VIDEO: Sen. Breaux discusses important Marion Co. legislation at the close of 2013 session

State Senator Jean D. Breaux discusses important pieces of legislation for Marion County at the close of the 2013 General Assembly session. Topics include Marion County reorganization, mass transit expansion for Central Indiana and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Breaux initiative brings greater transparency to economic development incentives

A proposal to promote transparency and accountability for businesses receiving taxpayer-funded incentives is moving forward. Co-authored by State Senator Jean D. Breaux, Senate Bill 162 requires incentive-receiving corporations to submit an annual progress report to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). The report would include a list of performance goals, an expected amount of financial investment and the projected number of employees hired compared to the amount of jobs actually created. The IEDC would also be required to file an annual compliance report to include active incentive recipients. Incentives would be revoked if a company did not meet requirements specified in the initial contract.

Week in Photos: April 8-12

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VIDEO: Breaux on school voucher program expansion

Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Jean D. Breaux lays out where legislation exponentially expanding Indiana’s school voucher program stands.

Week in Photos: March 18-22

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Week in Photos: March 11-15

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VIDEO: Sen. Breaux provides a mid-session roundup of big issues

State Senator Jean Breaux provides an update during the first week of the 2nd half of the legislative session. Sen. Breaux describes how the 2-year state budget has now come over to the Senate from the House, along with some other large issues like mass transit in central Indiana and education.

Week in Photos: February 18-22

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Call for public study of Marion County overhaul denied

Sen. Breaux debates an amendment to SB 621 that would create a committee to study the impact of eliminating Marion-County Council’s at-large seats. The amendment was rejected by a vote of 13-37.

On a party-line vote, members of the Indiana Senate rejected an amendment to study a major overhaul of Marion County government. The amendment to Senate Bill (SB) 621, proposed by Assistant Democratic Leader Jean D. Breaux, would have created a summer study committee to examine the impact of eliminating the City-County Council’s At-large councilor seats and reducing mayoral residency requirements, among other significant changes.

Sen. Breaux’s proposal to study the move aimed to lengthen the conversation on the issue; however, it was rejected, 13-37. Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, particularly those representing areas within Marion County, expressed their disappointment that more public discussion was not had before passing such a substantial shift of power.

SEN. BREAUX: “I was hoping, with the amendment I offered to 621, to do as I said on the floor and that is to slow this process down…”

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SEN. LANANE: “It seems very clear to me that the elimination of the…”

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SEN. LANANE: “I was disappointed our amendment was defeated because…”

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SEN. TAYLOR: “I think the amendment would have done something we always do in the legislature. We allow the public to have public input…”

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Senate panel debates health care coverage expansion

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services met to examine the state’s implementation of elements of the federal Affordable Care Act.  The committee’s discussion centered on how the state could expand health care coverage to low-wage earning Hoosier families and ultimately voted 7-4 to petition the federal government for block grant funding.

A look at the benefits of expanding health care coverage to low-wage earning Hoosiers.

The committee took up Senate Bill 551, legislation drafted to clarify and provide requirements for Indiana’s participation in a health care exchange. An amendment proposed by Senator Jean D. Breaux aimed to maximize the economic benefit of the federal health care law by expanding Medicaid coverage to Hoosiers families of four making up to $33,000. Currently, Medicaid covers families of four with an income of up to $4,100. Breaux along with Senators Mark Stoops Frank Mrvan and Greg Taylor argued that the economic benefits to local communities outweighed the cost and any delay to the implementation could cost Hoosiers jobs.

INFOGRAPHIC: The Benefits of expanding health care coverage for Hoosiers>>

Senate Democrats pointed to a recent report released by the Indiana Hospital Association that quantified the impact of a full expansion of healthcare coverage. The report noted the potential creation of 30,000 new jobs to meet the demand created by expanded health care coverage. Local communities could see as much as $3.4 billion in federal funding as a result of full expansion.  The federal law covers in full the cost of covering an additional 400,000 Hoosiers through 2016 and the non-partisan Indiana Legislative Services Agency estimates the expansion to be cost neutral to the state through 2019. Breaux’s amendment was defeated along party lines, 8-4.