Our Most Successful Legislative Session

As Indiana’s 2025 Legislative Session wraps up over the next few weeks, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the major accomplishments of the session. Our legislative team was at the Statehouse daily tracking bills, testifying in committees, pushing legislation, organizing meetings, and more. We’re proud to share that this has been one of our most successful sessions to date. We passed more bills this session than ever before – by quite a lot. Below are two bills that were at the top of our legislative priority list that passed through both the House and Senate and are now awaiting the governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 143 – “Parental Rights”

This bill enshrines in state law that parents have a fundamental right to: raise their children, pass along and live out their faith to their children, educate their children, and direct the healthcare of their children. Click here to view IFI’s policy brief on the bill for a more detailed explanation.

Over 1,000 of you took action by emailing your elected officials in support of this bill! We have no doubt your activism played a major part in the passage of this bill. After many years of pursuing a parental rights bill such as this one, 2025 is finally the year we will see it signed into law. Praise God! We are incredibly thankful for this major victory that will protect parents and children in Indiana for decades to come.

House Bill 1041 – “Women’s College Sports”

In 2022, IFI led the charge to protect girls’ sports in K-12 education. That bill was successfully passed into law, but unfortunately, it did not include protections for female college athletes. This year, we finally passed a bill to protect female athletes at the collegiate level by requiring public colleges and universities to set clear standards for male sports, female sports, and co-educational sports. 

Again, thank you for your prayers and activism over the past several months! Please consider making a contribution today so we can continue defending the rights and values of all Hoosiers. Your support strengthens Indiana!

  Back

TAKE ACTION: Protect Indiana Children from Drag Shows

2/4/25

Every summer, especially during “Pride Month,” leftwing activists in communities across Indiana market drag queen strip shows toward children, advertising the gatherings as “family-friendly,” when they are blatantly sexual and provocative. The reality of these events is worse than you could probably imagine, including scantily clad men dressed as women dancing on poles and collecting tips from children as young as toddlers. We won’t delve further into the uncomfortable details of these events, but click here to see evidence of these gatherings taking place in our state (discretion advised). 

We shouldn’t have to argue at the Statehouse that this blatant grooming of children is wrong, but unfortunately, we do.

During the 2024 Legislative Session, we successfully passed the first-ever age verification law in Indiana to prevent children from viewing explicit adult content online. This year, we want to continue that winning streak and strengthen public decency laws so that children are never exposed to obscene drag shows. 

Indiana law does not allow children in strip clubs, so why should the law allow children to participate in drag shows at Pride festivals in open-air public parks? This is a form of sexual grooming that lowers the inhibitions of children and leaves them vulnerable to sexual abuse. It must be stopped.

Please join us in supporting House Bill 1669 to protect Hoosier children from drag shows. Click HERE to send a pre-written email to your legislators as they consider HB 1669 in committee this week.

Please forward this email to friends and family and encourage them to take action as well.

  Back

Great News! SB 143 Passes Senate, Moves to House

1/29/2025

Great news! Senate Bill 143, “Strengthening Parental Rights in Indiana,” easily passed through the Indiana Senate on Monday by a margin of 44-5. This critical bill now moves on to the Indiana House of Representatives for approval. 

Over the past two weeks, more than 600 individuals contacted their Senators in support of SB 143 through our email form, and we have felt the impact of that civic activism at the Statehouse. Your voice has power!

Now it’s time to make your voice heard again by contacting members of the House in support of SB 143. This bill would enshrine in state law that parents have a fundamental right to: raise their children, pass along and live out their faith to their children, educate their children, and direct the healthcare of their children. 

Please click HERE to send an email to members of the House in support of SB 143. Your elected officials want to hear from you, and their decisions are often directly impacted by the views of their constituents! 

  Back

Apply for the Hoosier Leadership Series TODAY!

1/22/25

Are you looking for an opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills and make a positive impact in your community? If so, I encourage you to consider signing up for the Hoosier Leadership Series (HLS).

Established in 2006 with the support of Indiana congressmen, HLS is a challenging program that provides professionals like you with a unique opportunity to interact with top state and national leaders, subject matter experts, and other conservative leaders from around the state of Indiana.

The program’s purpose is to create a movement of high-caliber, committed leaders grounded in a principled conservative philosophy and oriented toward thoughtful cultural engagement and service to the people of Indiana and beyond.

The Hoosier Leadership Series pursues three related objectives: identifying, educating, and connecting conservative leaders from around Indiana, equipping those leaders to advance a conservative Christian worldview in their life and leadership, and mobilizing them as a part of an ongoing movement to collectively impact the social, cultural, political, and spiritual landscape of Indiana.

The monthly day-long sessions, taking place from April 2025 to October 2025, offer leadership skills training, critical thinking, and in-depth engagement on today’s hottest topics in the public and private sectors. With a special “who’s who” of speakers and subject matter experts, combined with a trip to Washington D.C., the Hoosier Leadership Series seeks to educate Indiana leaders on policy and culture.

If you want to make a difference and become part of a movement that is committed to advancing conservative principles in Indiana, then apply for the Hoosier Leadership Series today!

If you are unable to attend HLS but would still love to be involved, please prayerfully consider donating or sponsoring a student. Your gift allows other Hoosiers to make a difference in their community and beyond.

Interested in having your business or organization sponsor the Hoosier Leadership Series and attend our trip to Washington D.C. where we meet with Indiana’s congressional delegation and other national conservative leaders? Please reply to this email and I would love to explore options with you.

---

FAQs about HLS

How much does it cost? The class is $625, $25 is due with registration and counts towards the total fee.  The most popular part of the class is the three-day Washington D.C. trip. There is an additional $300 fee to attend the D.C. trip (hotel and some meals are included… a phenomenal deal).

How long is it? HLS meets from April to October, followed by a November graduation ceremony.

When does HLS meet? One Thursday per month from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

Where do they meet? At great locations across the Indianapolis area. In September, HLS takes a 3 day trip to Washington D.C. to meet with legislators.

How many are accepted into a class? Approximately 35 to 40 students are in each class.

Who can apply? Anyone with a passion to learn more about stewarding conservative principles.

What’s the application process like? Click here, fill out the brief form, and we will be in touch with you. You aren’t obligated to anything by applying.

Who leads HLS? HLS is part of Indiana Family Institute and is led by Valerie Swack.

What Alumni are Saying

“Hoosier Leadership launched me into what I do today! After raising 5 kids I needed a new direction and Hoosier Leadership Series gave me the knowledge and practical application to be able to make a difference in my world. I am so grateful for all I learned and experienced.” Jodi Smith, Class of 2016

“Hoosier Leadership helped me put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together, and got me more involved in local politics. The speakers were incredible, and I was encouraged when I met so many people passionate about our country.” Valerie Swack, Class of 2012

“HLS connected me with like-minded Christian people and the educational tools to successfully engage with politicians at every level. I enjoyed absolutely every aspect of the class and my classmates.” Sovilla Mennen, Class of 2017

  Back

TAKE ACTION: Parental Rights Bill Up for Vote

1/14/25

Tomorrow, the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee will decide if SB 143, “Strengthening Parental Rights in Indiana,” can proceed to the full Senate for approval. We need your help urging the members of the committee to vote in favor of this critical bill. Learn more about what it would accomplish in the video below:

This bill would strengthen parental rights by:

• Enshrining in state law that parents have a fundamental right to: raise their children, pass along and live out their faith to their children, educate their children, and direct the healthcare of their children.
• Establishing that the government should not be co-parenting. This bill makes it clear that parents have the ultimate authority to raise their children.
• Ensuring that if any government entity in Indiana violates these fundamental rights, parents have the ability to hold the government accountable legally. It also guarantees that a judge would have to scrutinize the government’s actions in the most aggressive way possible, which is not currently happening in many instances throughout Indiana. 

Currently, the legal system gives the government the benefit of the doubt when there have been parental rights violations. It’s time to hold the government accountable. This bill would allow parents to fight back and have a chance to win in state court when their rights are violated.  

You can have a direct impact on the outcome of this hearing by taking action and contacting the members of the Judiciary Committee with this pre-written email. CLICK HERE to send an email.

  Back