Thank you for your interest and support. Indiana United Ways provides its Policy Update on "even Fridays" (2nd and 4th Fridays). Contact us
if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).
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 Governor Holcomb announces Next Level Jobs initiative 
Two million Hoosiers need additional training to compete in the 21st Century workforce, and there will be over one million job openings in Indiana due to retirements and the creation of new jobs in the next decade. Last month, Governor Holcomb announced his plan to help the state meet its current workforce demands. The Next Level Jobs initiative includes two new grant programs designed to put Hoosiers to work in high-demand, high-wage jobs as quickly as possible.
The Workforce Ready Grant, created during the 2017 legislative session by the General Assembly, offers grants to individuals to help them skill-up to fill jobs in current high-demand industries including advanced manufacturing, building and construction, IT and business services, health and life sciences and transportation. The Employer Training Grant, developed by the Department of Workforce Development, will help provide financial support to employers in high-demand sectors that are training, hiring and retaining new employees to fill middle-skill, high-wage jobs. Learn more about the Next Level Jobs initiative.
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Report on non-academic barriers to completion for adult students
The content above highlights a key part of the state's workforce development plan to fill gaps in high-demand fields by increasing access and affordability of education and training for individuals and employers. We know that there are barriers that exist, including cost, that have prevented adult students from completing education and training programs. The grants above are a step in the right direction to removing that barrier.
The Indiana Institute for Working Families recently released Clearing the Jobs Pathway: Removing Non-Academic Barriers to Adult Student Completion. The report takes a deeper look at barriers preventing Hoosier adults from starting or completing education and training programs. The main barriers include: lack of economic self-sufficiency, food insecurity, housing insecurity and homelessness, affordability and access to child care, other work and family responsibilities, transportation and internet access.
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Legislative Study Committees 
During the legislative session many interim study committee topics are recommended by the General Assembly. The meetings allow experts in the field and state agencies to share information about the current state of issues in Indiana in preparation for the next legislative session. In late May, the Legislative Council announced the topics to be studied in the interim before the 2018 session.
View the House and Senate interim study committee assignments. Check the interim committee calendar for updates. A sample of current meetings on the calendar include:
- Courts and the Judiciary - September 21 on financial crimes against the elderly, October 5 on requests for new courts or judicial officers
- Education - September 28 on new teacher inductions, October 18
- Employment and Labor - September 12 on the Dept. of Workforce Development and the unemployment compensation system
- Fiscal Policy - September 18 on state sales tax on vending machine items, state tax on transient residential housing rented or furnished for consideration and state tax imposed and collected from a facilitator as a retail merchant making a retail transaction; September 25 on neighborhood enhancement property tax relief program, TIF issues and uniform property tax assessment of nonprofit entities; October 2 on school district financial analysis and annual tax incentive evaluation
- Government - October 4
- Joint Cmte on Judiciary and Public Policy - October 12 continued discussion on previous topics and increasing the number of law enforcement officers employed by local government units
- Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services - September 28 on the shortage of healthcare providers in Indiana and an update on the INSPECT program, October 26 discussion on changes needed in state law and policy to respond to federal healthcare changes
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 Early Learning Indiana's Mile Markers: Engaging Families in Pre-K 
Early Learning Indiana recently published a new policy brief, Mile Markers: Engaging Families in Pre-K, which better defines family engagement, how providers in our state are implementing these strategies and recommendations for how to expand through policy and programmatic partnerships.
This is the second in a series of policy briefings examining Indiana's On My Way Pre-K program. The series supplements Early Learning Indiana's
On the Road to Pre-K Expansion
report, which was released in June.
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Consider participating in Voter Registration Day September 26 
National Voter Registration Day is the largest one-day effort of the year to register voters. With 2,000 community and online partners, and over 10,000 volunteers working in a massive, single-day event, National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) will be celebrated on September 26, 2017. Over 1.4 million voters have registered or updated their registration as a result of National Voter Registration Day events since 2012.
Why 2017?
Engaging in the elections this year is critically important. During "off-year" elections like 2017, our constituents are not exposed to biased ads and telephone calls, and therefore may not even know there is an election. Yet, local and state elections have huge impacts on their lives from public services and local taxes to their school board, and more. Local elections for county commissions, school boards, mayors, judges, bond issues, and more are being held in all 50 states across the nation this November, elections that have major impacts on people's day-to-day lives.
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Weigh in on issues important to you!
Submitting comments during rulemaking periods is an important way to shape policy. State and federal agencies appreciate specific comments about possible impacts and ways to improve proposed rules. Below are a few open comment periods in Indiana.
- FSSA Division of Aging is accepting public comment on a proposed renewal to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waiver and an updated version of the TBI waiver-specific Statewide Transition Plan (STP) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for consideration. Learn more about commenting before the September 15 deadline.
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IUW Public Policy 
IUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our members, based on their programmatic work in Hoosier communities.
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Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
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Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
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Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
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Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.
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Frequently Requested Links / Documents
iuw.org
- Learn about Indiana United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.
IUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.
Federal Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.
IUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.
Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.
IN211.org - S
earch for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.
NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.
Indiana General Assembly
- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.
Congress.gov
- Look up bills introduced or passed in Congress.
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