Indiana State Representative Mark Genda began the Saturday morning Legislative Breakfast at the Event Center in Wesley Manor by asking his constituents for some help for a very pressing need in the State of Indiana. None of the 43 people in attendance said a word.
“I had three people come out afterwards and address the issue,” said Genda. “And, again, I just need to know what to do with these because it’s a bigger topic down there (Indianapolis), and if I don’t make it a bigger topic up here, then something’s going to happen. So, I just need to get the word out.”
Genda added there are seven or eight different bills out there in this short sessions which ends in-March to legalize marijuana.
Genda told the group he visited a hemp operation in Boone County earlier in the week and found people of all ages in the store. He added it was professionally run.
The Frankfort Republican also said he is keeping one of his campaign promises by setting up office hours here in Frankfort.
“It’s always been a long-standing promise I made that I would have office hours once I got it up and running,” said Genda. “It is now up and running and my first office hours I’m having is next Friday (January 26). My office will be at 410 Pratt Street and I’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 12 (noon).”
Genda added these hours will change as the year goes on.
“I’m going to be developing these hours,” said Genda. “This is not for just in session, I’m am going to try and run office hours throughout the year.”
Genda a lot will depend upon what is going in Indianapolis.
Another hot topic was Senate Bill 1, which is the bill the state come up with if students can’t read at a third-grade level, then they will be held back from moving in school. Nearly 1 in 5 Hoosier third graders lack basic reading skills. Ensuring students can read is the single most important thing Indiana’s education system can do so students can be successful.
“All the data, all the research shows if you can’t read by the end of third grade, you’re really going to struggle,” said State Senator Brian Buchanan. “Throughout the rest of your elementary school, high school, college and beyond. I think the real question is how to do that. We’ve got some proposals. We’ll just see how it goes.”
However, despite not having any concrete answers at this point and time, Buchanan does think the bill in some form.
“I do think Senate Bill 1 will move,” said Buchanan. “I think we’ll have a bill to promote to make sure every kid can read in Indiana by the third grade. What the final product looks like is up for debate. There’s lot of debate over that retention piece where you have to stay in the third grade another year.”
Buchanan has brought up from time to time about finding ways to lower or drop taxes in the state, particularly the individual’s property taxes.
“We’re trying to find ways to maybe smooth that over,” said Buchanan. “We do have a two-year task force to look at that and figure out some reasonable ideas to do it.”
The next Legislative Breakfast will be Saturday, February 17, at the Wesley Manor Event Center, at 8 a.m.