The Statehouse is YOUR House- Legislative Update Women4Change Indiana

Let’s talk about bills advancing through the Indiana General Assembly (IGA) and how we can ensure Hoosier women, moms, and voters aren’t left behind in 2024

The word on the street is that because 2024’s legislative session is brief and not a budget year, that it is inconsequential. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

There are highly consequential bills making their way through the IGA that will impact Hoosier women for years to come; together with our partners, our collaborative efforts are a relay race against misinformation to preserve the futures and dignity of Hoosier women. 

What are we fighting?

Hoosier moms on Medicaid MUST have access to long-acting contraception before leaving the hospital.

We urge lawmakers to allow physicians and patients to choose the LARC (whether that is a subdermal implant or an IUD) that works best for the patient.

Indiana’s childcare is still the most expensive in the entire nation, relative to income, and household income in Indiana continues to slide, place after place, year after year; from 35th in 2018 to 39th in 2022. Hoosier moms and infants continue to die unnecessarily in childbirth or within a year; Indiana has ranked among the bottom five in the nation in the last five years in both infant and maternal mortality rates.

We are concerned about these issues and are watching bills that impact them very carefully.

 

On HB 1426: LONG-ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTIVES

Requires a hospital that operates a maternity unit to ensure that a woman who is: (1) giving birth in the hospital; and (2) eligible for or receiving Medicaid assistance; has the option, if not medically contraindicated, of having a long-acting reversible subdermal contraceptive implanted after delivery and before the woman is discharged.

HB 1426's NOTABLE PATH TO HELP HOOSIER MOMS

In its current form, HB 1426 includes the subdermal implants but does not include the most effective long-acting reversible contraceptives: IUDs (intrauterine devices).  

State Representative Dr. Rita Flemming, a retired Ob-Gyn physician and author of HB 1426, shared with Women4Change, the intent of the 3-year long effort to make LARCs accessible to Hoosier moms on Medicaid: "This bill is an opportunity to make birth control available during a short but critical time: the immediate postpartum period. No contraceptive is prohibited. A doctor or midwife can offer women a full range of methods. The goal of this legislation is to enhance the health of moms and babies and empower women to make family planning decisions." 

The Indiana Chapter of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (IN-ACOG) reached out to Women4Change regarding HB 1426 and shared the following statement:

"IN-ACOG supports expanding access to contraception for all people, especially after delivery.  Unfortunately, HB1426 limits the type of long-acting contraception provided to only the subdermal implant.  This will create a two-tiered system of access for people with Medicaid insurance (39% of women giving birth in Indiana) and force women who desire long-acting contraception to choose a method they may not desire."  IN-ACOG reports: "The reasons that intrauterine devices are being excluded from this legislation are not based on science but instead on anti-abortion ideology. For those reasons, IN-ACOG says they oppose this legislation." 

WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE HOOSIER MOMS AREN’T LEFT BEHIND

Hoosier moms on Medicaid MUST have access to long-acting contraception before leaving the hospital.

We urge lawmakers to allow physicians and patients to choose the LARC (whether that is a subdermal implant or an IUD) that works best for the patient.

HELP HOOSIER MOMS GAIN ACCESS TO LARCs

HB 1426 has reached Senate Appropriations. We ask our supporters to contact Senate Appropriations Chair Sen. Ryan Mishler: Senator.Mishler@iga.in.gov or any of the Senate Appropriations lawmakers to urge lawmakers to allow physicians and patients to choose the LARC that works best for them. 

How we can do better.

We stand for evidence-based policy and acknowledge the perpetual misinformation standing in the way of what’s best for Hoosier moms. 

Contact:

 

On HB 1264 ELECTION SECURITY 

“Enhances election security by setting stricter guidelines for voter registration and participation. Prohibits local election bodies from affiliating with organizations that have financed election activities. Tightens proof of residency requirements for voter registration, mandates checks for nonresidential addresses in voter registrations, and allows for the use of commercial data to verify voter information.”  

Indiana’s civic health and voter turnout rank 50th, the worst in the nation. HB 1264 will enact voter registration barriers which are in direct conflict with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, begging the question: 

Why would Indiana lawmakers want to stop new, young, and different Hoosiers from voting? 

How we can do better. 

Don’t sign HB 1264 into law. HB 1264’s author says “Our elections are secure.”

HB 1264 leaves new Hoosiers, Gen Z college voters in-between permanent housing, and marginalized voters behind. New and young Hoosier citizens have a right to vote where they live and so do unhoused Hoosiers. This bill perpetuates voting fraud disinformation and jeopardizes Hoosiers’ faith in future elections,  

Indiana Citizen reports: “HB 1264 contains several provisions related to voter registration. Concerns centered on the bill requiring county clerks to use records from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to help verify citizenship status and allowing the Indiana secretary of state to use “commercially available data,” like credit reports, to check voters’ addresses.”

The Senate has until March 5th to amend HB 1264 and we encourage Hoosiers to call the Indiana Senate switchboard at 317-232-9400 in opposition to HB 1264. 

Where we see hope and progress for Hoosier Women in 2024

Our partners give us hope. 

This week we joined partner organizations Planned Parenthood, ACLU Indiana, All Options, Mad Voters, NOW Indiana, and Indiana Task Force at the Statehouse in support of Planned Parenthood Lobby Day.

Pictured: Left to right, Claire Farrington, Civic Education Intern, Marissa McKinney, Legislative Intern, Kennedy Phillips, Program Manager and Lobbyist, and Aimee West, Vice President of Development and Communications, Women4Change

Program Manager Kennedy Phillips says of her time at the Statehouse this legislative session, "I want for W4C to build relationships with legislators to help advance our advocacy efforts and strengthen relationships with other organizations that share similar missions by collaborating to amplify our advocacy efforts."

UPDATE ON ENDING THE TAX ON PERIOD PRODUCTS IN INDIANA

Amendment 18 was introduced to SB 256 by Rep. Peggy Mayfield that would end the pink tax on period products in Indiana. 

Contact your state senator and legislator: Tell them to eliminate the tax on period products in Indiana. 

2024 bills that we support that will help Hoosier Women and their families are advancing through the IGA. 

SB 2: Childcare Requires the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to annually report to the Indiana General Assembly regarding funds dedicated to supporting childcare under specified state and federal programs.

WHY WE SUPPORT SB 2.

-Respective to income, Indiana’s childcare is the most expensive in the nation. 

-Statewide, more than 39% of Hoosier parents are not getting the care they need because they do not have access or cannot afford it.

-55% percent of families in Indiana live in a childcare desert.

SB 2 has made it halfway through the IGA and has been referred to the Ways and Means committee and will be heard Thursday, February 29th. 

Contact the following lawmakers in support:

HB 1058: Breast Tissue Density. Requires that facilities performing mammograms notify patients if their breast tissue is considered “dense.” It also requires that insurance to cover rehabilitative and reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy that includes chest wall reconstruction and aesthetic flat closure.

WHY WE SUPPORT HB 1058.

-Women who have dense breast tissue have a higher chance of breast cancer and dense breast tissue makes it harder for radiologists to see cancer on mammograms. 

-Hoosiers who loses their breasts to breast cancer deserve dignity and access to reconstructive surgery. 

HB 1058 has made it 75% through the IGA and has gone to the House, without any amendments. Contact your own state representative in support of HB 1058.

2024 bills we urge Indiana to watch and engage:

SB 3- Prior Authorization

HB 1102- Deregulation of Childcare

HB 1418- Forensic Diversion and Drug Courts

For any 2024 legislation you care about, contact your legislators:

https://iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators/

Voting and Indiana’s General and Primary Elections in 2024   

We materialize nonpartisan voting guides every year to equip Hoosiers with the most accurate and the up-to-date election information and critical deadlines.

Can you help Women4Change fight for equality and to preserve democracy in Indiana?

Chip in! Women4Change has an Action Fund which advocates for legislation that helps fight for and advance economic equity and personal safety for Hoosier women and equality for all.  Our Action Fund is chaired by Deborah Hearn Smith. 

www.women4changeindiana.org/donate

Thank you for subscribing and for your support!

Questions? Contact our newsroom!

Aimee Robertson-West at aimee@women4changeindiana.org

 

Sincerely, 

Women4Change

Women4Change is a registered 501(c)3 corporation and your gifts are tax-deductible. To make a donation through Donor Advised Funds, please contact us.


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