2025 Policy Agenda

In 2023 and 2024, the Institute surveyed just over 8500 Hoosiers from communities across Indiana and
has engaged Hoosiers from various walks of life in focus groups and interviews. These have provided
clear and compelling direction to our advocacy: to thrive, all Hoosiers regardless of race, place, or
background need access to the foundations of a stable life, good jobs, and well-functioning support
programs. They desire an end to financial drains and a fair tax code. Our 2025 agenda responds directly
to this expressed vision.

Across Indiana, Hoosiers are making clear what they need to thrive:

  • Foundations like safe, stable housing and child care;
  • Good jobs that provide financial stability and time to care;
  • Support programs to catch those who are struggling to make ends meet; 
  • An end to the financial drains like medical debt and predatory loans that make financial security impossible to achieve;
  • and fair tax code to promote equity and uplift Hoosier households.

Our 2025 policy agenda includes:

Foundations

  • Invest in stable housing through flexible funding to bust barriers like deposits and incentives to build new housing that Hoosiers can afford.
  • Ensure adequate access to nutritious food by increasing funding for food banks services and reducing barriers to SNAP benefits.
  • Create more opportunities for children to attend quality childcare while their parents work or advance their education.

  • Support tenants and individuals seeking housing by enhancing their ability to address habitability concerns and encourage the use of supportive services, not punitive approaches, to meet housing needs.

Good Jobs 
  • Ensure that the jobs created by federal infrastructure funds are accessible to all by allocating resources to fund recruitment, training, and supportive services for new entrants into these occupations.
  • Support widespread access to benefits like retirement savings and paid family and medical leave to promote health and long-term financial security.
  • Address basic needs on campus to ensure that college students can focus on academic success and complete their degree or credential. 

Safety Nets

  • Mitigate benefits cliffs so that Hoosiers can move up the income ladder without fear of worsening their financial position.
  • Make TANF transportation options like car repair and gas subsidies more accessible.
  • Reduce paperwork burdens and government spending by streamlining eligibility for programs like SNAP and LIHEAP.

Financial Drains

  • Enhance hospital financial assistance requirements and protect primary residences, vehicles, and wages so that Hoosiers are not forced to decide between meeting basic needs and paying medical bills.
  • Reform payday lending and maintain strong consumer lending laws to prevent Hoosiers from entering and remaining stuck in cycles of high-cost debt.

Fair Tax Code

  • Rebalance the tax code to promote fairness so that low- and moderate-income Hoosiers who currently pay a higher percent of their income in taxes than upper-income Hoosiers are taxed fairly.
  • Increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and passing a state-level Child Tax Credit that would reward the hard work of Hoosiers and recognize the value of investments in our children.
  • Generate sufficient revenue to adequately fund essential services that promote health, housing, and the opportunity to live up to one’s full potential. 

How can you get involved? Learn here!

What did we accomplish during the 2024 legislative session? Check out our blog.

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