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X-WR-CALNAME:Gov. Mike Braun's 2026 State of the State Address
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Indiana (East)
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DTSTAMP:20260718T190336Z
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260114
DESCRIPTION:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\nWednesday\, January 14\, 2026\n \n \n\nB
 elow are remarks as prepared by Governor Mike Braun in his 2026 State of t
 he State Address. \n\n \n \n\nGov. Mike Braun's 2026 State of the State Ad
 dress\n\nPresident Pro Tem Bray\, Speaker Huston\, Lt. Governor Beckwith\,
  Chief Judge Tavitas\, Chief Justice Rush\, members of the General Assembl
 y\, honored guests\, Maureen and family\, welcome. \n\nIn 2025 our message
  was clear: Indiana is open for business. \n\nIndiana’s real GDP is grow
 ing faster than the national rate.\n\nWe’re growing double the rate of I
 llinois.\n\nDouble the rate of Ohio\n\nTriple the rate of Kentucky\n\nAnd 
 growing 6 times faster than Michigan.  \n\nThe time is now\, and the place
  is Indiana\, and the state of our state is STRONG! \n\nAffordability is o
 ur highest priority. \n\nThe last D.C. administration unleashed inflation 
 that’s still making it hard for families to get by.\n\nI’ve spent my l
 ife as a job creator. I know the most important part of affordability is n
 ew jobs and higher wages.\n\nAverage hourly earnings for Hoosiers rose ove
 r 4 percent last year. And wages in Indiana are growing faster than the na
 tional average. \n\nTwo years ago we spent an average of $46\,000 dollars 
 to bring a job to Indiana. \n\nNow we’re spending a fraction of that: on
 ly $15\,000 dollars per new job. \n\nAnd the average wage for those jobs i
 s up 10 percent\, an increase of $7\,500 dollars a year. \n\nUtility rates
  are too high. \n\nThat’s why I appointed a new advocate for Hoosiers to
  hold the line on utility price hikes. \nAbby Gray\, the state’s officia
 l consumer advocate\, is with us this evening. \n\nThe first time a reques
 t came to her asking for a rate increase\, she responded with a recommenda
 tion for a DECREASE. \n\nThat’s what I like to see. \n\nAbby\, thank you
  for partnering with me to protect Hoosiers from utility rate hikes that d
 on’t make sense.\n\nAffordability is why I support Rep. Alaina Shonkwile
 r’s bill to hold investor-owned utility companies accountable to provide
  affordable energy before they can increase their profit margin.\n\nAnd it
 ’s why I appointed three rate-payer conscious members\, now constituting
  a majority\, to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission — to make dec
 isions in the PUBLIC INTEREST to ensure utilities provide service at just 
 and reasonable rates.\n\nLet’s talk about data centers. \n\nHoosiers are
  concerned about their electricity rates going up to pay for them. \n\nAI 
 is going to be key to the jobs of the future\, but data centers can’t st
 ick Hoosiers with the power bill. \n\nCompanies that want big power in Ind
 iana should pay their own way. \n\nFor example\, Amazon is building a $15 
 billion dollar data center in northwest Indiana. They’re going to pay fo
 r every cent of their new power needs\, and then some. \n\nIf other compan
 ies will follow this model\, we’ll lead the country in the AI race and H
 oosiers’ electricity rates won’t go up - they’ll go down.\n\nAnother
  weight on Hoosiers’ wallets when I took office was property taxes. \n\n
 It’s a major driver of the affordability crisis. \n\nThat’s why I led 
 the way to historic\, meaningful property tax reform. \n\nOur historic pro
 perty tax cut will save taxpayers $1.5 billion dollars over the next 3 yea
 rs. \n\nIt ensures local governments have resources for essential services
 \, and Hoosier homeowners can keep more of their money in their pocket.\n\
 nBut there are too many Hoosiers who can’t afford to own a home at all. 
 \n\nHome prices have surged because we aren’t building enough\, and unne
 cessary regulations are driving up costs. \n\nRep. Doug Miller has a bill 
 that will get government out of the way and make it easier for Hoosiers ch
 asing the American dream to buy their own home.\n\nI support it 100%.\n\nH
 ealth care is too expensive. \n\nAs a business owner\, I know how importan
 t it is to provide employees with high quality health care at an affordabl
 e price. \n\nI built a health care plan in my company that hasn’t had a 
 premium increase in 18 years\, based on the principles I’m putting to wo
 rk in the state of Indiana: wellness and prevention\, not expensive remedi
 ation.\n\nLast session\, we took major steps to put patients in charge of 
 their health care and cut prices through transparency and accountability. 
 \n\nThis year\, Sen. Justin Busch\, Rep. Martin Carbaugh and Rep. Julie Mc
 Guire have proposed pieces of legislation that will keep Hoosiers out of c
 rushing medical debt.\n \nWe need creative solutions to make health care a
 ffordable and protect families from predatory collections.\n\nYou know wha
 t else makes life more affordable? The government spending less of your mo
 ney. \n\nWe tightened our belts with the budget this year\, with the major
 ity of Indiana's state agencies operating with 10% cuts. \n\nThe projected
  budget shortfall last year has been neutralized\, and next year’s reven
 ue forecast shows strong growth across the board.\n\nWe’ve cracked down 
 on waste\, fraud\, and abuse\, and our efforts have received national atte
 ntion. \n\nWhile some states are in the news for billions in Medicare and 
 Medicaid fraud\, Indiana has found $465 million dollars in savings — jus
 t this year. \n\nIndiana is making Medicaid responsible and sustainable fo
 r those who need it most. \n\nFor Medicaid recipients who can work\, work 
 requirements foster self-sufficiency and build a foundation for a better l
 ife. \n\nI want to thank Senator Chris Garten for Senate Bill 1 which codi
 fies several of the actions we’ve taken already and positions us to lead
  the nation. \n\nWe’re continuing to deliver high-quality essential serv
 ices that Hoosiers rely on\, while you keep more of your money — because
  it’s not ours\, it’s yours. \n\nWhen something was broken\, we didn
 ’t wait for permission — we fixed it. \n\nI looked at what former Gove
 rnor Daniels did at Purdue by freezing tuition\, and asked “Why can’t 
 they all do that?” \n\nNow\, every public university in the state of Ind
 iana has frozen tuition and mandatory fees for the next two years.\n\nI to
 ok action on common sense matters like protecting girls' sports. \n\nAnd I
  took action to ensure food stamps are used for their intended purpose: re
 al food\, not junk food.\n\nAnd we’re getting better results from educat
 ion. \n\nAfter decades of trying to get it done\, Indiana now has UNIVERSA
 L SCHOOL CHOICE.\n\nThis fall\, every Hoosier parent will have the opportu
 nity to choose the school that best fits their child’s needs.\n\nLast ye
 ar’s budget had some hard decisions\, but the first thing we did was ful
 ly fund K through 12 education.\n\nMore money is making its way to teacher
 s and classrooms and less to administrative buildings. \n\nWe raised start
 ing teacher salaries by $5\,000 dollars so we can recruit the best.\n\nWe
 ’re hitting all time records on literacy scores and graduation rates.\n\
 nEverything we did was based around one simple principle: Parents are in c
 harge of their kids’ education. \n\nI support Sen. Jeff Raatz’s bill t
 o limit cellphone use in schools and give parents veto power over their ki
 ds and social media. \n\nThat’s a decision for you to make as parents\, 
 not Big Tech. \n\nI want to thank Dr. Katie Jenner for your leadership in 
 improving education for Hoosier kids. \n\nRecently I’ve had a new adviso
 r on education policy. \n\nA 9 year old named Jack Gibson from down in Sho
 als. \n\nHe asked me if I could delay school on Tuesday morning so he can 
 stay up late and watch the Hoosiers win on Monday. \n\nI like the sound of
  that. \n\nI’ll leave it up to each school district to decide\, but I th
 ink that sounds like a good idea. \n\nI want to thank my new advisor Jack 
 for a great idea. Go Hoosiers! \n\nIf we’re going to grow our economy an
 d help Hoosiers get better jobs\, we need to make child care more affordab
 le and available. \n\nThat’s why I look forward to digging in during the
  budget session on what we can do to invest in lowering child care costs. 
 \n\nI would like to see a program where businesses have some skin in the g
 ame to make child care more affordable. \n\nIndiana is the best place in A
 merica to create jobs. \n\nAnd we’re making sure these jobs benefit all 
 four corners of the state. \n\nI’ve been all over the state breaking gro
 und on new projects creating thousands of new high wage jobs. \n\nINCOG Bi
 oPharma is creating 792 jobs in Fishers.\n\nAutocam Medical Devices is add
 ing 300 jobs in Kosciusko County. \n\nKratos Defense is creating 628 high 
 wage jobs in Crane. \n\nCaterpillar is making their biggest manufacturing 
 expansion in company history in Lafayette. \n\nAnd I already mentioned Ama
 zon’s 1\,100 new jobs in the Region. \n\nProject after project\, industr
 y after industry\, the story is the same: Indiana is the Midwest’s growt
 h engine for more jobs and bigger paychecks.\n\nAnd while we’re on the s
 ubject of businesses coming to the Region — \n\nUS Steel is growing. The
  Whiting Refinery is expanding. \n\nAnd with our strong business environme
 nt\, it’s not surprising that another organization has noticed that Indi
 ana is open for business: the Chicago Bears. \n\nWe are working hard to br
 ing the Chicago Bears to the Hoosier State.\n\nWe are investing in Hoosier
  workers. \n\nTonight in the audience we have Lonnie Camp\, a paramedic wi
 th Tri County Ambulance Services. \n\nLonnie upskilled through the program
  and his hourly wage is now 25% higher than it was a year ago. \n\nLonnie\
 , congratulations to you for growing your professional skills while growin
 g your paycheck.\n\nTonight’s been all about affordability\, but I want 
 to take a moment to recognize the incredible work of the Indiana State Pol
 ice last year. \n\nWhen I took office\, I asked Indiana State Police Super
 intendent Anthony Scott to crack down on drug trafficking on our highways.
  \n\nThe Indiana State Police launched a full-scale program to stop narcot
 ics before they make it to our communities. \n\nThey seized over 1\,300 po
 unds of cocaine from bulk shipments in 2025. \n\nTroopers also seized 84 p
 ounds of heroin and fentanyl\, DOUBLE what they took off the street the ye
 ar prior. \n\nAnd just last week\, Indiana State Police seized over 300 po
 unds of cocaine in one traffic stop\, with an estimated street value of $7
  million dollars. \n\nThese efforts saved lives. Overdose deaths dropped o
 ver 60%\, from 1\,610 in 2024 to 562 last year. That’s hundreds of Hoosi
 er lives saved. \n\nLast year\, we increased penalties on repeat violent c
 riminals and drug dealers.  \n\nWe have to make sure that when the most vi
 olent criminals are arrested\, they aren’t just turned back out on the s
 treets. \n\nThat’s why I support bills by Senator Eric Koch and Senator 
 Aaron Freeman to amend our constitution to allow for preventive detention.
  \n\nHoosiers are compassionate people\; we feel for those who are dealing
  with homelessness. \n\nBut we also must set clear expectations for the us
 e of public spaces. \nAnd I support local solutions that will help those i
 ndividuals and keep Hoosier families safe in our cities. \n\nLast year\, S
 tate Police also launched Operation Guardian Angel to save children from a
 buse\, resulting in 48 arrests already. \n\nI support Rep. Wendy McNamara
 ’s bill to help our State Police put more child predators behind bars.\n
 \nI want to say Thank You to every law enforcement officer in the state fo
 r your work protecting Hoosiers. We will ALWAYS Back the Blue.\n\nAnd I wa
 nt to thank Major General Larry Muennich and the Indiana National Guard fo
 r all they do to serve our state and our nation. Thank you. \n\nI’m so p
 roud of the work we’ve done to make Indiana a better\, more affordable p
 lace to build a life. \n\nMy administration has people from up and down th
 e state. We have Butler fans\, Notre Dame fans\, Purdue fans…\n\nBut on 
 Monday I expect to see all of them wearing cream and crimson! \n\nGo Hoosi
 ers!  \n\nOn and off the football field\, Indiana is winning big. \n\nWe h
 ave secured big wins already to make life more affordable for Hoosier work
 ers\, and there’s much more to do.\n\nTogether\, we can make Indiana the
  state where your dollar goes further\, where opportunity abounds for all 
 who are willing to work hard\, and where every Hoosier worker can build th
 e life they deserve.\n\nThank you\, and God Bless the Great State of India
 na.\n \n\n###\n\nGriffin Reid\nPress Secretary\nOffice of Governor Mike Br
 aun\nEmail: greid@gov.in.gov
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SUMMARY:Gov. Mike Braun's 2026 State of the State Address
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.in.gov/event/gov-mike-brauns-2026-state-of-the
 -state-address
CATEGORIES:Press Releases
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