Capitol Insider

Capitol Insider 

April 26, 2021 

 

Recess!  Not Adjourn 

At the close of the legislative session on April 22, the House and Senate recessed in order to come back in the fall to do redistricting.  They are also planning to return May 10th to make technical corrections.  Sadly, as the Governor signed the hateful SB 251 into law, I guess we don’t have to worry legislators will use May 10 to override his veto for which so many of us had asked. 

 

They have until mid-November to come back to do redistricting.  Action you can take is to continue to contact your representatives and senators to ask them to use an independent, non-partisan body to draw those lines.  Left in the control of the supermajority, look for supermajority in ALL CAPS. 

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Budget Proposal Reflects Investment in Education

Budget Proposal Reflects Investment in Education “Thanks to the advocacy and engagement of AFT Indiana members across the state, Indiana legislators have proposed a budget that invests in public education,” said GlenEva Dunham, President of AFT Indiana. “Our members have worked hard and long advocating for public school funding that provides for student needs as well as increases to our lagging teacher salaries,” she continued. The Governor and legislative leaders made the announcement Tuesday.

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Finally—it’s President-elect Biden

Patience—counseled by former Vice President Joe Biden all election week as Americans waited for votes to be counted—finally paid off Nov. 7, four days after Election Day, when Biden won in Pennsylvania and gained enough Electoral College votes to acquire a new title: president-elect. AFT President Randi Weingarten says the union’s leaders and members “can’t wait to get started” on the work ahead “with an administration that will embrace and fight for the values we hold dear.”

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Your vote is your voice

AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest column outlines the urgency of using our voices—our votes—in this life-changing election, when we will make a choice “between President Donald Trump, who has trafficked in chaos, fear, lies and division, and former Vice President Joe Biden, who seeks to reverse Trump’s failures on COVID-19 and the economy, and to unite and uplift the American people.” Besides the four crises we face—a pandemic, an economic crisis, racism and a climate emergency—democracy itself is on the ballot, as Trump continues to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election.

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‘Back to school’ like never before

In her September New York Times column, AFT President Randi Weingarten says that going back to school has never looked like it does now. Weingarten explains that because of President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus, which has been chaotic, contradictory and inept, and the lack of federal guidance and funding, we’re seeing a patchwork of school reopening plans across the country.

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