Governor Holcomb’s calling the just-concluded legislative session a success.
Holcomb says a new state budget gives state agencies the tools they need. He says he’s “comfortable” with Department of Child Services funding 70-million dollars below what he asked for. The agency will still grow its budget by a quarter-billion dollars next year, and Holcomb notes caseloads have begun to slacken after years of bursting at the seams. He says if the trend reverses, he’ll dip into reserves as he did last year to make sure the agency has the resources it needs.
And while some groups have criticized a hate-crimes law as too vague, Holcomb says it will cover any Hoosier who’s targeted by a hate crime. He says he’s had offers from people to make Indiana’s case to the watchdog groups which track such laws.
The governor has also signed the bill throwing a financial lifeline to the board which operates Indy’s downtown stadiums, and clearing a path for a stadium for the Indy Eleven soccer team.
About 90 bills are still awaiting Holcomb’s signature. The governor says he doesn’t have specific concerns about any of them, but says there are a couple he’ll be giving extra scrutiny, including the bill authorizing sports wagering and a Terre Haute casino. Holcomb says he has no objections to the broad outlines of the bill, but says he’ll read the 63-page bill carefully to make sure there are no hidden surprises before signing it.
