State Senators, Reps. Speak At Warsaw ForumSeveral state senators and representatives spoke during a legislative update forum in Warsaw Saturday morning.
Speaking were State Senators Gary Dillon, Randy Head, Ryan Mishler and Marlin Stutzman, and State Representatives Bill Friend and Bill Ruppel.
The forum was attended by approximately 30 people at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, Warsaw.Ruppel provided an update on bills that have passed in the House.
Ruppel said Hoosier Grown Preference House Bill 1142 passed the house by a vote of 95-2.
The bill would allow for all government bodies, including all political subdivisions such as schools and libraries, to give a 10 percent price preference in the bidding process to all agricultural products grown, produced or processed in Indiana.
Another bill that passed in the House was for livestock standards that would give the Board of Animal Health Authority power to establish standards and guidelines for raising livestock and poultry in Indiana.
An additional property taxpayer protection bill that works in conjunction with the current property tax caps to provide an additional layer of protection for all property taxpayers in Indiana passed.
Dillon, who will be retiring as a senator, said he has enjoyed representing his constituents.
"I don't think there is a higher honor than when you are elected to represent people," Dillon said.
Head spoke about cuts in education spending.
"We need to let schools be flexible, but we are cutting funding and not giving them the tools they need to deal with the funding cuts," Head said.
Mishler said he has been working on school funding issues, and is on the committee to study the school funding formula.
He said constituents have approached him suggesting schools move to four-day weeks, and students go 10 hours each day to save money with cuts in school funding that have been taking place.
Stutzman said he is a Farm Bureau board member in Lagrange County.
"I feel like I have been a great voice for agriculture in the State Senate and enjoyed the opportunities I have had so far," Stutzman said.
He said the US is the biggest food supplier in the world, and we need to make sure the farmer is competitive and can be successful in the US.
Friend gave a report on the House Agriculture Committee.
Friend said there was a confined feeding setback bill that was introduced by the committee's chairman.
The bill would have prohibited people from spreading manure or fertilizer within two miles of property owned by the state of Indiana.
The bill was defeated, receiving 40 votes in favor, and 53 votes in opposition.
"I hope this was a message that this was not the type of regulation needed in livestock production," Friend said.
