The Indiana Senate approved legislation Thursday containing nearly all the provisions Gov. Eric Holcomb has said must be enacted into law before he'll end Indiana's COVID-19 public health emergency.
Senate Bill 3 authorizes state agency leaders to take action so Indiana continues receiving COVID-19 enhanced federal funding for health care and food assistance, permits anyone in Indiana age 5 and up to be voluntarily vaccinated against COVID-19, and allows out-of-state health care practitioners to continue working in Indiana without transferring their license.
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, the sponsor of the measure, said enacting those policies into state law — instead of depending on the governor to continue them each month by renewing his public health emergency order — ensures Hoosiers have a say in the process and COVID-19 decisions are made in an open and deliberate manner.
"Indiana has continued to adapt and respond to the hardships the pandemic has brought, and we believe the normal legislative process is well-equipped to address any other issues that may remain," Charbonneau said. "I strongly believe that this legislation would help Indiana begin to move forward and create a stronger, healthier community."
At the same time, the measure was revised Tuesday by the Republican-controlled Senate to end Indiana's participation in the enhanced federal food benefits, known as SNAP, on April 16 — even if the federal government continues enhanced SNAP payments, worth about $90 extra per month, per household, beyond that date.
Senate Democrats blasted the change as particularly cruel and heartless as it will mean Indiana is denying federal food assistance to eligible families and children during a global pandemic for no reason other than an arbitrary date written into law that the General Assembly will not be able to change because it's expected to adjourn for the year on or before March 14.
"When I hear that we've got $90 that we can give to a poor family to try to sustain themselves, and it doesn't cost us, the state of Indiana, nothing — it doesn't make sense to me," said state Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago.
On the other hand, state Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, said cutting off the enhanced SNAP benefit will show the federal government Indiana doesn't support its reckless deficit spending and inflationary monetary policies.
"If we continue down this road that $90 won't mean anything to our poor citizens," Young said. "I can't even buy bacon anymore because it's $10.99 a pound.
"I hope everybody calls their congressman and their senators and says: 'Quit spending money we don't have and let's end this inflation that's destroying the lives of a lot of our citizens.'"
The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the Republican supports the early cutoff of federal food assistance, or if he'd seek to continue it through an executive order if the provision is enacted into law.
Holcomb generally declines to respond to questions about pending measures until they advance through the entire legislative process and land on his desk with final language agreed to by both the Senate and the House.
It's not currently clear what the Republican-controlled House will do with Senate Bill 3.
It only advanced similar language earlier this month by inserting it in a plan, House Bill 1001, that severely restricts the ability of Indiana companies to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on their employees.
Senate leaders have signaled they're not on board with that proposal, which also is strongly opposed by Indiana's business community, setting up a potential Statehouse stalemate as the 10-week legislative session winds toward its conclusion.
Meanwhile, Holcomb is expected early next week to renew his COVID-19 public health emergency declaration for a 23rd consecutive time since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indiana on March 6, 2020.
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