
Standing for Every Hoosier
DemandEquality
DemandJustice
DemandProgress
Senate Democrats’
2022 Legislative Priorities
Raise the minimum wage
Boost workers’ compensation benefits
Cannabis Legalization
Investing in Education and Hoosier Families
Cannabis Legalization
36 states have legalized cannabis for either medical or recreational use. Indiana is one of only 14 states where marijuana remains fully illegal, meaning we are far behind the majority of the country, including our neighboring states on this issue. Hoosiers with medical conditions including PTSD, Cancer, Epilepsy, anxiety, MS and more are being blocked from taking advantage of medical cannabis to relieve their pain and suffering because of Indiana’s outdated marijuana laws.
Indiana is also losing business and tax revenue to Illinois and Michigan. Legalizing marijuana would help urban and rural areas alike with dispensaries, manufacturing, processing and agricultural jobs.
Legalizing marijuana would also have an important criminal justice impact by expunging criminal records for possession and allowing law enforcement resources to be focused on more pressing local safety issues. This legislation would go a long way toward addressing Indiana’s jail overcrowding problem.
This session, Senate Democrats are offering a wide range of legislation to update our marijuana laws including Senator Ford’s SB 175, Senator Melton’s SB 324, Senator Pol’s SB 197, Senator Taylor’s SB 231 and Senator Niezgodski’s SB 414.

Investing in Education and Hoosier Families
Costs for childcare, Pre-K and higher education are unsustainable in Indiana. Not a single one of our counties provides parents with adequate access to childcare. Senate Democrats are focused on investing in Hoosier families and the future of our state.
President Biden has introduced legislation to cap childcare costs for Hoosier families. Senate Democrats are committed to providing Hoosier families with quality childcare options by investing in incentives for childcare staff.
President Biden’s legislation also includes funding for Indiana to provide Pre-K to every child in Indiana. Senate Democrats support investing these funds to provide quality Pre-K to every Hoosier child.
In-state Higher Educational costs continue to climb every year. We know that businesses need more educated employees and that Hoosier families are struggling with college costs and student debt. In addition to lowering tuition at four-year universities, our caucus advocates for expanding free trade school programs and community college programs that help fill in-demand, good-paying jobs across the state.
Guarantee a living wage for all Hoosiers
Indiana’s minimum wage has remained at the federally mandated $7.25 an hour for nearly 15 years, even in the face of record cost of living increases. Hoosiers are being priced out of housing, healthcare and childcare across the state. Senate Democrats are fighting for working Hoosiers so that every resident with a full-time job can afford to care for their families and pay for their basic needs.
Senator Melton has introduced SB 323 to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour and remove limitations on local government raising their minimum wages.
Indiana legislators’ and judges’ salaries are adjusted for inflation – there’s no reason we shouldn’t be doing the same for hardworking Hoosiers across the state. We need to demand justice, progress and equality for all, not just those in power.
Nationwide, Hoosier families are ranked 37 when it comes to assets and savings, meaning that too many of our citizens have to make risky financial decisions just to make ends meet. No one who works full-time should have to risk a mortgage or a car to put food on the table. Senate Democrats will work to ensure this doesn’t happen to any more families.

Boost workers’ compensation benefits for those hurt on the job
Workers’ compensation benefits aren’t increased automatically, so we must vote to increase them so that they keep up with inflation and the cost of living. We need these benefits to make sure Hoosier families aren’t going bankrupt because of an injury on the job. Working Hoosiers and their families must be a priority for our state government. State Senator Rodney Pol introduced SB 199 to increase benefits for injuries and disablements. If signed into law, this would be the first time our state has increased workers’ compensation benefits since 2016.