Gary residents could soon feel the effects of new state laws on everything from health care coverage to energy bills and public schools, local lawmakers warned last week.
At a legislative town hall Saturday in Gary, state Sen. Mark Spencer and state Reps. Earl Harris Jr. and Vernon Smith walked residents through the changes, highlighting a handful of local wins while raising concerns about broader statewide policies.
The lawmakers, all Democrats in a Republican-controlled legislature, said much of their work this year focused on either blocking legislation they believed would harm residents or advancing smaller measures tied directly to local issues.
“We’re in a super minority,” Harris told the audience. “So sometimes we’re fighting just to stop things from happening.”
One measure they pointed to as a local win was Senate Bill 232, authored in part by Spencer. The new law allows cities like Gary to sell certain vacant properties using an average appraisal of comparable homes instead of requiring two separate appraisals for each parcel, which can cost hundreds of dollars per property.
“This is about getting those properties back on the tax rolls and back into the community,” Spencer said.
City leaders say the change could help Gary move thousands of city-owned lots back into productive use. Gary has an estimated 7,000 vacant or city-owned parcels, and the appraisal requirements have created a financial bottleneck for selling them.
“With the passage of Senate Bill 232, we are replacing outdated hurdles with a clear, streamlined path to growth,” said Gary Mayor Eddie Melton shortly after the bill’s passage. “For too long, our city was trapped by a system that required millions of dollars in appraisals just to put land back into the hands of our people.”
Another Spencer proposal that passed, SB 164, directs the state to study ways to support urban and micro farms. Spencer said the idea grew from conversations with community groups in Gary working on urban agriculture projects aimed at addressing food access. Small urban farms, he said, can help teach young people about food production while also helping neighborhoods that lack access to fresh food.
“These spaces can educate kids about where their food comes from — from seed to crop to plate,” Spencer said.
Lawmakers also highlighted new legislation meant to address Indiana’s child care crisis. Under House Bill 1177, the state expanded a tax credit for employers who help provide child care for workers. The change raises eligibility from businesses with fewer than 100 employees to those with up to 500 employees, making it easier for companies to participate.
Still, Harris said the legislation only partially addresses a deeper problem.
“This is a Band-Aid,” he said, noting that many child care providers have closed in recent years and some parents have had to leave the workforce.
Some of the strongest concerns at the town hall centered on health care policy. Lawmakers criticized Senate Bill 1, which tightens eligibility and administrative requirements for Medicaid and food assistance programs.
Backers of the measure argue it targets fraud and waste, but critics say it could cause eligible residents to lose coverage because of paperwork barriers or stricter rules. Hospitals have also raised concerns that people without coverage will turn to emergency rooms for care.
“That’s going to create pressure on hospitals across the state,” Harris said.
Residents also pressed lawmakers about rising energy costs. Lawmakers pointed to House Bill 1002, which automatically places customers on a levelized or “budget” billing plan unless they opt out.
Smith argued the measure does little to address the underlying problem of rising energy prices.
“They’re trying to give the impression they’re lowering your bills,” he said.
Lawmakers also criticized state policies that allow utilities to recover development costs for certain energy projects from ratepayers before facilities are even built.
Other legislation discussed included House Bill 1343, which authorizes the Indiana National Guard to create a military police force with arrest and search powers in certain situations. Democratic lawmakers said they opposed the bill because it expands policing authority tied to the governor.
Smith also criticized new legislation targeting homelessness, including Senate Bill 285, which bans long-term camping on public property and creates misdemeanor penalties.
“These people have fallen on bad luck,” Smith said. “Instead of helping them, we’re criminalizing them.”
Smith, a longtime educator, also warned residents about continued legislative pressure on traditional public schools and teacher protections.
Despite their frustrations with the session, lawmakers told residents they still have significant political power — especially in Northwest Indiana, where turnout can shape statewide elections.
“If Northwest Indiana votes, we can decide elections,” Harris said.
He encouraged residents to register before the upcoming deadline and consider voting early.
“Bring your neighbors and your family with you,” Harris said. “That’s how we change things.”