Garcia Wilburn offers cost-saving amendment to Medicaid bill

Today, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) offered an amendment to Senate Bill 2 to lower costs for Indiana's Medicaid program without compromising Hoosiers' access to health care.

Garcia Wilburn's amendment would have prevented the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) from hiring a third party to verify eligibility for Medicaid's Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP). In 2007, Indiana's third-party contract with IBM to privatize and automate welfare program applications resulted in millions of lost state dollars and delayed services for Hoosiers in need.

The amendment was rejected by the majority.

Garcia Wilburn released the following statement:

 "I am disappointed that the House did not join me in learning from our state's past mistakes today. As FSSA Director Mitch Roob shared earlier this year with the State Budget Committee, 'Twenty years from now, when I leave, my goal would be to make Medicaid boring again. To take it off the front pages, to take it off your top concern.'

"My amendment to SB 2 would have 'made Medicaid boring again' – we don't want another IBM fiasco in which the state is in headline after headline for a third-party company it's contracted with mishandling our Medicaid eligibility verifications. FSSA should handle this in-house, where they can control how the work is getting done and ensure it's happening in a timely manner, especially when we are increasing the number of eligibility checks each HIP enrollee has to undergo from once a year to four times a year. Who's to say we won't contract with another company that botches the job, thus costing taxpayers money and keeping Hoosiers from their health care?

"The Hoosiers who rely upon HIP deserve reliable and consistent service, and taxpayers deserve to know that their hard-earned money is being spent well. I have serious concerns that SB 2 will get in the way of this. Regardless, I will continue looking for ways to improve health care in our state and continue to offer common-sense solutions on the House floor."

Garcia Wilburn celebrates harm reduction bill passing key hurdle

House Bill 1167, which would reduce opioid overdoses by decriminalizing fentanyl test strips, passed a key hurdle yesterday in passing out of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.

During the 2024 legislative session, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), HB 1167's co-author, advanced HB 1053 (2024) out of the Indiana House of Representatives. HB 1053 would have accomplished the same policy objective as HB 1167 (2025), but the bill did not receive a Senate committee hearing, thus killing it.

As HB 1167's co-author, Garcia Wilburn celebrated this year's harm reduction effort clearing the hurdle that kept last year's bill from becoming law:

"Make no mistake, House Bill 1167 will save lives. While Indiana has reduced our overdose death rates in the past few years, we are still losing beloved Hoosier lives to fatal overdoses, and we can do better.

"Many in the district have shared their heartbreaking stories of losing their loved ones. I am proud to champion this legislation and am thrilled we are one step closer than last year to making this policy change become law. I urge the Indiana State Senate to finish the job so we can support the behavioral health and public safety professionals working to keep Hoosiers safe from the tragedy of overdoses."

Now that HB 1167 has passed out of Senate committee, it is eligible for amendments and final passage before the full state Senate.

House Public Health Committee Democrats vote against bill growing wasteful government bureaucracy

 Today, March 18, Democrats on the House Committee on Public Health stood against Senate Bill 2. The bill increases restrictions to qualify for the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) by implementing a 20-hour-a-week work and/or volunteer service requirement and prohibits advertising of Medicaid programs. Now that the bill has passed the Public Health Committee, it will head to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.  

Ranking Minority Member Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend), Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) and Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis), who serve on the Public Health Committee, released the following statement after hearing testimony on SB 2 and voting against it:

“Hoosiers work hard, and that's exactly what we heard today in committee from Hoosiers who rely on Medicaid for health care. Senate Bill 2 would only spend more money on Medicaid, rather than saving money as claimed by the bill authors, by creating more administrative hurdles and unintended coverage disruptions for eligible individuals.

“HIP is funded 90% by federal dollars and is an investment in our state’s economy and wellbeing. This ‘Big Brother’ monitoring of Hoosiers will cost more money than it will save, and it will make health care less accessible to Hoosier families by making applications harder and lengthier. In fact, Georgia's efforts to institute work requirements for Medicaid utterly failed, with administrative spending costing more than actual health care services for enrollees. These mandates have historically led to coverage losses, particularly among individuals facing barriers to employment, such as those with chronic health conditions or caregiving responsibilities.

“SB 2's complete ban on marketing and advertising for Medicaid would hinder working Hoosiers from understanding their health care options. This bill would cause unimaginable harm to our communities and disenfranchise thousands of families in our state.

“Indiana already ranks 45 out of 50 states in public health funding. We have the highest maternal mortality rate among our neighbors with 41% of births in our state being covered by Medicaid. 1 in 4 Indiana counties are maternity care deserts. Instead of tackling these health care disparities, the House today advanced a bill once again restricting these essential services.”

Garcia Wilburn supports funding for Hamilton and Marion County roads

On Feb. 20, the Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 1461 on third reading. The bill will provide local governments with innovative fundraising tools for road maintenance. The bill also includes provisions that would allow Marion County to receive $50 million dollars for the upkeep of roads.

The bill is now being considered by the State Senate.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced today (March 6) that several communities in House District 32 will receive Community Crossings Matching Grants for the spring of 2025. These funds can be used to build and improve local infrastructure projects, including roads and bridges.

The matching grant winners and amounts include these HD 32 communities:

• Carmel - $1,171,958.89

• Fishers - $1,500,000.00

• Hamilton County - $1,500,000.00

• Indianapolis - $1,500,000.00

• Noblesville $1,500,000.00

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) issued the following statement celebrating the funding awardees and the passage of HB 1461 out of the House:

"I want to congratulate Hamilton County and the cities of Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis and Noblesville for working hard to fund our roads and bridges and seeking out this matching grant funding to do so. I know that this funding will be put to good use maintaining our current infrastructure and executing new projects where possible. I will continue to support infrastructure funding for our district's communities so we can continue growing and attracting families and businesses.

"I was also pleased to vote for HB 1461," Garcia Wilburn continued. "If signed into law, this bill would give Marion County the funding it needs to maintain its roads and give Hamilton County new, innovative tools to raise funds for road maintenance. This is vital given the fact that our roads are starting to show their age. I am grateful for my partnerships with our local mayors that also made this bill a joy to support. Finally, I am hopeful that this is a step in the right direction when it comes to fixing Indiana's broken road funding formula."

Garcia Wilburn bill to grow family recovery courts halted in Ways and Means, leaves recovery courts in limbo

A bill authored by State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) to establish a fund for family recovery courts and grow their presence around the state passed its first hurdle earlier this week but as the House faces key deadlines, its future is uncertain. The House Judiciary Committee approved House Bill 1107 unanimously.

HB 1107 would establish the Family Recovery Court Fund to grow the presence and capacity of family recovery courts around the state. Family recovery courts are certified problem-solving courts that target cases of abuse or neglect wherein a parent or primary caregiver suffers from a substance use disorder or co-occurring disorders.

However, it remains stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee without a scheduled hearing as the House approaches the final deadline for House bills to pass committee on Monday, Feb. 17. The bill was recommitted to Ways and Means because it creates a monetary fund, even though it does not appropriate any money into the fund.

Garcia Wilburn issued the following statement on the importance of the bill and this disappointing setback for families dealing with substance use disorder:

"Family recovery courts apply a non-adversarial, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary approach targeting the disease of addiction at a familial level and along a continuum of care. They reduce taxpayer costs by working to solve the problem of addiction outside of the courtroom and prison system. As Indiana continues to fight the opioid epidemic in our communities, funding family recovery courts would be an excellent use of our opioid settlement dollars, which is why I authored this bill.

"Thank you to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Chris Jeter for granting HB 1107 a hearing and to my fellow committee members for supporting this legislation. Amid mental health and certified community behavioral health center (CCBHC) funding uncertainty, I was disappointed to learn that this bill that does not cost the state anything will not receive a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee before our key committee hearing deadline – meaning that it is now dead in the water in its original form. I will continue to work tirelessly with the Senate to find alternatives.

"We have made progress in our state on reducing overdose deaths in recent years. But I have grave concerns that without continuing to fund evidence-based efforts like CCBHCs or creating a new funding source for family recovery courts like HB 1107, we will backslide and leave more children without parents and more families without their loved ones. I came to the General Assembly to get real work done for our community, and that doesn't stop with this bill dying."

Judicial officers around the state expressed support for this legislation.

As Allen County Magistrate Sherry Hartzler said of the county's family recovery court, "We have had approximately 10 babies born substance free since we started in February 2019. The births occurred either during their participation or after they graduated as we’ve kept up with a lot of our grads. I was curious and looked at the lifetime monetary costs for substance-exposed infants and saw one study from 2002 that ranged from $750,000 to $1.4 million.  Astounding and these numbers are 20 years old." 

Knox County Judge Gara Lee shared: "During the existence of the Knox County family recovery court we have had at least five, if not six, babies born clean to participant mothers in our program. I believe that the cost savings of having a child born substance free to be immeasurable."

Garcia Wilburn will continue working with family recovery court judges to find a solution this legislative session and ensure Hamilton County Courts have the opportunity to explore family recovery courts for our communities.

Garcia Wilburn honored as Legislator of the Year by Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police

Today, Jan. 28, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) was honored as a Legislator of the Year by the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) at its annual Mid-Winter Conference. The mission of the IACP is to promote professionalism, training and networking for the law enforcement executive and to enhance public awareness of law enforcement and public safety issues.

Garcia Wilburn released the following statement thanking the IACP for the honor:

"I'm so grateful to receive this recognition from the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police for my work advocating for police chiefs and law enforcement at the Statehouse. I will always support law enforcement, and continuing to earn your trust is a priority for me. A question I always ask myself before writing legislation is 'How does this impact law enforcement?' The profession is always at the top of my mind.

"In fact, a priority for me this session is ensuring that the first responder mental health training passed in my 2023 legislation is funded into the future through House Bill 1092, which I've authored and am advocating for with my fellow lawmakers. It's a privilege to advocate for my local police chiefs and their departments, as well as law enforcement statewide, at the Indiana House of Representatives."         

Garcia Wilburn files 2025 bills focused on public safety, strong families and public health

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) has filed her legislation for Indiana’s 2025 legislative session. Garcia Wilburn's nine bills focus on keeping Hoosiers safe, supporting public safety officials, promoting public and mental health, championing families, and working with young advocates.

House Bill 1093 will expand sexual assault victims' rights by increasing annual reporting with the goal of eliminating institutional silos standing in the way of justice for survivors. 

"I am proud that HB 1093 is the result of many conversations with sexual assault survivors, advocates, law enforcement and prosecutors," Garcia Wilburn said. "Right now, institutional barriers are preventing us from getting a full picture of how well the state is ensuring that sexual assault cases are prosecuted and justice is served. HB 1093 will help us fully assess our successes and failures so we can better deliver results for survivors in the future."

Garcia Wilburn filed two bills to support public safety officials. HB 1091 will enhance the penalty for sexual battery against a law enforcement officer on duty. HB 1092 will build upon her 2023 law to implement first responder mental health and wellness training by providing sustainable funding for the program into the future.  

"Our community cares deeply about supporting the first responders who keep us safe. No law enforcement officer should have to fear sexual violence while on the job, but it's a sad reality that some people want to harm our LEOs. HB 1091 will serve as a deterrent against this. Additionally, a day on the job as a first responder is often more difficult and traumatic than civilians experience over the course of years. We need to continue building on 2023's House Enrolled Act 1321 to ensure that police, fire and EMS are sustainable careers for the brave men and women in them."

HB 1090 would make joint custody the standard in custody proceedings unless the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that joint physical custody is not in the child's best interests. HB 1107 establishes the Family Recovery Court Fund. The bill also would ensure that family recovery courts target cases of abuse or neglect where a parent or primary caregiver suffers from a substance use disorder or co-occurring disorders. 

“Ensuring families can thrive in Indiana is a priority for me. This year, I plan to continue this mission with HB 1090 and HB 1107. HB 1090 requires that every parent who is capable and can be trusted to care for their child can do so. This bill would require courts to find clear and convincing evidence that joint custody is not in the child’s best interest. HB 1107 establishes the Family Recovery Court Fund to ensure that the justice system prioritizes the wellbeing of children who may have experienced abuse or neglect as a result of a parent's substance use disorder.”

Building on Garcia Wilburn’s work on HB 1053 last session, she is co-authoring HB 1167, which decriminalizes fentanyl test strips.

“The CDC approximates that 1,877 Hoosiers died from a drug overdose last year, a 22% decrease from the previous year. Every one of these people likely had family and friends and were members of our communities. I co-authored HB 1167 to continue reducing these tragic deaths by protecting harm-reduction methods that have the potential to save lives.”

A full list of Garcia Wilburn’s authored legislation is below:

1. HB 1089: Grow our workforce by expanding workforce ready credit-bearing grants to English as a second language courses

2. HB 1090: Makes joint custody the standard in custody proceedings

3. HB 1091: Increases the penalty for sexual battery against a law enforcement officer

4. HB 1092: Provides additional funding for the first responder mental health training first introduced by Garcia Wilburn's 2023 law

5. HB 1093: Expands sexual assault victims' rights

6. HB 1107: Establishes the Family Recovery Court Fund

7. HB 1154: Offers a tax credit to behavioral health practitioners who provide a preceptorship

8. HB 1237: Designates the Indiana bat as the official state mammal

9. HB 1238: Expands Medicaid reimbursement to schools offering medically necessary reimbursable services

“I am honored to receive the privilege of representing District 32 again. It's the same community where my husband served and we raise our three children. I don’t take this opportunity lightly, and I will use it to advocate for the needs of our community on the House floor and advance legislation that makes our communities safer and stronger.”  

Garcia Wilburn honored for work to improve law enforcement mental health, longevity

Police1, an online news site dedicated to law enforcement trainings, resources and tools to enhance officer safety and effectiveness, has honored State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) in its inaugural "Got Your Six" Awards program. The award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to support law enforcement.

As a freshman legislator, Garcia Wilburn passed groundbreaking legislation in Public Law 139, providing mental health and resiliency training to public safety professionals statewide. A clinician, health researcher, and public health advocate, Garcia Wilburn is proud to work on behalf of her blue family to promote better mental health and longevity in law enforcement service careers.

"It means the world to me to be recognized by Police1, a leading organization in the public safety industry, for my legislative work on behalf of law enforcement and other first responders," Garcia Wilburn said. "The needs of our brave law enforcement officers are at the heart of what I do as a state lawmaker. Reading positive testimonials from the first class of Indiana Law Enforcement Academy graduates who took the mental health and suicide prevention training program introduced by my legislation brought me to tears.

"We can and should create better working conditions for our law enforcement officers, and Public Law 139 in action shows that a better path forward is attainable. As Indiana starts its 2025 legislative session, I remain committed to advocating for my blue family and working to make good mental health and longevity in law enforcement careers a reality for Hoosier LEOs."

Garcia Wilburn appointed to committees for 2025 legislative session

For the 2025 legislative session, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) has been appointed to three House committees: Employment, Labor and Pensions; Judiciary; and Public Health. Garcia Wilburn will serve as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.

"I'm honored to return to the Judiciary Committee again this year, this time in a new leadership role," Garcia Wilburn said. "As ranking member, I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to make our legal system more efficient for Hoosiers.

"This session, I'll also be returning to the Employment, Labor and Pensions committee. Workers deserve living wages and safe working conditions. Our public retirees, including law enforcement and teachers, deserve the peace of mind that a pension provides after a lifetime of contributing to our state. I will be serving this committee with these Hoosiers in mind.

"As a new member of the Public Health Committee, I hope to highlight the great work Hamilton County is already doing to prioritize public health and help incorporate some of these strategies statewide. Even though Indiana has been making progress on issues like overdose rates, the statistics elsewhere are still jarring – Hoosiers are more likely than the average American to have heart disease and diabetes. It doesn't have to be this way, and I'm ready to continue my work to improve public health here in Indiana."

The 2025 legislative session is set to begin January 8, 2025.

Garcia Wilburn to advocate for sexual assault survivors in 2025 legislative session

As the 2025 legislative session fast approaches, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) has unveiled two of the 10 bills she intends to file this session, both supporting sexual assault survivors.

One piece of legislation would establish a sexual assault survivor bill of rights, which advocates called for during a 2024 Corrections and Criminal Code Interim Study Committee. One advocate testified during committee that her efforts to seek justice and receive a full investigation were met with hostility and additional trauma from not being supported by the criminal justice system. This includes provisions such as addressing Indiana's rape kit backlog and guaranteeing that victims can obtain a copy of the law enforcement report concerning the sexual assault. 

"From our extensive rape kit backlog to a reporting process that further violates victims, Indiana has work to do when it comes to truly supporting survivors of sexual assault," Garcia Wilburn said. "The legislature has not been in session since March, and since then, I've focused on meeting with survivors and advocates, members of our very own community. One in every five Hoosier women has been sexually assaulted and I know we can improve the sexual assault investigation process in our state. I believe that a sexual assault survivor bill of rights that affirmatively states what promises Indiana must keep to survivors is a necessary step to ensure that we move past statements of support to implementing statewide change."

The second bill would create a sentencing enhancement for sexual battery that is committed against a law enforcement officer. Under the bill, this crime would result in a Level 4 felony, whereas other instances of sexual battery incur a Level 6 felony.

"Our law enforcement officers need to know that the state has their back if they experience the horror of sexual battery while in the line of duty," Garcia Wilburn said. "Putting on the badge is no light undertaking, and the sad reality is that there are individuals out there who want to harm and violate our officers. My hope is that this legislation would serve as an additional deterrent for those who would commit an unimaginable crime against a brave member of our blue family."

The 2025 legislative session is set to begin on Jan. 8, 2025.

Garcia Wilburn invites youth to attend Council on Youth Mental Health

Hey, young people of Carmel, Fishers, and Nora: It's okay to not be okay. But there are things you can to do feel better and help those around you struggling with the same mental health problems as you.

In light of recent reports showing Indiana youth face an unprecedented mental health crisis, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn is inviting House District 32 youth to attend a youth mental health discussion with her on Monday, Nov. 18.

"We're Listening: Youth Council on the State of Youth Mental Health" will include:

• A free pizza dinner;

• An open dialogue with Rep. Garcia Wilburn on the mental health and wellbeing of you and your friends;

• Tools for advocating for more mental health support from the Indiana state government; and

• A workshop on how to cope and deal with mental health issues.

"This discussion and workshop is specifically for some of my youngest constituents – middle and high schoolers," Garcia Wilburn said. "As a mom and someone who works with kids all the time, I can see that your generation is struggling. I want to hear from you on what challenges you're facing. I'll also provide you with the tools to cope and help you move from hopelessness to hope by discussing how you can advocate for better mental health resources from our state government so that you and other kids in the future don't have to deal with this same struggle. I hope to see you there!"

"We're Listening: Youth Council on the State of Youth Mental Health" will take place on Monday, Nov. 18 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Fishers Public Library (5 Municipal Drive, Fishers, IN 46038) in the Center Room. While the event is for middle and high school-aged youth, parents are of course encouraged to attend.

Garcia Wilburn joins fellow Behavioral Health Commission legislators to discuss final 2024 report, opportunities for legislative action

Today (Oct. 1), State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) joined the three other legislators serving alongside her on the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission (BHC) and Commission Chair Jay Chaudhary to discuss the BHC's final 2024 report and its policy recommendations for improving behavioral and mental health in Indiana.

Garcia Wilburn passed a law in 2023 to require all first responders undergo mental health and resiliency training and plans to work on additional behavioral health legislation during the 2025 legislative session.

Garcia Wilburn released the following statement on today's press conference:

“The work of the Behavioral Health Commission is meaningful to me both as a clinician and researcher. I was extremely proud of the bipartisan fashion of today's press conference with State Sens. Michael Crider and Andrea Hunley and State Rep. Cindy Ledbetter, because behavioral health progress need not be partisan.

“Today, I talked about the importance of growing the behavioral and mental healthcare workforce pipeline in the short and long term. We need to create a system that works for those operating within it in a sustainable way. All 92 counties, including Hamilton and Marion Counties, are designated mental health workforce shortage areas.    

“Indiana has several barriers that prohibit certain healthcare providers from providing the behavioral health services they could be administering, so we need to work to break down the institutional silos and licensing issues that are keeping us from making progress while still ensuring patients receive quality care. I also personally want to work to provide more support to our frontline first responders so that we continue to fight the high rates of suicide, burnout and PTSD that these professions face. Finally, we need to make sure that students know that behavioral health careers are scientific, evidence-based professions that they can pursue, especially as we contemplate the high school diploma redesign.”