Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is giving himself an “B+” for this year’s legislative session, saying that his administration successfully tackled issues of affordability and government efficiency.
Out of the 58 bills that were a priority for Braun’s administration, he told reporters during a press conference Monday that 51 had passed.
Despite a rocky start to this year’s legislative session with a failed vote on redistricting in December, Braun presented a picture of success that involved a good working relationship with state lawmakers.
“Very much open conversation, transparent, we want to work together and if you look at these results, that's pretty impressive,” Braun said on Monday.
Braun also took time Monday to call President Donald Trump’s recent attacks against Iran as showing “decisive leadership on the world stage.”
“I think so far so good,” Braun said. “We'll see what happens, but I think it was long overdue, making a strong statement for the world's greatest sponsor of terrorism.”
Braun also said that there are currently Indiana National Guardsmen stationed somewhere in the Middle East, but did not specify where or what their status is.
While Braun applauded the legislature’s work on passing two priority bills centered on utility and housing affordability, Democrats have said the bills didn’t go far enough.
“All session, House Democrats fought for real policy solutions that would have provided big, immediate financial relief to struggling Hoosier families, from utility bills to health care,” said House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) in a press release. “House Republicans blocked every attempt.”
Some Democrats argued that the housing affordability bill, HB 1001, was watered down to the point of likely making little difference in increasing housing in the state. Many local governments ended up speaking against the bill, worried it would take away too much local control in zoning regulations.
Braun also heralded the state’s work to tighten restrictions on cell phones in schools and children’s use of social media. He still wants social media companies to change their products themselves to be less addictive and harmful for children.
“And I made it clear to big tech that Indiana is not going to stand by and that you should be able to fix it, not to where we have to legislate it,” Braun said.
Braun also said he was glad to see that a referendum was added to the bill allowing for the creation of a new casino in the Fort Wayne area. He told reporters that he was prepared to veto that bill if the referendum wasn’t included.
Braun did not give any updates regarding the Chicago Bears possibly building their new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, but said he was proud of the commitment given so far.
“And the fact that they're even considering coming to Hammond versus keeping it in their own state says a lot about what we're going to try to do to tell everyone Indiana is a place move your business,” Braun said. “We're open for business.”
Braun also touted language added to the Bears bill that requires the state highway department to present any project costing at least $250 million to the State Budget Committee for review.
That addition means the Mid-States Corridor Project, a proposed 54-mile highway that would connect Interstates 64 and 69, which would go right by Braun’s hometown, could be at risk of being cut if not approved by the committee.
Braun said he’s always supportive of more transparency.
“The fact that they put that in, I think that was smart, because they're going to be projects across the state that are going to have to compete for what is a relatively scarce resources, ” Braun said.
Contact Government Reporter Caroline Beck at cbeck@wfyi.org