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Indiana State House District 61

The Indiana House of Representatives has broad powers to pass laws that affect the daily lives ofIndiana citizens. It decides the type of taxes and rates that will be levied on citizens andbusinesses for State purposes. It can create and abolish agencies of state government. Itdetermines how much will be spent for each of the many government services. It sets the rulesfor operation of Indiana’s local governments. It determines the amount of state collected taxfunds to be distributed to the units of local government for schools, highways and other purposesand designates the basis on which these funds are to be distributed. All 100 members of thehouse of representatives are elected every two years to two-year terms. It dictates the proceduresfor the election of state and local government officials including drawing the voting districts.

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  • Candidate picture

    Matt Pierce
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

1. What policies and plans do you have to address the challenges of pollution as it affects community health, the climate, and the environment? (750 characters/~125 words)

2. Should all schools that receive state funds be held to the same standards of fiscal transparency, academic standards, and accommodations that public schools are subject to? Please explain your answer. (750 characters/~125 words)

3. What are your priorities on reproductive health and access to obstetric health care? (750 characters/~125 words)

4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing? (750 characters/~125 words)

5. What policies on gun safety do you support? (750 characters/~125 words)

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Campaign email pierce.campaign@comcast.net
The Republican supermajorities have chosen protecting polluters over protecting our air, water, and natural resources. I have consistently opposed legislation reducing protections for wetlands, weakening the rulemaking authority of the Department of Environmental Management, and attempting to redefine the forever chemical PFAS to allow its continued use.

I have offered legislation to protect wilderness areas of Indiana’s state forests from logging and pushed for a faster transition to renewable energy to combat climate change. I supported efforts to protect groundwater from coal ash contamination.

I will continue working for proactive policies that clean-up our environment and prevent future pollution.
I have a long record of voting against legislation that diverts tax dollars away from public schools to private and religious schools that do not have the same standards and accountability. Charter schools and schools receiving vouchers are exempt from many requirements that apply to traditional public schools.

Any school receiving taxpayers’ money should expect to be transparent and meet the same requirements as traditional schools.
I am a strong supporter of women’s reproductive freedom and fought the passage of legislation that took away rights from women that had been guaranteed since 1973 under the Roe v. Wade decision. These restrictions make it more difficult for women to get the care they need, endangering their lives.

My priority is to restore women’s reproductive freedom. I will also work to block any efforts to limit access to birth control or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
I voted for legislation that provides incentives to local governments to facilitate the construction of new housing. I also supported legislation designed to limit the impact of sudden property tax hikes for homeowners caused by skyrocketing property values. Higher property taxes are making it more difficult for existing homeowners to continue living in their homes.

I will support efforts to commit more funding in the next budget for housing programs designed to help first time homebuyers and renters who are paying more than 25% of their income for housing.
I voted against the legislation that removed any requirement for a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

I continue to be frustrated by the Republican supermajorities’ complete unwillingness to even consider gun safety proposals. I support common sense legislation such as closing loopholes that allow the purchase of guns without a background check, banning military style assault rifles that are often used by mass shooters, requiring firearms training, and requiring weapons to be properly stored to prevent access by children.
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