From the Lobbying Team at 1816 Public Affairs Group:

The first full week of the 2022 legislative session has come to a close. As expected, both chambers hit the ground running with several bills moving through committees. A few high-profile issues were discussed, including ending the public health emergency and curbing vaccine mandates (HB 1001), the elimination of firearm licensure requirements (HB 1077), and a pair of education bills that deal with funding for virtual instruction (SB 2) and critical race theory (SB 167).

Nearly 600 bills have been filed this session. With filing deadlines looming in the Senate (today) and House (Jan. 11), expect to see several hundred more bills publicly released next week.

As we mentioned earlier this week, the House republicans, Senate republicans, and Governor Holcomb all released legislative priorities. The House will focus on tax reform and broadening the pool of recipients eligible for the automatic taxpayer refund, ending the public health emergency, public safety, and supporting health care workers. The Senate is also focused on ending the public health emergency, the automatic taxpayer refund, and education funding stability. Governor Holcomb’s announcement largely focused on tax reform, workforce training, economic development, and public health. Expect the Governor to expound upon his agenda on Tuesday evening during the State of the State Address.

Outside of politics, the buzz in Indianapolis is sports-centric. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be played in Indy on Monday night. Temporary stages and outdoor venues have been setup throughout downtown to welcome Alabama and Georgia fans with various activities, concerts, and events.

We will continue to keep you informed of the happenings at the statehouse.