HB1134 - Education Matters

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development held a hearing with public testimony on HB1134, "Education Matters." This bill saw some significant changes through an amendment from Senator Linda Rogers, but education advocates, including MCCOY, still argue that no amendments will make this bill any better and that legislators should still oppose it. 

Around 200 people signed up to testify on the bill, over 90% of which were in opposition. After close to two hours of testimony, however, legislators cut the hearing short and decided to hold the bill until next week to vote on it so that they can make further changes to improve it.

Read more here about Wednesday's committee hearing.

Committee members will plan to vote on HB1134 this upcoming Wednesday- please click on the link below to contact key legislators again asking them to please continue to vote NO on HB1134.

Trans Youth

On Wednesday,  members of the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development voted to pass HB1041, "Participation in School Sports." with a vote of 8-3, along party lines. It will head to the full senate chamber next for a vote and if passed, this bill will prohibit transgendered girls from participating in a girls' sport. Excluding trans students from participation deprives them of opportunities available to their peers and sends the message that they are not worthy of the same things that their non-trans friends are. MCCOY continues to strongly oppose this bill.

We want all trans youth in Indiana to know that we see you, and we will ALWAYS support you.

Read more about the bill here. Click on the link below to tell lawmakers once again to OPPOSE HB1041.

SNAP and TANF assistance

This upcoming Monday, February 21, the Senate Committee on Family and Children Services will meet to discuss two bills that threaten to cut vital food and income assistance for Hoosier families.

HB 1354, "Requirements for SNAP Participants," will erect costly and complex barriers that cut vital food assistance for Hoosier children and families. Taking away SNAP (Food Stamps) from parents—and by proxy their kids—is not the right way to increase child support collections or incentivize work activities. This is a harmful, costly, and unproven proposal that we oppose.

Similarly, HB 1410, "Mandatory job search for TANF eligibility," will add hurdle after hurdle for very low income families to access Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF. Families use this program to help pay for necessities like rent, utilities, and household needs not covered by SNAP like laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products, and diapers. 

Click on the link below to connect with key legislators and tell them to vote NO on HB1354 and HB1410.