The following statement may be attributed to Mindi Goodpaster, VP of Public Policy, United Way of Central Indiana and Mark Fisher, Chief Policy Officer, Indy Chamber, on behalf of the Indiana Forward campaign and Indiana Competes coalition.

While the action taken today by the Indiana House of Representatives continues the conversation on bias crimes legislation, it still falls far short of where it needs to be to keep our state relevant in today’s society and talent-driven economy. For Indiana to lead, this legislation must reflect the list outlined in Senate Bill 12 as passed out of committee, which also includes age, sex, ancestry, and gender identity. With only weeks left in the legislative session, we will aggressively push for the restoration of all enumerated characteristics.