VanceMitchem Public Affairs

We have recently passed the halfway point of the 2025 Indiana General Assembly. Starting with more than 1,200?bills?filed, we are down to?just 331?pieces of legislation that?survived the first half, meaning 73% of all bills filed died in the first half.? ? Each bill must go through a strenuous review process before becoming law.?Here’s a breakdown: ? 1???Filing & First Reading?– A legislator introduces?a?bill in the Senate or House of Representatives,?and it is assigned to a committee. ? 2???Committee Review?–?Committees are the first step in?deciding a?bill’s fate: -?A committee may amend a bill prior to its passage. -?If the committee chairperson?doesn’t schedule?the bill for a?hearing, it dies. - If?the bill is?tabled indefinitely, it dies. ? 3???Second Reading?– If?a?committee approves?of a bill,?it?moves forward?to Second Reading: -?All legislators?in the House or Senate?may?propose amendments?to a bill that must be approved by majority vote. - If leadership doesn’t schedule?the bill on Second Reading?or if the author of?a?bill does not call?the bill down, it dies. ? 4???Third Reading?–?A?bill is up for a final vote—where each member of the House or Senate votes “yes” or “no” on a bill’s passage: - Debate is held on a bill prior to a?final vote being held. - If?a bill?passes, it moves on to the opposite chamber to repeat the process! ? At every stage, leadership, committees, and legislators have the power to stop a bill. If it makes it through both chambers, it heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. #Indiana #LegislativeSession

VanceMitchem President Christopher Mitchem continues to be a frequent guest on WFYI’s Indiana Week in Review Program, offering insights on the latest policy developments in the Indiana Statehouse. This week’s show included discussions on: ??????? Governor Mike Braun’s Proposed State Budget ??????? Indiana House Republicans’ Legislative Priorities ???? ?? A push for Cannabis legalization, and more. Chris also shared his insights on a different topic—Monday’s College Football National Championship game! You can tune in for his insights on both the current political landscape and the big game at: https://lnkd.in/emz8vtUE

The VanceMitchem team enjoyed sponsoring Indiana Governor Mike Braun’s inauguration gala last weekend! It was a great opportunity to connect with several of the state’s incoming executive branch leaders and members of the General Assembly. We look forward to working together with members of Governor Braun’s administration as they take the reins of Indiana’s highest office.

Today marks the first day of the 2025 Indiana Legislative Session. ??? At VanceMitchem, we are prepared to advocate for our clients' priorities?and ensure their interests are effectively represented throughout the session. As legislators begin their work, we are committed to navigating the process and driving positive outcomes for those we serve. Looking forward to a productive and impactful year ahead!

?? Join Chris Mitchem from VanceMitchem Public Affairs live on Election Night with IndyStar! Tune in tomorrow at 6 PM for all the insights on what to watch as Indiana's results roll in. You can catch him on IndyStar.com or IndyStar's YouTube and Facebook pages tomorrow evening. #ElectionNight #IndyStar

?? VanceMitchem President Christopher Mitchem had the pleasure of joining the Indiana American Water team to support Crossroads of America Council, Boy Scouts of America at their annual scouting sporting clays event! Together with other supporters, the event raised over $100,000 to support Scouting programs and youth safety training in range and target activities in central Indiana. To learn more about Crossroads of America Council's impact in Indiana, go to https://lnkd.in/gsUChJ9S .

We are always pleased to work with our clients to help them meet their goals as they contribute to their communities. Recently, the VM team joined clients the INDIANA SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION INC and, separately, the Indiana Brewers Guild as Governor Holcomb signed two important bills into law: ?? HEA 1104: Will allow school-based SROs to participate and/or continue in the 1977 PERF Pension Fund and modernizes armed intruder drills in schools to accommodate for students with disabilities and address mental health issues in schools. ?? SEA 205: Permits small Indiana breweries to share physical equipment and industry knowledge amongst themselves to facilitate growth and meet industry demands. It also allows small breweries to work together on recipes for specialty and seasonal beers, opening new markets to these Hoosier based businesses. Thank you to Rep. Michelle Davis and Sen. Ron Alting for authoring these worthwhile policies as well as Sens. Kyle Walker, Spencer Deery, Cyndi Carrasco, and Reps. Ethan Manning and Jake Teshka for co-authoring the bills. #vancemitchem #advocacy #newlaws #indiana

Do you or someone you know have an interest in state and local government affairs? We are seeking a talented, motivated individual to join our team for the 2025 Indiana legislative session! Applicants will play an active, hands-on role in supporting the VanceMitchem government relations team during the 2025 Indiana legislative session. #Internship #Lobbying #VanceMitchem

?? VanceMitchem was proud to support another successful PEACE RESTORED INC Golf Outing! Peace Restored is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping women find hope and healing from difficult life experiences through support, education, and counseling. VM President Chris Mitchem serves as the Vice-Chair and Treasurer of the Peace Restored Board of Directors. To learn more about Peace Restored and its mission, go to https://lnkd.in/gVZTec_N

Special thanks to THREE FLOYDS BREWING, LLC for opening their state-of-the-art brewery/distillery for one of our first post-legislative session updates! The VM team enjoyed updating members of the Indiana Brewers Guild from Northern Indiana on all the craft brewery victories during session, including the passage of SEA 205, which will expand collaborative options for small breweries, and HEA 1086, which reintroduces “happy hour” for restaurants and breweries. For more information on the collaborative brewing legislation, go to: https://lnkd.in/guwvRwu6