Indiana Speaker of the House Brian Bosma spoke about the past legislative session and the upcoming May 8 primary in Warsaw Thursday night.
Bosma spoke at the annual Kosciusko County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner at Champagne Jam in Warsaw, attended by 144 Republicans.
Randy Girod, Kosciusko County Republican Party chair, provided a welcome.
U.S. State Representative District 2 candidate Jackie Walorski provided the prayer, and State Representative District 22 candidate Jon Hare led the Pledge of Allegiance.
District 22 State Representative Rebecca Kubacki introduced Bosma.
Bosma described his visit to Kosciusko County as a partial homecoming.
He said he had a Biomet knee placed in his left side 14 years ago.
“This is the home of great medical technology and business,” Bosma said.
Bosma spoke about the achievements and challenges of the past legislative session.
He said giving families of modest means the opportunity to choose where to send their children to school was a highlight.
“In Indiana, no longer do folks of low income have to send kids to a school that they disagree with where the government says they have to go to school,” Bosma said.
He said there also were improvements to grow the economy enacted, including cuts to the corporate gross income tax and repealing the inheritance tax.
He also said another major highlight was passing the Right To Work bill.
He said the bill will give workers the freedom to support the organizations they want to and the bill is attracting employers to the state.
He said the bill will bring about an improved business climate.
“There have been 37 companies who have approached Indiana who are interested in bringing employment to Indiana as a result of the Right To Work bill that was passed,” Bosma said.
He said, in the last two years the general assembly has been remarkable with labor and teacher protests.
He said it has been a privilege to serve with Kubacki, State Senator Ryan Mishler and former State Senator Kent Adams, who all attended the dinner.
He said it has been an eventful and positive two years of growth for the state.
Bosma said the next chapter of the state will be determined by not just those who are elected in November, but by those the candidates are talking to.
Bosma said his father served in World War II and when he asked him about war hero stories his dad would say, “I just did my duty.”
Bosma encouraged candidates to do their duty.
“We need to do everything we can to make the state and nation as successful for our children as we can,” Bosma said.
Also during the dinner, Mishler introduced Secretary of State Connie Lawson.
Lawson replaced former Secretary of State Charlie White as of March 16.
Lawson said Kosciusko County GOP party officials are doing a great job, and she said the party is important to the statewide Republican party.
Also during the dinner, candidates running in the May 8 primary who attended were introduced.
