Governor Mike Braun has signed 28 executive orders since being sworn into office. Photo courtesy of WFYI.
ERIKA KOVACH | STAFF REPORTER | ekovach@butler.edu
Governor Mike Braun has been in office since Jan. 13, cementing his place within the role with his first few orders and legislative moves.
The Indiana State Legislature began its session just five days before his inauguration, meaning Braun has yet to roll out major legislative changes consistent with his campaign promises, such as increased gun control.
However, over the last week, he has signed 28 executive orders, many of which added new offices to his cabinet, including the Office of Commerce and the Office of Health and Safety. Some of these offices catered to his new cabinet members, like The Office of the Secretary of Management and Budget, a position assigned to Lisa Hershman.
Braun streamlined his cabinet by appointing eight new members who will oversee groups of state agencies. Two of the members, including Hershman, will also serve as heads of these agencies. He further asked state agencies to find areas for possible spending reductions and reductions of hiring regulations.
Sarah Pawlowski, a junior political science and strategic communication double major, said that other executive orders in place reflected Braun’s vision for a more conservative Indiana — including restrictions on advertising for Medicaid.
“Braun ran a campaign focused on ‘kitchen table issues,’ but I am concerned that the average Hoosier will not benefit from his decisions in office,” Pawlowski said. “I expect to see further restrictions and cuts to social welfare programs, and I am concerned for the poor and minoritized groups that will suffer because of these regressive policies.”
Adjunct instructor of political science William Blomquist said that some of his more notable executive orders have regarded state employees. These orders have directed state employees to come to work at their offices rather than working remotely and requested a review of the position classifications and employment qualifications for many state jobs.
Blomquist said that the executive order that has garnered the most attention directed state agencies to cease using diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and practices, instead implementing merit, excellence and innovation (MEI) in its place.
“There isn’t any specificity about what that MEI policy would actually mean in practice — it’s mostly symbolic rhetoric,” Blomquist said. “The removal of DEI has drawn criticism because it likely will mean that state agency heads no longer feel obliged to try to recruit employees and maintain workplace conditions in ways that promote diversity or foster inclusiveness. How individual agency heads will behave under that change will vary from agency to agency.”
However, since these policies affect state agencies, Blomquist said that at this time, they will have less impact on Butler students.
Policies such as Braun’s Executive Order 25-20, however, present more challenges, as Braun calls for the “faithful execution of Indiana’s abortion laws.” As a part of this, he addressed the Indiana Health Department, requesting to “monitor all abortions performed in Indiana to assure the abortions are done only under the authorized provisions of the law.”
While praised by Braun’s team, the order received pushback from Indiana Democrats, many of whom cited pressing issues such as shortcomings of Indiana’s maternal care — exemplified by the third-highest maternal mortality rate across the country.
In the near future, Braun looks to implement campaign promises such as significant changes in education policies with a proposed budget that will boost teachers’ pay and support universal school vouchers. However, Pawlowski said his proposed budget excludes grant funding for Martin University, Indiana’s only predominantly Black educational institution.
Junior political science major Brady Stinson said that Braun’s education policies also further focus on charter schools. Braun also continues to make moves regarding property taxes, with hopes to cap growth reflected in Senate Bill 1.
“It does not seem like [Braun] will be taking his foot off the pedal anytime soon,” Stinson said. “Especially with an ambitious general assembly session right ahead of him.”