Policy Update, June 5, 2015

Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways usually provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).

Recent media links ALICE to local issues

News media reporters and editors who are aware of the ALICE research and report are connecting local issues to it in their local communities. Here are a few examples:

Jobs - "Dark clouds lurk behind Indiana's sunny employment rate," story on WSBT, South Bend Television, 6/2/15.
Housing-"Habitat may be priced out of the Valpo market in 2016," article in theNorthwest Indiana Times,6/2/15; and "United Way Study: Homeless in Johnson County," article in the Franklin Daily Journal, 5/15/15.
Transportation - "Getting workers to where the jobs are proves to be a challenge for Vanderburgh County," article in the Evansville Courier and Press, 6/2/15.
Financial Instability -"The precarious existence of the working poor," article in the Lafayette Journal and Courier, 5/30/15; and "Working Poor: Forty percent of people struggling to make ends meet, story on WSBT22, 5/4/15.

These follow a recent

series done by the Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Indiana

(bottom left, Living ALICE). Local residents shared their stories of working and yet not getting ahead. See a good news follow-up story, Mystery man helps struggling family, 5/18/15.

Recent editorials:

Child care is vital to ALICE families' success, in the Northwest Indiana Times, 5/17/15.
Uproot causes while treating symptoms, in the Northwest Indiana Times, 5/31/15.

Last three Regional Sessions this spring

Indiana Association of United Ways and Indiana Coalition for Human Services are holding regional meetings with human services providers. In each session, we

provide updates and Q&A about the Statehouse, including how the budget and certain policies affect human services;
discuss important issues on the horizon for human services, including trends in eligibility programs like SNAP and TANF, drug testing, best practice responses on the HIV crisis; and
provide information about and opportunities to get involved.

Our schedule of remaining sessions includes:

June 8 - New Albany at Hope Southern IN, 11am-1:30pmET
June 9 - Indianapolis at Interchurch Center, 9-11amET
June 10 - Lafayette at Lafayette Urban Ministry,11am-1:30pmET

Please register here to attend. See one-page overview with details. If you would like a session in your community, contact us.

Repeated from last issue:

Interim Legislative Study Committees

Scores of topics were recommended for interim study during the legislative session. The Legislative Council met May 28 and recommended topics and committee membership. Here is a sample of interest to human service providers:

* Agricultural & Natural Resources will study identifying information in adoptions.

* Corrections & Criminal Code will study issues faced by offenders after release and issues related to adult protective services.

* Education will study testing and reporting requirements, special education for developmentally delayed children and ISTEP.

* Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications will study alternative energy and broadband in underserved areas.

* Environmental Affairs will study solid waste management districts and water distribution systems related to White, Wabash and Ohio River basins.

* Fiscal Policy will continue its multi-year review of all tax incentives and will study school capital projects.

* Government will study additional exemptions on open records and how info is used (police body cameras, videos on private homes, medical info).

* Pension Management will review requests for changes in public pension programs.

* Public Health, Behavioral Health & Human Services will study needle exchange programs, their effectiveness in reducing disease transmission in injection drug use, criminal penalties for drug use and paraphernalia and problem solving courts. The Committee will also review in depth insurance complaints, claim denials and experimental treatments.

* Public Policy will study smoking in bars, casinos and private clubs, e-cigarette taxation and regulation and the impacts of a cigarette or tobacco tax increase.

* Roads and Transportation will study use of enterprise zone money for public transportation, blocked railroad crossings, BMV operations and special group license plates.

* Code Revision will prepare technical corrections to SEA 441 (tax matters) and SEA500 (education deregulation), among other codes.

* Special Committee on Redistricting will explore alternative methods for redistricting for Statehouse and Congressional legislative districts.

* Budget Committee is to review pay discrepancies in the State Police Department.

* The Commission on Improving the Status of Children is to study teen suicides.

An interim study committee provides opportunity for legislators to study an issue in depth before the next legislative session. It meets about three times during the summer or fall before issuing a written report by Nov. 1. Bills or policies that are recommended by an interim study committee usually have an increased chance of being heard and passed during the legislative session.

IaUW's Policy Team will monitor many of the topics above and will provide detailed updates on the tax incentive review, as Earned Income Tax Credit, Tax Credit for the Elderly and sales tax on food, prescriptions and medical devices are scheduled for review in 2015. If you have an interest in one of the topics above, please email us.

IDA Tax Credit applications due 6/12/15

The State of Indiana incentivizes charitable contributions to organizations that provide Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) with special tax credits. IDA Tax Credits were preserved in the final hours of the 2015 legislative session through a late-night amendment, thanks to strong advocacy by Indiana Community Action Association and Indiana Association of Community Economic Development. IDAs are matched savings accounts that allow consumers to save for a home, business or college. IDAs are funded with federal, state and private funds. IDA administrators often provide financial counseling for participants.

Organizations interested in applying for the IDA Tax Credit may learn more here.

State Tax Exemptions, Deductions and Credits to be reviewed in 2015

The Indiana General Assembly tasked the Legislative Service Agency to review all tax incentives on a five-year cycle. Below is an excerpt from the tax incentives for review in 2015 (see schedule excerpt or full 2014 report).

Corporate/Individual Income Tax

Human Services Recipients Deduction
Unemployment Compensation Deduction
Earned Income Tax Credit
Unified Tax Credit for the Elderly
Lake County Homeowners' Property Tax Credit

Sales Tax

Food for At-Home Consumption
Lottery Tickets
Medical Devices and Equipment
Prescriptions

We are hoping to recruit a few members to our Tax Policy Advocates group (we need a catchy name, too). If you have a special interest in State and Federal EITC, Federal Child Tax Credit, Tax Credit for the Elderly, Neighborhood Assistance Program, sales tax on certain items (food, prescriptions) and other tax issues that affect nonprofits or the families we serve, please contact us with your specific interest and/or expertise.

Waiting for decision in King v. Burwell:

159,00 to 193,000 Hoosiers could lose health insurance subsidies

Healthcare advocates are anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell, which challenges the provision of advance premium tax credits in states using the Federally Facilitated Insurance Exchange, aka the Marketplace. Themap at rightillustrates by zip code the number Hoosiers enrolled in Marketplace plans. Every Indiana county includes individuals enrolled in Marketplace plans and who are at risk of losing subsidies.

See theFacts about Enrollmentwe prepared during the legislative session or more recentestimates from Kaiser Family Foundation. Families USA offersanalysis on how King v. Burwell could affect health insurance.

National news reports suggest growing interest among Republican members of Congress in extending subsidies through 2017 in the event the Court invalidates the subsides.

IaUW Public Policy

IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on policies that are aligned with the impact work in local communities conducted by our 61 United Ways and United Funds.

Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.

Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.

Review our public policy documents created during the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly, including fact sheets, testimony and bill summaries. See our quick summary based on IaUW priorities.

Frequently Requested Links / Documents

iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.

Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW 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 - Search 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.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly

- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.

Library of Congress

- Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.