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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is challenging a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule as part of a new lawsuit that seeks to force medical providers to perform surgeries and administer hormones to both children and adults for the purpose of gender transition.

“The Biden administration will stop at nothing to impose its radical transgender ideology on Hoosiers and all Americans,” Attorney General Rokita said. “These HHS bureaucrats are illegally weaponizing the U.S. healthcare system in this misguided quest. With our lawsuit, we aim to protect common sense, science and the rule of law — not to mention the physical and mental health of people experiencing gender dysphoria.”

The rule redefines the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition against discrimination on the basis of “sex” to include “gender identity.” The rule deems doctors guilty of discrimination for hewing to the scientifically grounded reality that males and females have different anatomies and physiologies that require different kinds of care.

In 2016, federal courts struck down as unlawful a similar rule sought by the Obama administration.

The Biden administration’s rule could cause significant damage to Indiana and the 14 other states that signed on to the lawsuit – places where medical providers have restrictions against performing gender-transition interventions on minors.

Covered entities found non-compliant with this new HHS rule risk the loss of significant federal funding — including the loss of billions of dollars in state Medicaid funding designed to assist low-income individuals. They also risk exposure to civil liability through private lawsuits.

Washington, D.C. (June 4, 2024) - Today, Congresswoman Erin Houchin issued a statement in response to President Biden’s executive order on border security:

“Joe Biden’s executive order on the border is nothing but window dressing. We have seen record numbers of illegal crossings since the day he took office, when he welcomed this madness by reversing Trump era policies. Biden’s cynical executive order will merely normalize a level of illegal immigration that President Obama’s DHS chief said would ‘overwhelm the system.’

Under Biden’s EO, DHS would not be allowed to turn asylum seekers away until illegal border crossings exceed 2,500 per day – which is nearly 1 million per year. America is being invaded and has been for 3 years now. It’s no coincidence that Joe Biden is making this political stunt weeks before the presidential debate and 5 months before the election. It’s clear that this administration has no interest in solving this humanitarian and national security crisis.

Too little. Too late. Pass HR2.”

Secured School Safety Grant

Application period now open

IDHS is accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Secured School Safety Grant (FY24 SSSG). The application period will close July 1, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. EDT. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted.

The Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY25 SSSG includes all the information necessary for a successful grant application for the SSSG program. Before submitting your application:

Be registered in IntelliGrants.
Have an active bidder number with the state of Indiana.
Have an active supplier number with the state of Indiana.
Sign up for Grant updates.

The period of performance for the FY25 SSSG will be Sept. 1, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2025.

Since 2014, Indiana has awarded more than $163 million in SSSG grants to support school security. Last year, 474 schools received more than $29.8 million in awards.

Click here for complete information on the SSSG program and the history of awards distributed.

What is an allowable expense for the FY25 SSSG?

The program supports a dedicated state grant fund that provides matching grants to school corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools or a coalition of school corporations and/or charter schools applying jointly to:

Employ a school resource officer (SRO) or law enforcement officer (LEO).
Conduct a site vulnerability assessment and/or critical incident digital mapping.
Purchase equipment, hardware, materials and technology to:
1. Restrict access to school property and classrooms; or
2. Assist with visitor management on school property; or
3. Expedite notification of first responders; or
4. Expedite access to school property for first responders; or
5. Provide school staff with information about the open or closed status of interior and exterior doors; or
6. Detect fire, chemical, visual or audible threats; or
7. Enhance emergency communications inside the building; or
8. Assist with emergency medical response on school property; or
Implement a student and parent support services plan.
Purchase or provide training for a canine trained to detect drugs and illegal substances, explosives, or firearms or to otherwise provide protection for students and school employees.
Provide funding for school employees to receive training, including expenses for per diem, travel and lodging related to eligible training.
Provide funding for school resource officer or law enforcement officer to receive training, including expenses for per diem, travel and lodging, related to handing a trained canine.
Design and construct additions or renovations on school property if the primary purpose is to enhance the physical security of the school building.
Implement a bullying prevention program.
Purchase a one-time non-matching grant to enable school corporations to work with their sheriff to provide the initial set up costs for an active event warning system.
Provide a response to a threat in a manner that the school corporation or charter school sees fit, including firearms training (curriculum now defined) or other self-defense training or securing funds for counseling in the event of a school shooting.
Purchase student management technology.

For more information, submit your questions to the Grant Management support ticket.

Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) released the following statement after President Donald Trump met with the House Republican Conference:

“Today, House Republicans had the honor of welcoming President Trump for his triumphant return to Capitol Hill and he was fired up! He has repeatedly defied the odds and his critics,” said Congresswoman Houchin.

“During his remarks, he addressed the challenges facing our nation, particularly the worsening crisis at our southern border and crippling inflation. Republicans are committed to fixing the mess created by the Biden administration. The American people are desperate for change, and they are looking to President Trump and Republicans to save this country. With President Trump leading the way, we will restore order, security, and prosperity to our great nation.”

Indiana State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla released her first State of Indiana’s Financial Report today to highlight the solid fiscal standing of the state as published in the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), the official, audited record of state finances.

“Indiana’s ACFR provides tangible evidence of our state’s strong financial position,” said Comptroller Nieshalla. “In sharing Indiana’s low debt, low pension fund liability, healthy cash reserves, balanced budget and AAA credit rating, we are reminded how good it is to be a Hoosier.”

The Comptroller’s Office annually produces the ACFR, which is audited by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. The ACFR provides an in-depth analysis of all state expenditures, cash flow, debt administration and other financial information.

“The State of Indiana’s Financial Report offers Hoosiers a quick tool to better understand our state’s economic well-being and how Indiana manages taxpayers’ dollars, based on the 300 pages of reporting in the ACFR.”

Highlights from the report include:
• General Fund revenue of $21.9 billion compared to $20.9 billion in fiscal year 2022.
• Assets (cash, investments, capital assets, etc.) exceeded our liabilities (payables, pension liabilities, etc.) by $25.6 billion.
• Total reserves are $2.9 billion, which is 13% of the current budget.
• Indiana ranks seventh lowest in debt among states in the U.S. at $366 per capita.

The State of Indiana’s Financial Report is a summary of the 2023 ACFR – the current ACFR and previous years are all available electronically on the Comptroller’s website. Indiana’s ACFR has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the last 30 consecutive years.