Indiana Lawmakers

Indiana’s changing energy landscape is currently characterized by increased power demand for data centers and soaring utility bills for Hoosiers. Gain insight from Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler (R) of Noblesville, Alex Burton (D) of Evansville, Andy Zay of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, and Kerwin Olson of the Citizens Action Coalition on possible solutions.

Braun delivered his State of the State address this week, telling the General Assembly that affordability is his administration’s "highest priority." After ticking through what he portrayed as the biggest accomplishments of his first year in office, Braun acknowledged that Indiana families are struggling to make ends meet. On this episode, we ask the first-term Republican for more details.

Indiana Lawmakers kicks off the 2026 season with legislative leaders, Speaker of the House Todd Huston, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, and Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder. Watch to hear their latest thoughts about the recent redistricting vote, affordability, education, and more.

Barely a week to go in the four-month legislative session, a projected budget shortfall of over 2 billion dollars upended deals hammered out during the preceding 15 weeks. On Indiana Lawmakers, caucus leaders discuss what happened. Guests include House Speaker Todd Huston, House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, and Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder.

Leaders of Indiana’s GOP touted Senate Bill 1, the property-tax overhaul recently signed by Governor Mike Braun, as quote “historic tax relief” that will benefit most homeowners, farmers and small businesses. Democrats, however, denounced the measure as a “lose-lose” proposition that will result in higher local taxes and cuts in vital government services.

The lack of affordable childcare can be viewed through various prisms: through the eyes of a single working parent, an understaffed business scrambling to hire and retain workers, or a child needing physical safety and a nurturing environment. Lawmakers examine the General Assembly’s ongoing effort to ease Indiana’s potentially crippling childcare shortage.

Indiana has a love-hate relationship with “home rule,” a concept that, in theory, gives locals a fair degree of autonomy — but, in practice, often takes a back seat to the prerogatives of the General Assembly. Guests include Republican Senator Aaron Freeman of Indianapolis, Democratic Senator Fady Qaddoura of Indianapolis, and Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun.

In the 1980s and ’90s, Indiana viewed “economic development” as the enticement of high-profile, high-tech, high-wage manufacturers, ideally from other states if not other countries. More recently, a fair number of policymakers have called for greater transparency and the cultivation of smaller employers already established in Indiana.

Do you call it a chuckhole or a pothole? A much tougher question: how do you pay to fill them all? Legislators look at a variety of funding options to satisfy Indiana’s growing need for infrastructure investment. From taxes to toll roads to targeted delivery fees, lawmakers try to find solutions that will keep Hoosiers on the road without widespread outcry about the cost.

As the General Assembly weighs new expectations and limitations on the state’s public colleges and universities, we’ll examine a multifaceted debate that more or less boils down to this: Are left-leaning institutions and professors trying to force beliefs on students or are conservative lawmakers attempting to impose their views at the expense of academic freedom?

Thanks to a push from the state’s publicly regulated utilities, cleaner, renewable sources of power, such as wind, water, and the sun, have carried an increasing share of the state’s energy load. Some members of the General Assembly have sought to slow Indiana’s transition from fossil fuels to renewables, citing concerns about reliability.

Can Hoosiers still realize the American dream of home ownership? Republican Representative Doug Miller of Elkhart, Democratic Representative Earl Harris Jr. of East Chicago, and Amy Nelson, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana discuss property taxes, building standards, investment properties, affordability, and more.

On Indiana Lawmakers’ 2025 “Halftime Report”, Jon Schwantes will take advantage of the legislative break to discuss the session so far with Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson, a political science professor from the University of Indianapolis, and frequent commentator Ed Feigenbaum of the Indiana Legislative Insight Newsletter, part of Hannah News Service.

Discussing the General Assembly’s effort to rein in Hoosier healthcare costs are Republican Tyler Johnson, a physician and member of the Senate’s Health & Provider Services Committee, Democratic Senator La Keisha Jackson, a member of that same committee, and Stephen Freeland, a Director of the Indiana Physicians Health Alliance and CEO of Cancer Care Group.

Our panel navigates the changing landscape of education and state funding, from traditional public schools, charter schools (public schools that operate independently) and private schools that provide instruction to students bearing taxpayer-funded vouchers.

A week after his first State of the State address, Indiana’s 52nd Governor, Republican Mike Braun, has a one-on-one conversation with Jon Schwantes on Indiana Lawmakers. They discuss the governor’s resume, his views on President Trump, and recent executive orders. Mr. Braun explains his stance on issues including immigration, January 6th, and DEI.

Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and State Senator Andrea Hunley discuss an executive order to change DEI—Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to MEI—Merit, Excellence and Innovation. Advocates of DEI maintain it is essential to counter bias against historically underrepresented groups. While supporters of MEI argue DEI singles out certain groups and fosters division and resentment instead of unity.

The state budgeting process is, as they say, complicated. Host Jon Schwantes, sits down with four of the General Assembly’s key budget architects, Republican Representative Jeff Thompson of Lizton, Democratic Representative Gregory Porter of Indianapolis, Republican Senator Ryan Mishler of Mishawaka and Democratic Senator David Niezgodski of South Bend.

Host Jon Schwantes welcomes House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tem Rodric Bray along with Minority Leaders Shelli Yoder and Phil GiaQuinta in part 2 of Indiana Lawmakers legislative leadership show .  Education weighs heavily on everyone's minds, but lawmakers are well aware of the struggles Hoosiers face when it comes to paying the bills. What will come of this historic budget year?

Welcome to the first regular session of Indiana's 124th General Assembly, better known as the 2025 long session. No one, of course, can say with certainty how the session will unfold, but this much is clear: Lawmakers should buckle up for a hectic and, in all probability, historic four-month ride, thanks to a palpable hunger for change, a highly charged political climate, a dizzying array of high-stakes challenges, and a legislative agenda that would send the energizer bunny scrambling for a backup power source. Host Jon Schwantes speaks with Indiana's legislative Leadership, Speaker Todd Huston, Senate Pro Tem Rodric Bray, Minority Leaders Shelli Yoder and Phil GiaQuinta on the first episode of Indiana Lawmakers in 2025.