Legislative Update

From IAUW: Follow along during the 2018 legislative session The 2018 session of the Indiana General Assembly (IGA) began on January 3 and will end no later than March 14.  This is a "short session" where lawmakers will discuss a range of issues that likely have minimal fiscal impact because it is not a budget-making year.  Now that we have heard more from caucus leadership and the Governor on their plans for 2018, you can expect key issues this session to revolve around workforce development, education and the opioid epidemic.  View Indiana United Ways' 2018 Policy Priorities.     Below are some helpful links that will help you follow along during the legislative session. IGA Bill List House Committee Calendar Senate Committee Calendar Indiana United Ways' Bill Tracking Lists:  Education, Financial Stability, Health, Tax Issues, Charitable Sector, IUW Tracked Bills Check out our Third House / Meet Your Legislator event calendar Legislators often offer a preview, progress report or summary at "Third House" sessions or "meet your legislator" sessions.  We at Indiana United Ways work to maintain the calendar of Third House meetings throughout the state.  Check out the calendar (or the printable version) for a date and location near you (updated regularly throughout the legislative session).  Upcoming meet your legislator and legislative preview events are being held in the following communities: Bartholomew County - every Monday 7:30am Carroll County - February 3 at 8:00am Greater Lafayette - January 27 at 7:30am Hamilton County - February 9 at 7:30am Hendricks County - January 29 at 7:00am Howard County - January 26 at 4:00pm Huntington County - February 10 at 10:00am Southwest IN, Posey County - February 3 at 9:00am Tipton County - February 10 at 10:00am Vigo County - February 10 at 10:00am If you attend, drop us a note to share a little about your experience. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day Amy and her son The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps millions of workers like Amy keep more of what they earn to pay for things like reliable transportation to get to work, housing and food. Amy is a college student and proud mother to a little boy that just doesn't seem to quite growing! "He outgrows shoes very fast.... little boys grow so fast!"  When Amy had her taxes prepared at United Way's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, she found out that she'd be getting the EITC. She'll use her return to pay down debts, buy groceries, and clothes for her little boy.   Hardworking Americans should be able to make ends meet. The EITC helps them do that.  Nationwide during 2017, 27 million eligible workers and families received about $65 billion in EITC and the average amount of EITC received nationwide was about $2,445.  In Indiana, there were more than 527,000 EITC claims and the average amount of EITC for Hoosiers was $2,424.

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding reauthorization As a part of the funding package that ended the recent government shutdown, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has received a six year funding extension.  This funding comes after months of uncertainty for states, which rely on the federal government for the majority of program funding.  Indiana, which has approximately 100,000 children benefiting from health coverage through CHIP, was at risk to run out of funding as soon as this May. This is a much broader extension than in previous years, due in large part to a recent CBO report showing a longer extension of CHIP would help reduce the deficit. This is a major victory for nine million children in the US, and for the many United Ways who have been actively advocating for CHIP over the last several months.  More information on the national and state impacts of CHIP may be found in this report from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).