My Committees for the 2025 Legislative Session

Dear neighbor,

For each two-year term in the Indiana House of Representatives, state lawmakers are appointed to standing committees. These committees are a vital part of what happens at the Statehouse. First, a bill is referred to a certain committee based on its topic. Then the bill is vetted and discussed by legislators appointed to that committee. Members of the public are also invited to testify on bills during these hearings. A bill has to be passed by a House committee before it can move to a vote on the House floor.

In Indiana, House committees range from five to 25 lawmakers. These small groups allow for a detailed analysis of specific issues. Lawmakers usually have some sort of professional or personal experience in topics their committees cover.

Here are the committees I’ll be on in the 2025 session:

• Ways and Means Committee (Ranking Minority Member)

  • The Ways and Means Committee deals with legislation involving Indiana’s money. They hear legislation associated with taxes and funding for social programs, public schools, economic development projects, public retirement accounts and more. Every two years this committee authors the state budget which breaks down Indiana’s revenue into various expenditures. You can read in detail about Indiana’s budget process at this link. As the Ranking Minority Member of this committee, I help author the state budget and make recommendations on what should be included.

• Insurance

  • The Insurance Committee hears legislation related to insurance companies and the cost of health care. It allows health care administrators, health care workers, experts and the public to come together and discuss various insurance plans and the affordability of certain medicines, procedures or appointments. Some of the topics heard in this committee last year were state employee health plans, prescription drug pricing and health provider contracts.

• Public Health

  • The Public Health Committee hears bills related to health care services, disease prevention, medicine, mental health and more. This committee also handles initiatives to improve the public’s overall well-being, like gun violence prevention programs. Last year this committee heard several bills about substance use disorder and ways Indiana can support individuals struggling with addiction.

I’m grateful for my committee appointments this session. Money, insurance and health are things that deeply concern Hoosiers and their families. My goal as a member of these committees is to ensure they’re efficient, well-informed, and helpful to the average Hoosier. I’m ready to get to work in January!

In service,

State Rep. Gregory W. Porter