Campaign Phone Number
219-746-1076
Years in an elected position
13 years
As a parent with two elementary aged children, one of the top policy challenges in the State of Indiana is education, how it is funded and how it is structured. One of the bills I fought against this session was Senate Bill 1. This bill required that students be retained if they do not pass ILEARN. This is a blow to teachers all over our state who work hard during summer school to make sure students are prepared for the next grade. Conversely, we won the fight to keep teacher collective bargaining safe. I worked diligently to make sure all students in the State of Indiana have access to quality and equitable educational options. Myself, along with the Democratic Caucus, are working hard to give all Indiana students an option of higher education or trade programs.
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Education is currently under attack in the State of Indiana. The position of the majority of the state legislature is to privatize education. This is happening through voucher programs, charter schools and virtual schools. These programs are being funded at a higher amount than public school distrcits, which negatively impacts our most disadvantaged students. As the former In-House Counsel of the Gary Community School Corporation, I had the opportunity to see the issues in the district first hand. I have taken that knowledge to the Statehouse to advocate for public schools around the entire state. I will continue to fight for quality educational opportunities for our students.
District 3 is one of the most enviromentally significant areas in the State. In my current position with the Gary Sanitary District (GSD), I am working closely with IDEM and the DOJ to tackle many of the water quality issues in Northwest Indiana. I have been tasked with ensuring compliance with State and Federal environmental regulations. I am also working with the Audubon Society to protect the Marshalltown Marsh, a 280 acre site in District 3 that is fed by the Little Calumet River. Protecting that area also means protecting the water in the Little Calumet. As a legislator, I supported the State's enviromental legislation to protect and maintain our wetlands.
I supported legislation that allows candidates depicted in fabricated media (AI) to bring a civil action against the creator and seek actual damages including court costs and attorney fees. This piece of enacted legislation will protect candidates and their positions. In addition to any federal efforts, I would support additional state legislation requiring a disclaimer that would inform viewers when AI is being used in any setting, not just political ads. A public information campaign is needed to educate the public on recognizing AI-generated media that may influence thoughts and ideas.
In 2023, I co-sponsored Senate Bill 1, which expanded access to mental health support in Indiana throughout community health centers and established the 998 mental health crises hotline. In many urban areas, unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to asking or needed mental health services. The Indiana Department of Health has created a public campaign to educate the public on mental health issues in an effort to lower the resistance to treatment. In Gary, I supported the mobile mental health pilot program, which is designed to expand the city’s mental health services and reduce negative interactions with police officers. This is just the beginning, we will continue to expand mental health services throughout the state.
It has been an absolute pleasure to serve and represent Indiana District 3. Even in the super majority Republican house, I have been able to work on and pass key legislation that has enhanced our community. I added the amendment to Senate Bill 327, which established procedures to appoint members to the Gary
Community School Corp Board. This legislation will transfer financial responsibility and academic matters back to the governing body. I co-sponsored Senate Bill 434, which established the blight demolition fund to assist the Regional Development Authority (RDA) in developing the transit development district (TDD). This legislation has spurred economic development throughout Distrcit 3. I co-sponsored Senate Bill 1, which expanded access to mental health support in Indiana through community health centers and established the 998 mental health crises hotline. I look forward to discussing more issues at the upcoming debate. Thank you for your commitment to the voters.
Campaign Phone Number
2197138396
email
heather@sd1law.pro
street
363 South Lake Street
A common theme in the state of Indiana for the last two decades appears to be a priority of profits over people. As a pro-business state with policies catering to corporations/industry there have been minimal efforts to give the same consideration to working families. This has resulted in efforts to weaken unions which result in lower incomes for working families, lax environmental policies which affect our health and well-being, and an overlooked and broken educational system for our children with fewer college graduates. These disparities are apparent in the cities and towns in the 3rd District. More attention is needed to policy development that promotes not only incentives which attract industry, but also benefit the working families that are our most important asset. As a local attorney and small business owner, I can say with confidence having employees that are appreciated and engaged equates to success.
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Rather than addressing skill deficiencies in early grades through remediation and repetition of grades, we need to be proactive as a state in expanding high quality early childhood education programs to promote a strong foundation of learning. For those students currently failing, the response should be additional supports for students and development opportunities for teachers. Teachers are another one of our most important assets and we need to pay qualified teachers a competitive wage. Further, all schools that receive public tax dollars should be held accountable to the same transparency and standards of traditional public schools to ensure the quality of education and avoid diminishing funds to traditional public schools that are often serving our students who are most in need. I further support non-partisan elected school boards for all schools receiving public tax dollars to ensure accountability to the communities they serve.
Indiana needs to shift from the current view of the environment vs the economy. Indiana is ranked 50th in the natural environment which includes pollution threats and air and water quality and is ranked low on renewable energy. District 3 is a prime example of the need to temper industry by prioritizing environmental protections. Just because you value generating economic growth does not mean you cannot value the environment. Regulations are needed to enforce environmental justice and promote a responsible balance with industry to encompass energy sustainability and the preservation of natural resources. A climate task force and additional incentives to promote responsible environmental policies are needed and it is imperative that the heads of our regulatory agencies, as political appointments, work in conjunction with community watch groups and other environmental experts to promote more safeguards to protect the environment rather than working on behalf of special interests.
I agree with recently passed legislation requiring political candidates include a disclaimer if AI is used for political advertising and allow for civil actions against those who paid, sponsored or spread the material if no disclaimer is present. However, the law puts a heavy burden on the victims of such ads by forcing them to pursue costly legal actions and, further, lengthy civil actions will likely have little impact on the harm and confusion caused by fraudulent material released during the course of an election. As AI is a new technology which is certain to bring challenging issues to political campaigns, both positive and negative, ongoing discussions are needed to determine more expedient penalties for its misuse.
Due to the high demand and limited access to mental health services, the behavioral health system has shifted to a medication model which can lead to negative long term outcomes. As an attorney that has been involved with cases involving pharmaceuticals and negligent prescribing, it is evident that the mental health crisis has been exacerbated by inadequate and often disabling treatment methods. More counseling services and incentives to increase the number of trained professionals, and other non-pharmaceutical options are necessary to address mental health wellness. Priorities in mental health should include a focus on addressing underlying trauma and limiting the long-term use of psychotropic drugs, especially in our young children. Additionally, legislation is needed to protect patient autonomy, ensure informed consent for treatment methods which present patients with a risk / benefit analysis, and an increase in resources for community supportive services.
The communities that comprise District 3 are what I believe to be some of the most diverse in the state. Throughout my career as an advocate and a municipal attorney, and as a resident of the City of Gary, I have had the privilege to work with the leadership and constituents of all the cities and towns in the 3rd District and I am committed to continuing to grow and strengthen those relationships and represent the priorities of District 3 in the legislature.
