With the state legislatures wrapping up spring sessions, Indiana emerged as a clear front-runner in successfully implementing President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. As policymakers across the country consider their own priorities, they should follow Indiana’s lead to deliver real results for their constituents.
Last year, Trump signed into law the most transformative tax and welfare reform bill in recent history. But some of the most important parts of the bill require states to take action to carry it out. These include ensuring that people on welfare are truly eligible, providing meaningful tax relief, opting into a new federal school choice program to send federal dollars directly to families, and partnering with federal immigration enforcement. The idea is simple: less money for illegal immigrants and fraudsters and more money for hardworking American families.
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Indiana lawmakers moved quickly to get these reforms up and running, with Senate Republicans introducing Senate Bill 1 as their top priority.
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With Gov. Mike Braun’s (R-IN) signature on March 4, SB 1 codified the new federal work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid and food stamps who don’t have small children. This will encourage independence and dignity while boosting the state’s declining labor force participation rate. SB 1 also requires the state to count the income of illegal immigrants in determining total household income for welfare eligibility. This ends the existing unfair practice that currently disadvantages households with only American citizens. SB 1 will protect Hoosier tax dollars by ensuring welfare is reserved only for truly needy American citizens.
To further safeguard and promote tax savings, Indiana applied several tax breaks Trump delivered through the working families tax cut. Senate Bill 243, signed into law by Braun on March 5, codified the popular “No Tax on Tips” and “No Tax on Overtime” reforms.
Trump’s new law has also created the first-ever federal school choice program. Through this initiative, school choice scholarships will be available to families making up to three times the median income of their county. The scholarships can be used for tuition, tutoring, afterschool enrichment programs, and uniforms or equipment for career training programs. But if states want the funding, they have to opt in.
While some Democratic governors have stubbornly refused to participate, Braun signed Indiana up for the funding right away. State lawmakers supported his decision with their passage of House Bill 1266, which wrote Indiana’s school choice participation into state law so that no future governor can opt out. As a result of this leadership, a massive amount of federal funding will begin to flow directly to Hoosier families so their children can go to the school of their choice.
While states such as Minnesota and Virginia actively obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, Braun signed into law Senate Bill 76, which requires the entire state to cooperate with ICE in the removal of dangerous criminals. SB 76 also provides the state attorney general with stronger enforcement authority and closes several loopholes within the state’s existing anti-sanctuary law.
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In some cases, Indiana Republicans are not only following Trump’s lead — they are going even further than federal law requires. Indiana is innovating new policies to combat illegal immigration and protect taxpayer dollars. For example, another key provision of SB 1 requires the state to refer illegal immigrants caught applying for Medicaid or food stamps to the federal immigration authorities. This is a common-sense policy that will deter illegal immigrants from attempting to get on welfare — and it may even provide a deterrent for illegal immigration to Indiana.
Trump is ushering in a golden age for America at the federal level, and he deserves partners at the state level who want to put Americans first. Hoosiers can be proud that their leaders have just wrapped up one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent memory — and one of the most productive sessions across the country. The results will benefit Indiana for years to come, and other states would be wise to follow their lead.
Emma Garelick is a state government affairs director at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
