Governor Holcomb has released his priorities for 2023 in an updated Next Level Agenda. Key focus areas include health and wellbeing, community development, education and workforce, and economic development. Specific items in the agenda include:
- Holcomb will pursue implementation of the Governor’s Public Health Commission recommendations, including a budget request for $120 million for state fiscal year 2024 and $227 million in 2025, with most of the dollars available to county officials.
- The governor will launch a new Treatment Finder Program to connect Hoosiers with appropriate addictions treatment. The state, along with local partners, will begin to invest the more than $500 million from the national opioid settlement to create more community substance use programs.
- The governor will expand eligibility for Child Care and Development Fund vouchers and work to expand On My Way Pre-K eligibility by raising the income eligibility limits for the programs from 127% to 138% of the federal poverty limit. Federal funds will be used through September 2024, with an estimated state impact of $15 million annually thereafter.
- The state will move forward another round of funding to address broadband service gaps with $70 million in state and federal funds.
- The state will continue its partnership with the state’s food bank network by increasing funding from $1 million to $2 million each year.
Many of the 2023 Next Level Agenda priorities will require budget allocations or other legislative support from the Indiana General Assembly. This may lead to changes in funding estimates, revisions to the priorities, or alternative timelines for implementation.