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Rep. Matt Pierce headshot

Matt Pierce Voting Record & Scorecard | Christian Employers Alliance

IN Representative

District: 61 • Democrat

2025 Alignment:

15.38%

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Lifetime Ratings by Policy Category

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Rep. Matt Pierce (D-IN-61) earned a 15% Christian Employers Alliance score for 2025, showing minimal alignment with biblical business policy positions. Matt Pierce voted on 49 of the 49 key bills CEA scored in 2025. Matt Pierce represents the 61st District in the Indiana House of Representatives. Highest category scores: Economic Freedom (27%), Healthcare Freedom (25%), and Workforce Freedom (17%).

Title

Lawmaker Position

HB 1001 (Amd. 16)House 20252x

Expanding Government-Mandated Paid Leave by Requiring Employers to Provide Up to 90 Days of Paid Grandparent Leave.

Against CEA
The Bauer amendment #16 to the state budget bill creates a new "Grandparent Leave" requiring employers, including private entities, state agencies, and political subdivisions, to provide at least 45 working days of paid leave for a qualifying grandparent upon the birth or adoption of a grandchild, and 90 working days if the grandchild resides in a single parent household. The amendment mandates full regular pay during leave, prohibits retaliation, preserves employee seniority and benefits, allows leave transfer to another adult in certain circumstances, and establishes a grandparent leave reimbursement program administered by the department of workforce development with an annual general fund appropriation sufficient to award reimbursement grants to employers. By imposing a broad paid leave mandate and creating an open-ended state reimbursement program, the amendment significantly expands employer obligations and state spending commitments.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, while supporting families is important, public policy must balance compassion with responsible stewardship and economic sustainability. Mandating expansive paid leave requirements and open-ended state reimbursements risks unintended burdens on employers and taxpayers while weakening fiscal accountability.
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
HB 1001 (Amd. 2)House 20251x

Expanding Government-Subsidized Mortgage Lending by Creating a First Time Homebuyer Linked Deposit Program.

Against CEA
The DeLaney amendment #2 to the state budget bill creates a new First Time Homebuyer Linked Deposit Program administered by the treasurer of state to subsidize mortgage loans by placing state certificates of deposit with participating lenders at up to 3% below the comparable Treasury Bill rate, requiring lenders to pass through an equivalent interest rate reduction to eligible borrowers. The amendment establishes eligibility criteria, application and approval procedures, refinancing standards, annual reporting requirements, and creates a new linked deposit fund consisting of money appropriated by the general assembly, with funds available for certificate placements and administrative expenses. By directing below-market state deposits to private lenders to reduce borrowing costs for a targeted group of homebuyers, the amendment expands government involvement in mortgage markets and commits public funds to subsidized lending.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, while promoting homeownership is commendable, stewardship requires caution when expanding government-backed financial subsidies. Creating new publicly funded lending programs risks distorting markets and increasing long-term fiscal obligations rather than encouraging sustainable and responsible economic growth.
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
HB 1001 (Amd. 9)House 20251x

Expanding State Spending Authority by Appropriating Reserve Funds to Backfill Federal Funding Reductions.

Against CEA
The DeLaney amendment #9 to the state budget bill appropriates, for each fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2025, and ending before July 1, 2027, an amount sufficient to restore funding for state programs affected by decreases in federal funding, subject to budget committee review. The amendment authorizes use of these reserve funds for public education, including Title I and special education, the National Guard, Medicaid, health research, road construction, agriculture, and veterans' services, and expires July 1, 2027. By committing reserve balances to automatically offset potential federal funding reductions across multiple program areas, the amendment expands state spending obligations and reduces fiscal restraint in response to future federal policy changes.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, prudent stewardship requires careful management of reserve funds and sustainable budgeting practices. Automatically expanding state spending to replace federal reductions risks weakening fiscal accountability and responsible governance.
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
HB 1002 (Amd. 7)House 20251x

Undermining an Effort to Reduce Government Bureaucracy by Restoring an Unnecessary Advisory Committee.

Against CEA
The Klinker amendment #7 to an education bill eliminates language in the bill that repeals the Advisory Committee on Career and Technical Education. The purpose of this committee is "to advise the state board on policy matters concerning career and technical education." By eliminating this language, the amendment continues an unnecessary committee. This committee is an unnecessary use of taxpayer resources and further grows the size of government.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship requires eliminating unnecessary government bodies that consume resources without clear public benefit. Preserving an advisory committee that no longer serves a necessary function undermines accountability and prudent governance.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God challenges wasteful spending and misdirected labor that produces no lasting value. Economic freedom means the liberty to invest resources in Kingdom purposes without government mandates dictating consumption. Leaders who reduce unnecessary taxation and regulation allow individuals to steward earnings toward what truly satisfies - family, faith, and generational wealth rather than bureaucratic waste.
HB 1003House 20253x

Addressing Rising Healthcare Costs Caused by Obamacare by Expanding Health Care Price Transparency and Other Reforms.

Against CEA
This bill expands health care price transparency requirements by requiring hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, clinical laboratories, and diagnostic imaging facilities to post detailed pricing information for designated shoppable services, including discounted cash prices and negotiated charge ranges. The bill shortens the timeline for providers, facilities, and health carriers to deliver good faith cost estimates from five business days to two business days, prohibits certain billing practices such as submitting institutional claims for office-based services, restricts anti-competitive contract provisions between health carriers and providers, and strengthens audit and data disclosure requirements. The measure also authorizes civil penalties for violations and establishes provisional credentialing standards to reduce network disruptions. By increasing pricing transparency, limiting restrictive contract practices, and improving consumer access to cost information, the bill promotes market accountability and helps address rising health care costs driven by federal health care mandates.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, healthcare systems should operate with honesty, fairness, and accountability, ensuring that patients are not burdened by hidden pricing schemes. Promoting transparency and preventing unjust enrichment in the healthcare marketplace reflects responsible stewardship and care for families struggling with rising medical costs.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God questions spending on what fails to nourish or satisfy. Healthcare freedom means rejecting one-size-fits-all mandates that force individuals and employers into systems that violate conscience or fail to meet real needs. Leaders who protect healthcare choice allow families and businesses to pursue treatments, coverage, and providers aligned with their values - "eating what is good" rather than consuming what government prescribes.
HB 1005House 20251x

Reducing Housing Costs by Expanding Private Plan Review Authority and Accelerating Permit Timelines.

Against CEA
This bill requires local units of government to allow qualified private providers to conduct plan reviews and inspections for Class 2 residential structures, mandates strict timelines for determining application completeness and completing plan reviews, requires issuance of permits if deadlines are missed, and grants immunity to local governments for actions taken by private providers. The bill prohibits local governments from adopting more stringent procedures than those prescribed in the chapter, limits certain design professional requirements, expands vested rights protections for at least three years after a complete application is filed, and prioritizes housing infrastructure loans to jurisdictions that adopt zoning reforms such as higher density allowances, reduced development standards, and elimination of impact fees. By accelerating permitting, expanding private sector participation in inspections, and encouraging local land use reforms tied to housing supply, the bill reduces regulatory barriers and promotes residential development. The bill streamlines permitting, limits excessive local regulatory authority, and promotes housing supply by reducing government-imposed development barriers.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, promoting access to attainable housing while limiting unnecessary regulatory burdens reflects stewardship, opportunity, and responsible governance. Reducing bureaucratic obstacles to home construction supports families, strengthens communities, and upholds ordered liberty.
Isaiah 10:1-2 – "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless."
Leadership Insight
God pronounces woe on lawmakers who craft economic policies that oppress the poor through excessive taxation, regulatory barriers to entry, and cronyism that favors the connected over the capable. Economic freedom is justice for the poor - when the working class keeps more of their earnings, when small businesses can compete without crushing compliance costs, and when families can build wealth without government extraction. Unjust economic laws always hit the poor hardest.
HB 1006House 20252x

Strengthening Public Safety by Holding Rogue Prosecutors Accountable.

Against CEA
This bill establishes a five-member prosecutor review board appointed by the prosecuting attorneys council to investigate and report on prosecuting attorneys who engage in a pattern of categorically refusing to prosecute criminal laws enacted by the general assembly. The bill authorizes investigations upon public declarations or patterns of non-prosecution, requires issuance of a report if a prosecutor is deemed noncompliant, grants investigative authority and immunity to board members, and modifies procedures for appointing special prosecutors and reporting requirements within the criminal justice system. By creating a formal oversight mechanism to address blanket refusals to enforce duly enacted laws, the bill reinforces uniform application of criminal statutes and strengthens accountability in prosecutorial discretion.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, justice requires faithful and impartial enforcement of the law rather than selective nonenforcement based on personal preference. Strengthening accountability for those entrusted with prosecutorial authority promotes fairness, responsibility, and ordered liberty.
Proverbs 21:15 – "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Leadership Insight
Justice is not neutral - it rewards righteousness and confronts evil. Leaders who execute justice faithfully create cultures where virtue thrives and corruption fears. Moral clarity strengthens societies; moral ambiguity weakens them.
HB 1014House 20251x

Strengthening Public Safety by Increasing Criminal Penalties, Expanding Bail Restrictions, and Prohibiting Government Funding of Obscene Performances.

Against CEA
This bill increases criminal penalties and expands sentencing enhancements by adding new aggravating factors, including unlawful presence in the United States and repeated drug distribution, modifying consecutive sentencing limits, and imposing mandatory minimum executed sentences for certain vehicle related resisting law enforcement offenses. The bill expands bail restrictions by requiring a 24 hour hold and a bail hearing before release for specified domestic violence related offenses, authorizes virtual bail hearings, and repeals a prior 8 hour domestic violence hold. The measure also creates a new environmental crime for illegal dumping, prohibits governmental entities from organizing or funding obscene performances, provides a private right of action for injunctive relief, and broadens public access to limited criminal history in defined circumstances. By enhancing penalties, reinforcing public safety protections, and restricting the use of taxpayer funds for obscene performances, the bill strengthens accountability and limits misuse of public resources. Unfortunately, this bill is especially necessary due to many so-called criminal justice "reforms" which have led to skyrocketing crime rates and are being advanced in state legislatures by George Soros and other radical-left billionaires through their funding of advocacy organizations on both sides of the political aisle.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, government bears responsibility to uphold justice, protect communities, and steward public funds responsibly. Strengthening accountability in sentencing and prohibiting the use of taxpayer resources for obscene activities promotes moral order, public safety, and ordered liberty.
Proverbs 21:15 – "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Leadership Insight
Justice is not neutral - it rewards righteousness and confronts evil. Leaders who execute justice faithfully create cultures where virtue thrives and corruption fears. Moral clarity strengthens societies; moral ambiguity weakens them.
HB 1037House 20251x

Combatting Local Government Overreach by Prohibiting Local Stormwater Regulations From Exceeding State Standards.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits a local government from adopting or enforcing any law, rule, ordinance, or regulation governing land disturbing activities that is more stringent than or exceeds the requirements of the department of environmental management's construction stormwater general permit, and declares any conflicting local measure void. The bill permits a unit or the department to issue a written warning and, if corrective action is not initiated within 48 hours, a stop work order for small land disturbing activities affecting less than one acre that fail to control sediment or dust. By preempting local stormwater regulations that exceed state standards, the bill limits duplicative local mandates and establishes uniform statewide requirements for land disturbance.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible governance includes establishing clear and consistent rules that prevent unnecessary regulatory burdens while still protecting communities. Uniform standards that limit overlapping local mandates promote accountability, stewardship of property, and ordered liberty.
Exodus 1:17 – "The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live."
Leadership Insight
The Hebrew midwives ran small businesses providing essential services - and Pharaoh demanded they weaponize their commerce against the innocent. Economic freedom includes the right to refuse government mandates that violate conscience or harm others. When the state commands businesses to participate in evil, faithful entrepreneurs must resist. Economic liberty is not unlimited - it is bounded by moral duty to God, not government.
HB 1041House 20252x

Protecting Fairness in Women's Sports by Requiring Sex-Based Team Designations.

Against CEA
This bill requires state educational institutions and private postsecondary institutions that sponsor intercollegiate athletics to designate each athletic team as male, female, or co-ed and prohibits a male, based on biological sex at birth, from participating on a team designated as female. The bill requires institutions to establish grievance procedures for alleged violations, authorizes students deprived of athletic opportunities to bring a civil action for injunctive relief, damages of up to $1,000, costs, and attorney's fees, and provides immunity to institutions that act in good faith compliance. By requiring clear sex-based team designations and protecting female athletic opportunities, the bill preserves competitive fairness and accountability in collegiate sports.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, recognizing biological reality and protecting fairness in women’s athletics reflects respect for human dignity and ordered liberty. Safeguarding equal opportunities for female athletes promotes justice, accountability, and responsible governance.
Deuteronomy 22:5 – "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this."
Leadership Insight
God's design for gender is intentional, not arbitrary. Leaders who defend biological truth protect the foundation of family, identity, and society. Cultural pressure to erase distinctions does not change divine design. Clarity about gender honors God's created order.
HB 1115House 20251x

Strengthening Property Rights by Expanding Emergency Eviction Authority for Criminal Conduct and Fraudulent Lease Applications.

Against CEA
This bill expands emergency possessory order procedures by authorizing a landlord to seek expedited eviction if a tenant or the tenant's guest commits a crime affecting the health or safety of another tenant, the landlord, or the landlord's agent, or if the tenant provided materially false information to induce the lease. The bill requires a court to order the tenant to return possession of the dwelling unit within seven days upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence and clarifies that subsequent claims between the parties may still be adjudicated. By broadening expedited eviction remedies for criminal activity and lease fraud, the bill strengthens property rights and promotes safer rental housing environments.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, protecting families and communities from harm while upholding honesty in contractual relationships reflects justice and responsible stewardship. Ensuring landlords have lawful tools to address criminal conduct promotes safety, accountability, and ordered liberty.
Proverbs 21:15 – "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Leadership Insight
Justice is not neutral - it rewards righteousness and confronts evil. Leaders who execute justice faithfully create cultures where virtue thrives and corruption fears. Moral clarity strengthens societies; moral ambiguity weakens them.
HB 1125House 20251x

Establishing a Regulatory Framework for Earned Wage Access Services and Authorizing Their Operation Under State Law.

Against CEA
This bill creates a new Indiana earned wage access (EWA) service that allows providers of earned wage access services to operate under a defined state licensing framework overseen by the department of financial institutions. EWA is a service that lets workers access earned but unpaid wages before payday. The bill requires EWA providers to obtain a license, maintain a surety bond of at least $100,000 up to $250,000 based on transaction volume, comply with disclosure and consumer protection standards, and submit to examination and reporting requirements. It also clarifies that earned wage access services provided in compliance with the chapter are not considered loans, credit, debt, or money transmission under Indiana law, and that related fees and voluntary tips are not treated as interest. By establishing clear statutory authorization and guardrails for earned wage access services, the bill promotes financial innovation while providing regulatory certainty for consumers and providers.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, enabling workers to access earned income through transparent and regulated services supports stewardship and responsible financial management. Providing clear legal boundaries while allowing innovation promotes accountability and ordered liberty.
1 Corinthians 14:40 – "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."
Leadership Insight
Chaos is not creative - it’s costly. God blesses order because He builds through structure. Operational excellence flows when systems honor divine order.
HB 1174House 20252x

Expanding Borrowing and Lending Opportunities by Raising the Maximum Allowable Interest Rate on Consumer Loans from 25% to 36%.

Against CEA
This bill increases the maximum loan finance charge on consumer loans from 25% to 36% annually and redefines supervised loans to reflect that higher threshold. It creates two new categories of supervised loans entered into after June 30, 2025, allowing monthly service fees on certain loans of $5,000 or less and permitting a flat 36% annual rate on loans between $5,000 and $25,000 that meet term and repayment conditions. The bill requires lenders in these categories to report borrower payments to a nationwide consumer reporting agency and, for certain loans, offer a no cost consumer credit education program. It also directs the Department of Financial Institutions to publish annual composite data on these loans and makes conforming changes to small loan, pawnbroker, and loansharking statutes. By raising outdated rate caps and clarifying permissible loan structures, the bill expands access to regulated credit markets and increases lawful borrowing and lending opportunities in Indiana.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, expanding access to transparent and regulated lending can help families responsibly navigate financial challenges. Allowing lawful credit markets to function within clear boundaries promotes stewardship, accountability, and opportunity.
Proverbs 22:7 – "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."
Leadership Insight
Borrowing beyond purpose is surrendering authority. Debt doesn’t just cost interest - it costs influence. Leaders who manage debt wisely preserve both freedom and dignity.
HB 1320House 20251x

Reducing Employment Barriers in Licensing for Barbers and Manicurists.

With CEA
This bill allows individuals who complete a United States Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program in barbering or manicuring to qualify for licensure and to take the required state examination, in addition to those who graduate from a beauty culture school. The bill updates application requirements to recognize apprenticeship completion as an alternative to traditional school hour requirements and clarifies eligibility for examination following completion of an approved apprenticeship program. By recognizing registered apprenticeships as a pathway to professional licensure, the bill expands workforce entry options and reduces barriers to employment in licensed trades.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, expanding access to meaningful work through practical training pathways supports dignity, opportunity, and responsible stewardship of individual talents. Recognizing apprenticeship programs promotes economic mobility while maintaining appropriate professional standards.
Proverbs 14:23 – "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."
Leadership Insight
God blesses action more than intention. Productivity is not greed - it’s stewardship. Words build ideas; work builds Kingdom impact.
HB 1348House 20252x

Protecting School Choice by Prohibiting State Agencies from Discriminating Against Nonaccredited Private School Diplomas.

Against CEA
This bill provides that a diploma or credential issued by a non-accredited nonpublic school is legally sufficient to demonstrate that a student has completed high school. The bill prohibits a state or local agency or institution of higher education from rejecting or treating a person differently based solely on a diploma or credential issued by such a school. The bill also grants administrators of non-accredited nonpublic schools the authority to execute documents verifying enrollment status, grades, transcripts, and other required educational information. By preventing government entities from discriminating against diplomas issued by non-accredited nonpublic schools, the bill protects educational choice and limits state interference with private education decisions.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, families have the primary responsibility to direct the education of their children, including through private and faith based schools. Ensuring that government does not discriminate against diplomas issued by these schools upholds parental authority, fairness, and ordered liberty.
Acts 4:19-20 – "Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Leadership Insight
When truth is silenced, darkness prevails. The apostles refused to edit their message for cultural comfort. Faithful leaders must speak what God says, even when it costs influence.
HB 1389House 20251x

Protecting Consumer Choice by Prohibiting Local Governments from Imposing Restrictions on Vehicles and Outdoor Equipment Based on the Source of Energy Used.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits counties, municipalities, townships, and neighborhood or homeowners associations from adopting or enforcing measures that prohibit, restrict, or impose differing standards on motor vehicles or outdoor equipment based on the fuel source that powers them. By preempting local fuel source bans and ensuring uniform statewide standards while protecting airport airspace, the bill limits fragmented local regulation and reinforces consistent property and transportation policy.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, preserving individual freedom and preventing inconsistent local mandates supports ordered liberty and responsible governance. Ensuring uniform rules while protecting public safety reflects stewardship and accountability in public policy.
Isaiah 10:1-2 – "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless."
Leadership Insight
God pronounces woe on lawmakers who craft economic policies that oppress the poor through excessive taxation, regulatory barriers to entry, and cronyism that favors the connected over the capable. Economic freedom is justice for the poor - when the working class keeps more of their earnings, when small businesses can compete without crushing compliance costs, and when families can build wealth without government extraction. Unjust economic laws always hit the poor hardest.
HB 1393 (Amd. 4)House 20251x

Weakening National Security by Reducing Requirements for Law Enforcement Reporting of Illegal Immigrants.

Against CEA
The Bauer amendment #4 would amend a bill requiring law enforcement officers to report to the county sheriff arrests of individuals for whom there is probable cause that the individual is in the country unlawfully. The amendment replaces this requirement with a requirement that prosecutors report to the county sheriff if there is probable cause that a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony is in the country unlawfully. This amendment weakens immigration enforcement by reducing the reporting of individuals in the country unlawfully. Failure to enforce our nation's immigration laws not only has catastrophic implications on the ability to maintain law and order, but also creates countless other issues ranging from welfare to the education system.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, government has a duty to uphold the rule of law in a manner that promotes order and accountability. Delaying notification responsibilities weakens lawful enforcement structures and undermines responsible governance.
Romans 13:1-4 – "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."
Leadership Insight
Government authority is legitimate only when it reflects God's design - to punish evil and reward good. Leaders submit to righteous authority but resist tyranny. Romans 13 is not a blank check for government overreach; it's a framework for godly governance rooted in justice.
HB 1459 (Amd. 1)House 20251x

Driving Up Utility Costs by Prohibiting Utility Reconnection Fees for Service Restorations.

Against CEA
The Hamilton amendment #1 to a bill containing utility provisions prohibits a utility that provides retail electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater service from charging a customer a reconnection fee for the first two occasions on which the utility restores terminated service. The prohibition applies broadly to public utilities, municipally owned utilities, not-for-profit utilities, cooperatives, conservancy districts, regional districts, and utilities operated by consolidated cities, and directs the commission to adopt rules to implement the section. By barring utilities from assessing reconnection fees and requiring administrative rulemaking, the amendment imposes a new regulatory mandate that interferes with cost recovery and rate-setting flexibility.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, compassion for customers facing hardship should be balanced with responsible stewardship and sustainable service provision. Imposing broad fee prohibitions through government mandate risks undermining accountability and prudent governance in essential utility systems.
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
HB 1461House 20253x

Expanding Cronyism Through New Tax Credits, Local Tax Authority, and Fund Reallocation Mechanisms.

With CEA
This bill creates a new railroad tax credit equal to 50% of qualified railroad and new rail infrastructure expenditures, subject to annual statewide caps of $9.5 million and $5 million. The bill increases local taxing flexibility in certain counties by raising maximum vehicle excise surtax and wheel tax limits. Additionally, the bill reallocates and earmarks significant balances from the local road and bridge matching grant fund, including directing up to $100 million annually for matching grants and transferring up to $20 million per year for railroad crossing upgrades. The bill also expands tolling authority, adjusts local road funding formulas, increases certain speed limits, and imposes new reporting and capital planning requirements on townships. While construction and maintenance of roadways is a core function of government, expanding tax credits and local tax authority expands cronyism and increases tax burdens.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, stewardship requires transparent and restrained public finance that avoids unnecessary expansion of taxing authority and government intervention in private markets. Expanding targeted credits and local tax burdens without structural spending reform risks undermining responsible governance and accountability.
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
HB 1601House 20253x

Worsening Cronyism by Expanding State Tax Incentives and Property Tax Abatements for Quantum Computing and Defense Infrastructure.

With CEA
This bill expands the state's data center tax incentive framework to include quantum computing research, advanced computing, and defense infrastructure networks connected by quantum safe fiber networks, and broadens the definition of eligible data center costs to cover related land, equipment, and infrastructure investments. The bill authorizes local fiscal bodies to grant property tax exemptions for qualified quantum safe fiber network equipment when an eligible business invests at least $100 million in Indiana facilities and pays wages at least 125% of the county average. It extends sales tax exemptions to qualified quantum computing and defense infrastructure equipment, allows specific transaction award certificates to last up to 50 years if investment thresholds are met, and imposes reporting and compliance requirements tied to those incentives. By expanding targeted tax abatements and long term exemption authority for select technology sectors, the bill increases government directed economic incentives rather than applying broad based tax relief.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, tax policy should emphasize fairness, transparency, and equal treatment rather than preferential treatment for select industries. Expanding targeted abatements risks distorting markets and undermining responsible stewardship of public resources.
Proverbs 11:1 – "The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him."
Leadership Insight
Integrity in business is not optional - it’s spiritual obedience. Every transaction reflects the character of the Kingdom. Honesty is Heaven’s currency for influence.
HB 1666House 20251x

Addressing Rising Healthcare Costs Caused by Obamacare by Expanding Health Care Ownership Disclosure Requirements and Strengthening Oversight of Market Concentration.

With CEA
This bill expands state oversight of health care markets by requiring hospitals, health care entities, insurers, third party administrators, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to annually disclose detailed ownership information, including persons or entities with at least 5% ownership, controlling interests, or private equity stakes. The bill establishes civil fines of $1,000 per day for failure to file required reports, directs state agencies to coordinate data collection and publish aggregated reports, authorizes the attorney general to investigate market concentration of health care entities, and deposits collected fines into the payer affordability penalty fund to support Medicaid. By increasing transparency of ownership structures and empowering state enforcement against undisclosed consolidation, the bill promotes accountability and helps address rising health care costs driven by market concentration and federal health care mandates.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, transparency and accountability in the health care system protect patients and families from hidden consolidation and cost shifting. Strengthening oversight while promoting responsible stewardship supports fairness and integrity in a system burdened by rising expenses.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God questions spending on what fails to nourish or satisfy. Healthcare freedom means rejecting one-size-fits-all mandates that force individuals and employers into systems that violate conscience or fail to meet real needs. Leaders who protect healthcare choice allow families and businesses to pursue treatments, coverage, and providers aligned with their values - "eating what is good" rather than consuming what government prescribes.
HB 1679House 20252x

Strengthening Election Integrity Through Enhanced Voter List Maintenance and Administrative Safeguards.

Against CEA
This bill strengthens election integrity by requiring mandatory voter list maintenance within 48 hours of receiving qualifying information, directing annual review of potential nonresidential addresses, and requiring notices to voters who have not cast a ballot in the two most recent general elections. The bill enhances verification procedures by restricting the entry of nonresidential addresses into the statewide voter registration system, authorizing additional data comparisons, and clarifying cancellation and inactivation standards. The measure also updates absentee ballot procedures, imposes clearer reporting timelines, establishes structured recount reimbursement standards, and creates defined administrative protocols for election officials. By tightening voter registration maintenance, improving ballot procedures, and clarifying administrative enforcement mechanisms, the bill reinforces the accuracy and integrity of Indiana's election system.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, free and fair elections depend on integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of the public trust. Strengthening safeguards that protect lawful votes and maintain accurate voter rolls reflects accountability and ordered liberty in civic life.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
HB 1680House 20251x

Strengthening Election Integrity by Increasing Voter Registration Standards and Post-Election Audit Authority.

Against CEA
This bill strengthens election administration by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration applicants who use a temporary credential identification number, prohibiting the use of post office boxes or commercial mailboxes as a residence address on registration forms, and expanding standards for determining incomplete registrations. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of State to conduct post-election procedure audits and issue binding orders to implement audit requirements. The measure also establishes procedures for handling suspected fraudulent candidate petitions. By tightening voter registration verification and strengthening audit authority, the bill reinforces election integrity and public confidence in the electoral process.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, honest and transparent elections are foundational to just governance and public trust. Strengthening verification, accountability, and integrity in the electoral process reflects responsible stewardship and respect for the rule of law.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
SB 10House 20251x

Strengthening Election Integrity by Increasing Voter Identification, Citizenship Verification, and Interstate List Maintenance Requirements.

Against CEA
This bill expands voter list maintenance requirements by requiring county voter registration offices to conduct list maintenance for voters who have not cast a ballot in the two most recent general elections and to cancel registrations when proof of citizenship is not provided within 30 days after notice. The bill establishes a defined list of documents that qualify as proof of citizenship, requires comparison of voter records with temporary credential data, mandates quarterly death record reporting to voter registration offices, and prohibits the state from joining or participating in organizations that require payment or non-list maintenance activities as a condition of receiving interstate voter registration information. The measure also requires the secretary of state to seek data sharing agreements with other states to identify potential duplicate registrations and directs counties to act on that information. By enhancing citizenship verification, interstate data sharing, and systematic list maintenance, the bill strengthens election integrity and promotes more accurate voter registration rolls.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, maintaining accurate and lawful voter rolls promotes accountability, fairness, and trust in public institutions. Strengthening safeguards around citizenship and election integrity reflects responsible governance and respect for the rule of law.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
SB 10 (Amd. 2)House 20251x

Weakening Election Integrity by Allowing the Use of Student IDs to Vote In-Person.

Against CEA
The Boy amendment #2 to an election integrity bill expands the allowable forms of identification for voting in-person to include documents issued by localities, schools, and colleges and universities. Additionally, the amendment expands the ability of individuals under age 18 to register to vote. Allowing the use of IDs which may be issued with less rigorous verification standards undermines the integrity of elections.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, safeguarding election integrity while ensuring lawful access to the ballot promotes accountability, ordered liberty, and respect for civic responsibility. Strengthening identification standards alongside reasonable access protections reflects balanced and responsible governance.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
SB 142House 20253x

Driving Up Housing Costs by Sealing Eviction Records and Limiting Public Disclosure of Tenant Case Histories.

Against CEA
This bill requires courts to prohibit public disclosure of eviction records when an eviction action is dismissed, decided in favor of the tenant, overturned on appeal, or when a tenant satisfies a money judgment or seven years have elapsed after a final judgment without a money award. The bill directs clerks and case management systems to redact or permanently seal related records, prevents certain eviction related money judgments from becoming liens if an order is entered, and permits tenants to petition for relief in qualifying past cases. By expanding mandatory sealing of eviction records and limiting access to tenant history information, the bill increases risk for property owners and contributes to higher housing costs by restricting transparency in rental screening decisions.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, compassion must be paired with accountability and fairness in housing decisions. Preserving transparency in legal records supports responsible stewardship, protects property owners, and promotes stability in the housing market.
Isaiah 10:1-2 – "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless."
Leadership Insight
God pronounces woe on those who issue oppressive decrees - regulations, mandates, and compliance requirements that crush businesses and deprive workers of opportunity. Operational freedom fights the bureaucratic oppression that kills small businesses, prevents entrepreneurship, and protects established interests at the expense of new entrants. When licensing laws, zoning restrictions, and regulatory burdens make it impossible for the poor to start businesses, government becomes the oppressor Isaiah condemns.
SB 143House 20253x

Protecting Parental Rights from Government Interference in Education, Religion, and Health Care Decisions.

Against CEA
This bill establishes a new parental rights article prohibiting a governmental entity from substantially burdening a parent's fundamental right to direct the upbringing, religious instruction, education, or health care of the parent's child unless the action advances a compelling governmental interest through the least restrictive means. The bill prohibits a governmental entity from advising a child to withhold information from a parent or denying a parent access to information related to the child's health care or social, emotional, or behavioral well-being, and authorizes parents to bring suit for declaratory and injunctive relief, damages, and attorney's fees. By codifying strict scrutiny protections and creating a private right of action, the bill strengthens legal safeguards for families against government overreach.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, parents are entrusted with the primary responsibility to guide the upbringing, education, and care of their children. Strengthening protections against government intrusion upholds family authority, accountability, and ordered liberty.
Acts 4:19-20 – "Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Leadership Insight
When truth is silenced, darkness prevails. The apostles refused to edit their message for cultural comfort. Faithful leaders must speak what God says, even when it costs influence.
SB 157House 20252x

Strengthening Property Rights by Establishing an Expedited Process for the Removal of Squatters from Private Property.

Against CEA
This bill creates a new statutory process allowing a property owner to execute an affidavit stating that an individual is unlawfully occupying the owner's property without any rental agreement or prior authorization and requiring law enforcement to remove the squatter within 48 hours of receiving the affidavit, subject to limited public safety exceptions. The bill authorizes officers to arrest a squatter if probable cause exists, grants civil immunity to law enforcement acting within the scope of the statute, and allows a wrongfully removed individual to bring a civil action if the affidavit contains a knowingly false statement. By providing an expedited removal process outside traditional eviction proceedings, the bill strengthens private property rights and deters unlawful occupation.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, respect for private property and the rule of law supports ordered liberty and responsible stewardship. Providing a lawful and timely remedy for unlawful occupation promotes justice, accountability, and protection for families and property owners.
Proverbs 21:15 – "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Leadership Insight
Justice is not neutral - it rewards righteousness and confronts evil. Leaders who execute justice faithfully create cultures where virtue thrives and corruption fears. Moral clarity strengthens societies; moral ambiguity weakens them.
SB 178House 20252x

Promoting Reliable Energy by Classifying Natural Gas and Propane as Clean Energy for State Programs.

Against CEA
This bill defines "clean energy" or "green energy" to include energy resources whose emissions do not exceed the standard emissions levels associated with pipeline quality natural gas and that release reduced air pollutants relative to one or more types of fossil fuels. The bill expressly includes natural gas, propane, wind, solar, hydropower, hydrogen, geothermal, and nuclear energy. The bill also declares it to be state policy to recognize natural gas and propane as clean or green energy for purposes of any state or federal program that provides funding or incentives for clean or similarly designated energy initiatives in Indiana. The measure specifies that this designation does not alter existing statutory definitions related to clean energy vehicles, renewable energy resources, or other defined clean energy projects. While state-run green energy programs should be eliminated entirely, the bill helps ensure certain forms of energy are not provided competitive advantages by preventing the exclusion of lower emission traditional energy sources from government programs.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship includes encouraging practical energy solutions that balance environmental care with economic stability. Recognizing lower emission energy sources without imposing unnecessary restrictions supports prudent governance and protects families from policy driven energy cost increases.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God challenges wasteful spending and misdirected labor that produces no lasting value. Economic freedom means the liberty to invest resources in Kingdom purposes without government mandates dictating consumption. Leaders who reduce unnecessary taxation and regulation allow individuals to steward earnings toward what truly satisfies - family, faith, and generational wealth rather than bureaucratic waste.
SB 1 (Amd. 14)House 20251x

Expanding Government Housing Subsidies by Creating a First Time Home Buyer Property Tax Credit of Up to $2,500 Annually.

Against CEA
The Porter amendment #14 to a local government bonding bill creates a new property tax credit for first time home buyers who qualify for a homestead standard deduction, have household income not exceeding $75,000, and purchase a home with an assessed value of not more than $250,000, with the value cap adjusted annually based on median home sale price increases. Eligible individuals may receive a credit equal to the lesser of their annual property tax liability or $2,500, for up to five consecutive years, with a total lifetime cap of $12,500, and the credit applies retroactively to assessment dates after December 31, 2024. By establishing a targeted property tax credit for a specific class of homeowners, the amendment expands state-directed tax preferences and narrows the property tax base.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, stewardship of public resources calls for fairness and broad-based tax policy rather than preferential treatment for selected groups. Expanding targeted housing subsidies risks distorting markets and undermining responsible governance.
Proverbs 11:1 – "The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him."
Leadership Insight
Integrity in business is not optional - it’s spiritual obedience. Every transaction reflects the character of the Kingdom. Honesty is Heaven’s currency for influence.
SB 1 (Amd. 19)House 20251x

Shifting Property Tax Burdens by Freezing Homestead Property Tax Liability for Certain Disabled Veterans.

Against CEA
The Porter amendment #19 to a local government bonding bill freezes the homestead property tax liability of certain honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability at the amount owed for property taxes first due and payable in 2025, if the property was acquired before 2025, or the lowest amount owed in subsequent years if acquired after 2024, with limited adjustments for physical improvements to the property. The amendment also establishes a homestead property tax replacement distribution requiring the department of local government finance to calculate the foregone local revenue and directs the state comptroller to make semiannual distributions from the state general fund to taxing units to replace the lost property tax revenue. By freezing property tax liability for one class of homeowners and backfilling the difference with state general fund appropriations, the amendment shifts tax burdens onto other taxpayers rather than reducing overall government spending.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, honoring disabled veterans is a worthy goal, but tax policy should reflect fairness, shared responsibility, and sustainable stewardship. Shifting financial burdens from one group to another without reducing overall spending risks undermining accountability and responsible governance.
Matthew 20:13-15 – "But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'"
Leadership Insight
Jesus affirms the landowner's absolute right to manage his property without external interference. Economic freedom is rooted in the biblical principle that owners - not governments or envious neighbors - determine how resources are allocated. Leaders who defend property rights protect the foundation of free enterprise: voluntary agreements honored without coercion.
SB 1 (Amd. 24)House 20251x

Shifting Tax Burdens by Increasing the Maximum Renter's Deduction from $3,000 to $5,000.

Against CEA
The Porter amendment #24 to a local government bonding bill increases the maximum tax deduction for individuals who rent a dwelling used as their principal place of residence from $3,000 to $5,000 beginning with taxable years after December 31, 2025. The amendment also increases the cap for married individuals filing separately from $1,500 to $2,500. By expanding an income tax deduction for renters, the amendment narrows the tax base and shifts the burden of funding state government onto other taxpayers rather than reducing overall spending.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, sound stewardship requires fairness and shared responsibility in tax policy. Expanding targeted deductions without reducing overall spending risks shifting financial burdens to others and undermining accountable governance.
Proverbs 11:1 – "The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him."
Leadership Insight
Integrity in business is not optional - it’s spiritual obedience. Every transaction reflects the character of the Kingdom. Honesty is Heaven’s currency for influence.
SB 2House 20251x

Strengthening Medicaid Integrity by Increasing Eligibility Verification and Limiting Enrollment.

Against CEA
This bill strengthens Medicaid oversight by prohibiting self-attestation of income, residency, age, household composition, caretaker status, or other coverage without verification before enrollment and requiring monthly, quarterly, and annual data matching with state and federal agencies to identify changes affecting eligibility. The bill mandates termination of eligibility for individuals whose lottery or gambling winnings of at least $3,000 render them ineligible, requires regular review of incarceration, death, employment, tax, SNAP, and federal database information, and establishes performance standards and penalties for hospitals making presumptive eligibility determinations. The measure prohibits state agencies and contractors from advertising the Medicaid program, requires annual reporting on improper payments and enforcement of the five year look back period, limits Healthy Indiana Plan enrollment to available state appropriations, and authorizes termination of the plan if federal funding falls below specified thresholds. By tightening eligibility verification, increasing data driven oversight, and limiting automatic expansion enrollment, the bill reduces improper payments and reinforces fiscal accountability within the Medicaid program.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship requires that public assistance programs operate with integrity, accountability, and careful protection of limited resources. Strengthening verification and oversight ensures that aid is directed to those truly in need while honoring principles of prudent governance and fairness.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God questions spending on what fails to nourish or satisfy. Healthcare freedom means rejecting one-size-fits-all mandates that force individuals and employers into systems that violate conscience or fail to meet real needs. Leaders who protect healthcare choice allow families and businesses to pursue treatments, coverage, and providers aligned with their values - "eating what is good" rather than consuming what government prescribes.
SB 281House 20251x

Strengthening Public Safety by Expanding Law Enforcement Access to Juvenile Records and Modifying Expungement Procedures for Serious Violent Offenses.

With CEA
This bill expands access to juvenile court records by requiring courts to make records relating to findings that a child committed a serious violent felony available to law enforcement officers without a court order and accessible through mobile data terminals. The bill modifies expungement procedures by requiring certain serious violent felony records to be sealed rather than destroyed, clarifies eligibility exclusions for adult expungement petitions, restricts expungement for specified violent and firearm offenses, and authorizes limited disclosure of sealed records for defined official purposes. The measure also establishes electronic systems to facilitate record transmission for expungement and reporting. By increasing law enforcement access to serious juvenile offense records and tightening expungement eligibility and disclosure standards, the bill strengthens public safety and accountability within the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, this bill is especially necessary due to many so-called criminal justice "reforms" which have led to skyrocketing crime rates and are being advanced in state legislatures by George Soros and other radical-left billionaires through their funding of advocacy organizations on both sides of the political aisle.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, justice requires both mercy and accountability. Strengthening access to serious offense records while maintaining appropriate safeguards promotes public safety, responsibility, and ordered liberty.
Proverbs 21:15 – "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
Leadership Insight
Justice is not neutral - it rewards righteousness and confronts evil. Leaders who execute justice faithfully create cultures where virtue thrives and corruption fears. Moral clarity strengthens societies; moral ambiguity weakens them.
SB 289House 20253x

Prohibiting DEI in Public Education, Employment, and Licensing and Repealing University Diversity Committee Mandates.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits public educational institutions, public employers, and licensing authorities from taking education, employment, or licensing actions based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin, or ancestry, and creates a private right of action for individuals to seek damages and injunctive relief for violations. The bill also prohibits mandatory training or licensing requirements that assert inherent superiority, collective blame, or moral character judgments based on personal characteristics, and repeals statutory requirements that public universities maintain diversity committees and issue related reports. In addition, the bill limits certain minority scholarship eligibility to specified underserved counties while preserving awards made before July 1, 2025. By prohibiting discriminatory decision making and eliminating mandated diversity structures in public institutions, the bill reinforces equal treatment under the law and limits compelled ideological training in state entities.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, justice requires that individuals be treated with equal dignity and without favoritism based on immutable characteristics. Protecting equal treatment under the law while limiting compelled ideological practices promotes fairness, accountability, and ordered liberty.
Galatians 3:28 – "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Leadership Insight
Paul declares that social distinctions - including the slave/free distinction - do not determine value in Christ. Workforce freedom applies this truth: every worker deserves the right to negotiate freely, to keep their wages, and to be free from coercive systems that treat them as collective property rather than individual image-bearers. Forced union membership contradicts this gospel vision by treating workers as categories to be controlled rather than individuals to be respected.
SB 2 (Amd. 4)House 20251x

Undermining an Effort to Combat Medicaid Fraud by Eliminating an Eligibility Verification Requirement.

Against CEA
The Shackleford amendment #4 to a Medicaid reform bill eliminates language in the underlying bill that requires the Secretary of Family and Social Services to "promptly conduct an eligibility determination" when information is received about a Medicaid recipient "that may affect Medicaid eligibility." The amendment removes a provision designed to help combat Medicaid fraud.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship requires sustainable public programs that protect the truly vulnerable without expanding long-term dependency. Maintaining broad expansion eligibility without structural reform risks undermining fiscal accountability and prudent governance.
Isaiah 55:2 – "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Leadership Insight
God questions spending on what fails to nourish or satisfy. Healthcare freedom means rejecting one-size-fits-all mandates that force individuals and employers into systems that violate conscience or fail to meet real needs. Leaders who protect healthcare choice allow families and businesses to pursue treatments, coverage, and providers aligned with their values - "eating what is good" rather than consuming what government prescribes.
SB 365House 20251x

Expanding Government Central Planning Through a New "Career Coaching Grant Fund".

With CEA
This bill repeals the existing Career Navigation and Coaching statute and transfers authority to the department of education to implement and administer a comprehensive statewide career navigation and coaching system. The bill creates a new Career Coaching Grant Fund, authorizes grants to schools, intermediaries, and approved providers, establishes eligibility conditions and coaching session requirements for students in grades 7 or 8 and 10 or 11, sets minimum qualifications for career coaches, and permits the department to adopt rules to implement the program. The measure also requires expanded data collection and public reporting on education and employment outcomes and mandates annual reporting to the governor and general assembly. By establishing a new state administered grant program and expanding centralized regulatory authority over student career planning, the bill increases the size and scope of state government involvement in workforce preparation.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship calls for caution before expanding taxpayer funded programs and bureaucratic oversight of student development. Strengthening families and local communities, rather than enlarging centralized government systems, better reflects ordered liberty and accountability.
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
SB 405House 20252x

Protecting the Right to Work by Prohibiting Government-Imposed Union Membership Conditions in Public Contracts.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits a governmental entity from requiring or considering, as a condition of contracting with a private entity to manage or lease a government owned asset, whether the private entity's employees are members or nonmembers of a labor organization. The bill applies to the state, counties, municipalities, townships, redevelopment commissions, community development corporations, and public private entities created by government. By barring union membership requirements or preferences in public asset management contracts, the bill protects worker choice and prevents government from conditioning contracts on labor organization status.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, protecting individual freedom of association and preventing coercion in employment respects human dignity and personal responsibility. Limiting government mandates in labor decisions promotes ordered liberty and accountability.
Galatians 3:28 – "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Leadership Insight
Paul declares that social distinctions - including the slave/free distinction - do not determine value in Christ. Workforce freedom applies this truth: every worker deserves the right to negotiate freely, to keep their wages, and to be free from coercive systems that treat them as collective property rather than individual image-bearers. Forced union membership contradicts this gospel vision by treating workers as categories to be controlled rather than individuals to be respected.
SB 423House 20251x

Hiking Energy Costs and Enriching Utility Companies by Authorizing Early Rate Recovery for Nuclear Projects.

With CEA
This bill establishes a program that authorizes utility companies to recover up to 80% of the development costs of certain nuclear energy projects, prior to construction completion, through higher utility rates for consumers. The bill even allows recovery of certain canceled project costs under specified findings. The program runs until July 1, 2035. By allows utility companies to recover investment costs by charging higher rates, the bill shifts financial risk onto residents and businesses. Such actions place ratepayers at the risk of boondoogles and take away incentives for cost controls.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, stewardship and accountability require caution when shifting financial risk to families and small businesses through advance rate recovery. Protecting households from bearing the cost of speculative large scale projects reflects responsible governance and care for the common good.
Luke 14:28-30 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Leadership Insight
Vision must meet calculation. God honors leaders who count costs before claiming promises. Stewardship without foresight breeds collapse.
SB 425House 20251x

Preventing Higher Energy Costs by Preempting Local Zoning Restrictions on Energy Projects.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits a local authority from requiring a permit or other zoning approval for the construction of an electric generation facility located in a designated energy production zone if the project receives state approval, requiring only advance notice and a public hearing before construction begins. The bill creates energy production zones covering certain existing generation sites and former mines and limits a political subdivision's ability to prohibit certain electricity generation projects to a one-time moratorium of not more than one year. The measure also expands vested rights protections by locking in applicable land use regulations for at least three years after a complete permit application is filed, requiring deadline extensions for extraordinary events, imposing mandatory timelines for local permit review, and authorizing development agreements that fix legal restrictions for specified periods. By preempting local zoning authority in designated areas and broadening developer protections against changing regulations, the bill reduces local control over land use and energy siting decisions.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, protecting property rights and promoting stable, predictable laws supports stewardship, economic opportunity, and responsible governance. Limiting arbitrary regulatory delays and preserving lawful use of property advances ordered liberty and accountability in public decision making.
Proverbs 31:16 – "She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard."
Leadership Insight
The Proverbs 31 woman models entrepreneurial excellence and economic freedom. God honors women who steward resources wisely and create wealth through diligence. Leadership values capability over cultural limitations - competence creates opportunity.
SB 442House 20253x

Strengthening Parental Rights by Expanding Content Requirements for Human Sexuality Instruction in Schools.

Against CEA
This bill expands parental consent and disclosure requirements for instruction on human sexuality and certain student surveys by requiring schools to publish instructional materials used in human sexuality instruction and include additional disclosures in consent forms. The bill requires disclosure of information such as whether instruction will be provided in a unified or separate setting and whether the instructor is male or female. The bill also mandates an in person or virtual presentation on fetal development that includes a high definition ultrasound video of at least three minutes and a computer generated rendering of development from fertilization to birth. The bill provides that if a parent does not respond after a second notice, the student will receive the instruction unless the parent opts out, and requires website posting of personal analyses or surveys administered to students. By increasing transparency and strengthening parental involvement in sensitive instructional content, the bill reinforces parental authority over a child's education and promotes accountability in public schools.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, parents are entrusted with the primary responsibility for the moral and educational formation of their children. Strengthening informed consent and transparency in matters of human sexuality instruction upholds family authority, accountability, and ordered liberty.
Acts 4:19-20 – "Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to Him? As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Leadership Insight
When truth is silenced, darkness prevails. The apostles refused to edit their message for cultural comfort. Faithful leaders must speak what God says, even when it costs influence.
SB 451House 20253x

Cutting Taxes Through Automatic Income Tax Rate Reductions Tied to Sustained Revenue Growth.

Against CEA
This bill establishes a mechanism for additional 0.05% reductions in the individual adjusted gross income tax rate in future years if state general fund revenue collections grow by at least 3.5% annually across specified fiscal years, potentially reducing the income tax rate to 0%. It requires the budget agency to calculate revenue growth within 30 days after each even-numbered fiscal year, certify the results by September 1, and requires the department to publish the resulting rate determination by November 1 of each odd-numbered year. The bill also updates corporate apportionment election cross-references and partnership audit provisions to conform to the adjusted rate structure. By tying future tax relief to measurable revenue performance and requiring public certification before rate reductions occur, the bill promotes economic growth while maintaining fiscal accountability.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, allowing families to keep more of what they earn reflects stewardship, personal responsibility, and limited government. Conditioning tax relief on sustained revenue growth promotes accountability and prudent governance.
Leviticus 25:10 – "Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan."
Leadership Insight
The Year of Jubilee proclaimed economic liberty - restoration of property, cancellation of debts, and freedom from bondage. Economic freedom follows this biblical pattern: protecting property rights, enabling debt relief through bankruptcy rather than permanent servitude, and ensuring families can rebuild wealth across generations. Government policies that permanently trap families in poverty, extract generational wealth through death taxes, or prevent property ownership contradict Jubilee's vision of economic restoration.
SB 453 (Amd. 1)House 20251x

Forcing Taxpayers to Further Subsidize Higher Education by Expanding Eligibility for Early College Scholarships.

Against CEA
The Hatcher amendment #1 to a tax bill expands eligibility for a state scholarship program to include allowing students from households with an annual income of up to 400% of the amount required to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. By significantly expanding the income eligibility threshold for participation, the amendment broadens access to state-supported scholarship funding to higher-income households.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, public assistance programs should prioritize stewardship and focus limited resources on those with the greatest need. Expanding eligibility to significantly higher income households risks diluting aid and weakening responsible governance.
2 Corinthians 9:7 – "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Leadership Insight
Generosity must be voluntary, not coerced. God values the heart behind the gift more than the amount. Leaders who defend economic freedom protect the right to give joyfully without government compulsion. Forced redistribution replaces worship with resentment.
SB 475House 20251x

Restricting Private Contracting Rights by Prohibiting Physician Noncompete Agreements with Hospitals.

Against CEA
This bill prohibits a physician and a hospital, parent company, affiliated manager, or hospital system from entering into a noncompete agreement on or after July 1, 2025, and declares any such agreement void and unenforceable. The bill broadly defines noncompete agreements to include provisions that restrict or penalize a physician's ability to practice medicine after employment ends, including certain financial repayment obligations, while excluding nondisclosure agreements, limited nonsolicitation agreements, and certain agreements related to the sale of a majority owned business. By prohibiting future noncompete agreements between physicians and hospital entities, the bill overrides private contractual arrangements and limits the freedom of parties to negotiate mutually agreed upon employment terms.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, freedom of contract and respect for voluntary agreements reflect personal responsibility and ordered liberty. Government should exercise restraint before invalidating mutually agreed upon private employment arrangements.
Matthew 20:13-15 – "But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'"
Leadership Insight
Jesus validates voluntary employment agreements between workers and employers. Workforce freedom protects the right of both parties to negotiate terms without union coercion, government wage mandates, or third-party interference. The workers agreed to a denarius - and that agreement was fair. Freedom in the workforce means honoring contracts and rejecting forced collectivism.
SB 5House 20251x

Strengthening Government Transparency by Increasing Reporting of Federal Funds and Expanding State Contract Oversight.

With CEA
This bill requires state agencies to report quarterly requests for new federal funds and prohibits acceptance of certain federal awards or participation in new federal programs without prior budget committee review if the funds require a state match, additional permanent employees, or new state mandates. It establishes a new fiscal integrity and contract accountability article requiring quarterly reporting of large state contracts, mandatory performance metrics and verification provisions in contracts exceeding $500,000, public posting of active contracts, restrictions on nonpublic contracts, and reversion of unused appropriations after contract expiration. The measure also mandates additional Medicaid financial reporting and authorizes the use of artificial intelligence software for certain budget documents. By increasing legislative oversight of federal fund participation and imposing enhanced transparency and accountability requirements on state contracts, the bill strengthens fiscal discipline and limits unchecked administrative growth.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, prudent stewardship of public resources requires transparency, accountability, and careful oversight of government spending. Strengthening fiscal integrity and limiting unchecked administrative expansion promotes responsible governance and ordered liberty.
Luke 16:10-11 – "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"
Leadership Insight
Jesus connects economic stewardship to spiritual trustworthiness. Economic freedom is built on this principle: individuals who manage small resources faithfully should be trusted with more - not have government confiscate their increase through taxation or redistribute their success. When government punishes productive stewardship through progressive taxation, it contradicts Christ's teaching that faithful management of "very little" qualifies you for "much." Economic freedom rewards faithful stewardship.
SB 516House 20252x

Expanding State Bureaucracy by Creating an Unnecessary Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Against CEA
This bill creates a new Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation within state government, with an estimated initial cost of nearly $2 million annually, plus ongoing expenses for a new IEDC president role at $287,000–$370,000 in salary/benefits. It authorizes the governor to appoint a director and staff, grants rulemaking authority, and assigns the office responsibility for administering programs and coordinating funding related to small business growth, technology, and entrepreneurship. The bill transfers oversight of certified technology parks from the Indiana economic development corporation to the new office, expands reporting and recertification requirements, modifies incremental tax financing provisions, and imposes additional reporting mandates on innovation development districts. By creating a new state office with broad administrative authority and expanding oversight and reporting requirements for economic development programs, the bill increases the structural footprint of state government in economic policy.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, responsible stewardship requires caution before expanding layers of government administration and regulatory authority. Limiting bureaucratic growth while encouraging private sector initiative better promotes accountability, economic freedom, and ordered liberty.
1 Samuel 8:10-18 – "Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots... He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants... and you yourselves will become his slaves'"
Leadership Insight
Centralized power always demands sacrifice from the people. God warned Israel that human kings would grow government at the expense of liberty. Limited government protects freedom; expansive government enslaves. Leaders must resist the temptation to control what they should serve.
SB 526House 20252x

Strengthening Election Integrity by Authorizing Ballot Retraction and Updating Voting System Testing and Standards.

Against CEA
This bill defines "retraction" of a ballot and authorizes voting systems to include a retraction feature that allows an absentee ballot to be removed from tabulation if the ballot is later determined to be rejected under state law. The bill requires public testing of voting machines to confirm that rejected ballots are properly voided before tabulation, mandates assignment of a secure unique identification number to absentee ballots for retraction purposes, updates voting system standards to align with the February 10, 2021 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, and prohibits participation in certain advisory interpretations by voiding a prior advisory opinion. The measure also requires expanded procedures for testing tabulation accuracy and clarifies that rejected ballots may not be included in final totals.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, transparent and accurate elections uphold accountability, fairness, and public trust in governing institutions. Strengthening safeguards to ensure lawful ballots are properly counted reflects responsible stewardship and ordered liberty.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
SJR 21House 20251x

Imposing Term Limits on the U.S. Congress Through a Convention of the States Amending the U.S. Constitution.

Against CEA
This resolution applies to Congress for a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution limited to proposing amendments that set term limits for members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. The resolution specifies that the application be aggregated only with similar applications from other states on the subject of congressional term limits and remain in effect until two thirds of state legislatures submit matching applications. By formally requesting a limited convention to propose congressional term limits, the resolution seeks to advance structural reforms that limit the concentration of federal legislative power.
SUPPORT is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, limiting the concentration of political power supports accountability, humility in public service, and responsible governance. Encouraging structural reforms that prevent long term entrenchment reflects stewardship and ordered liberty.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 – "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Leadership Insight
Moses commands impartial justice - judges who follow "justice alone" without showing partiality. First Freedom depends on courts that protect religious liberty impartially, without favoring secular ideology over sincere faith. When judges show partiality against religious conviction, accepting the cultural bribes of elite approval, they pervert the justice God demands. First Freedom requires judges who fear God more than cultural pressure.
SJR 21 (Amd. 2)House 20253x

Expanding Constitutional Authority to Restore Roe v. Wade by Adding Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care to the Proposed Amendment.

Against CEA
The Hamilton amendment #2 to a resolution for U.S. Congressional term limits expands the purpose of the application to also include amendments to "Restore comprehensive reproductive health care for women as was enshrined in Roe v. Wade." This amendment seeks to expand federal power over abortion regulation by restoring Roe v. Wade.
OPPOSE is the CEA Position, based on:
From a faith-based perspective, human life possesses inherent dignity and deserves legal protection. Expanding constitutional authority to restore Roe v. Wade undermines respect for life and weakens moral accountability in public policy.
Psalm 139:13-16 – "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Leadership Insight
David declares that God forms every person in the womb - a truth that shapes First Freedom's protection of religious pro-life conviction. Believers who hold that life begins at conception must be free to operate hospitals, businesses, and ministries according to this conviction. First Freedom protects religious organizations from being forced to fund, perform, or participate in abortion against their sincere belief that God is the Author of life from conception.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Rep. Matt Pierce's voting record?

Rep. Matt Pierce (D-IN-61) earned a 15% Christian Employers Alliance score for 2025, showing minimal alignment with biblical business policy positions. Matt Pierce voted on 49 of the 49 key bills CEA scored in 2025. Matt Pierce represents the 61st District in the Indiana House of Representatives. Highest category scores: Economic Freedom (27%), Healthcare Freedom (25%), and Workforce Freedom (17%).

How aligned is Matt Pierce with biblical business policy positions?

Matt Pierce earned a 15% Christian Employers Alliance score in 2025, showing minimal alignment with biblical business policy positions.

What is Matt Pierce's CEA score?

Matt Pierce has a 15% CEA score for 2025.

Where does Matt Pierce serve?

Rep. Matt Pierce (D-IN-61) represents the 61st District in the Indiana House of Representatives as a Democrat.

What issue categories does Matt Pierce score highest on?

Matt Pierce's strongest categories on the Christian Employers Alliance scorecard are: Economic Freedom (27%), Healthcare Freedom (25%), Workforce Freedom (17%).

Where can I see Matt Pierce's full voting record?

View the full list of scored bills, category breakdown, and year-over-year voting record above. Christian Employers Alliance updates this scorecard as new key votes are scored.

Christian Employers Alliance — Faith. Family. Freedom.
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