• Government
• State of Indiana
• Federal

Attorney General Todd Rokita announced that Indiana and 23 other states have won a battle against a California effort to impose a radical climate agenda on all states by requiring trucking companies operating in California to use electric vehicles in their fleets.

Following pressure applied by Attorney General Rokita and likeminded attorneys general, California dropped its request that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant the state special permission to impose the mandate as part of its “Advanced Clean Fleets” regulation.

“Since the day I took office, we have fought for common sense, free enterprise and the rule of law,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Our efforts are paying off. In Indiana and across the country, liberty and prosperity are on the march while government overreach and climate radicalism are in retreat. But we cannot rest. We will stay relentless in our mission on behalf of all Hoosiers."

The proposed mandate would have forced trucking businesses from ALL states to abide by California’s edict when operating in the Golden State — and it would have applied to trucking companies that operated one truck for as little as one day per year in California.

In a September 2024 letter to the EPA, Attorney General Rokita and others explained the important principles at stake.

“Granting California a preemption waiver,” states the Nebraska-led letter, “would run headlong into the equal sovereignty of the States protected by the Constitution.”

• Government
• State of Indiana
• Budget

Governor Mike Braun’s administration presented the 2025-2027 biennial budget proposal to the State Budget Committee, outlining a vision for a leaner, more efficient government that puts Hoosier families first.

The proposed budget, delivered by Secretary of Management and Budget Lisa Hershman, builds on Governor Braun’s commitment to prioritizes tax relief, public safety, and education while ensuring fiscal responsibility and efficiency.

Key Highlights Include:

• K-12 Education: Universal Choice Scholarships for all families, increased funding for K-12 schools, and a 2% increase in tuition support each year.
• Tax Relief: Elimination of the tip tax, phased-out tax on retirement income, and new sales tax holidays.
• Public Safety: Increased funding for school safety, law enforcement, and state police salaries, along with a major investment in the Indiana National Guard.
• Fiscal Integrity: Increase the FY26 rainy-day fund by $400 million, slow the growth of government expenses, put Indiana in a strong fiscal position for the future.

Governor Braun's Statement:

"This budget streamlines government operations while focusing on areas that matter most to Hoosiers—education, tax relief, and public safety. I look forward to working with the legislature to make this proposal a reality and ensure Indiana’s continued success."

• Government
• State of Indiana
• Federal

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) recently introduced the Complete COVID Collections Act to ensure that billions of stolen taxpayer dollars can continue to be recovered.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) created COVID relief programs to help small businesses, but unfortunately, many of these programs were taken advantage of by bad actors. The Complete COVID Collections Act would extend the authorization of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery – a role that was designed to conduct oversight of pandemic funds – and expand its jurisdiction to cover additional SBA COVID-related programs. It is estimated that more than $200 billion still needs to be recovered.

“Programs designed to provide relief to our small businesses were repeatedly taken advantage of, leaving small businesses hurting and taxpayers on the hook. I’m glad to join Senator Ernst in this effort to recover taxpayer dollars and protect Americans from fraud and abuse,” said Senator Young.

“Con artists took advantage of small businesses’ pain during COVID to defraud government programs designed to help hardworking Americans,” said Senator Ernst. “While we are $36 trillion in debt, we especially cannot afford to leave more than $200 billion floating around, especially in the hands of fraudsters. My Republican colleagues and I are making sure that all resources are available in this fight to get taxpayers’ money back and hold these criminals accountable.”

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and John Curtis (R-Utah) also sponsored the legislation.

Full text of the legislation can be found here. More about the legislation can be found here.

• Government
• State of Indiana
• Federal

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) reintroduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that allows concealed carry, while still abiding by that state’s laws.

“The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act will protect the constitutional rights of Hoosier gun owners by ensuring any individual who legally owns a gun in Indiana can transport or possess the firearm legally in other states without fear of prosecution,” said Senator Young.

More specifically, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would:

• Allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws;
• Treat state-issued concealed carry permits like drivers’ licenses where individuals can use their home-state license to drive in another state but must abide by that other state’s speed limit or road laws;
• and protect state sovereignty by not establishing a national standard for concealed carry.

In addition to Senators Young and Cornyn, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va) also cosponsored the legislation.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is endorsed by the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Gun Owners of America.