Appropriations hearing features dozens of budget requests: Choice program, military base grants, medical education, mental health and local projects among asks

The Appropriations Committee heard hours of public testimony on the biennial budget contained in House Bill 101, with witnesses from health care, mental-health, education, veterans, conservation and community redevelopment groups seeking targeted funding for programs and services across the state.

Speakers asked the committee to retain or increase specific line items in the budget: advocates for Indiana's Choice program urged retaining $48,000,000 and removing a proposed transfer of Choice dollars to Medicaid; defense- and economic-development witnesses urged a $50,000,000 appropriation for a proposed Indiana Military Base Infrastructure Grant Program; medical education advocates asked for more funding to expand residency positions (the Graduate Medical Education board currently has $7,000,000 in the base budget but requested up to $13,500,000'$14,000,000 for projected needs); and behavioral health groups said implementation of the crisis continuum (including the 988 call system and mobile crisis services) will require additional recurring funding beyond the $50,000,000 included in the introduced budget.

Other requests included nonprofit security grants for at-risk faith and community organizations ($5,000,000 over two years suggested by Jewish and civil-rights organizations); funding for food banks and anti-hunger programs; preservation of Indiana Main Street program staff funding (witnesses said proposed cuts would effectively remove statewide technical assistance); support for the Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust and state parks operating increases; and continued or added funding for disease-diagnostic laboratories and public health, childcare supports and workforce housing programs.

Below are selected, attributed highlights from witnesses who testified on the record. Where witnesses provided a numeric request or evidence, that…