2 million investment in a regional firefighter training infrastructure to provide a consistent and standardized firefighting training model across the state.  In addition, the state will invest $10 million over the next five years to purchase needed equipment and gear for volunteer firefighting organizations.

Good Government

The 2023 agenda will include $160 million budget request to fund the state employee compensation pay study. Additionally, the governor will request funding in the current fiscal year to follow through on the commitment to complete the following four capital projects: new Westville Correctional Facility; new state archives building; co-location of the state’s blind and deaf schools; and a new state park inn at Potato Creek State Park.