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>> THE INDIANA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IS ASKING THE STATE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO TAKE STEPS
THIS YEAR TO REINFORCE INDIANA'S

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STATUS AS AN ECONOMIC
LEADER...HELPING HOOSIER
BUSINESSES AND WORKERS EMERGE
FROM THE PANDEMIC.

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INDIANA CHAMBER PRESIDENT KEVIN
BRINEGAR IS HERE WITH MORE ON
THE CHAMBER'S TOP FIVE
KEVIN, AS ALWAYS, WELCOME TO THE

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PROGRAM.
>> HAPPY NEW YEAR, GERRY, GOOD
TO VISIT WITH YOU AND YOUR
VIEWERS.

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>> BUDGET WRITING SESSION
IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY. DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC,
ESPECIALLY HOW THINGS PLAY OUT

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AT THE STATEHOUSE, A VERY
DIFFERENT SET-UP THIS YEAR.
>> YEAH, DIFFERENT LOGISTICS,
YOU HAVE THE HOUSE OF

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REPRESENTATIVES MEETING IN THE
STATE OFFICE BUILDING SOUTH, THE
SENATE IS STAYING IN THE SENATE
CHAMBERS, BUT THEY'RE PUTTING 30

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SENATORS ON THE SENATE FLOOR, 20
IN THE GALLERY, COMMITTEE
MEETINGS TAKING PLACE,
LEGISLATORS IN ONE ROOM, AND THE

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LOBBYISTS, AND ADVOCATES IN
ANOTHER, TWO-WAY VIDEO, LOTS OF
PLEXIGLASS, EVERYONE EXPECTED TO
WEAR MASKS.

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>> ONE OF THE KEY BILLS ON THE
CHAMBER AGENDA DEALS WITH THE
PANDEMIC. THAT'S LIABILITY FOR
INDIANA BUSINESSES AND

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ORGANIZATIONS, LIABILITY RELATED
TO THE PANDEMIC.
>> YEAH, WE ARE PURSUING
LIABILITY PROTECTIONS FOR WHAT

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WE THINK WOULD BE FRIVOLOUS
PANDEMIC RELATED LAWSUITS, WE
WANT TO PROTECT BUSINESSES,
SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES,

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HOSPITALS, FROM LAWSUITS WHERE
FOR EXAMPLE SOMEONE COMES INTO
YOUR BUSINESS AND THEN TWO WEEKS
LATER THEY'VE CONTRACTED THE

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VIRUS AND THEY WANT TO SAY I
CONTRACTED IT THERE AND I'M
GOING TO SUE YOU WHEN IN FACT NO
ONE KNOWS WHERE THE VIRUS WAS

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CONTRACTED. FORTUNATELY, THE
LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP HAS MADE
THAT A PRIORITY AT OUR REQUEST.
AND IN FACT SENATE BILL ONE WAS

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HEARD MID WEEK THIS WEEK, AND
THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
FAVORABLE TESTIMONY. THEY'RE
GOING TO HOLD THAT BILL, WE WANT

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TO ADD PROTECTIONS FOR PRODUCT
LIABILITY FOR MAKERS OF PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, AS WELL.
>> INTERESTING. ANOTHER

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INTERESTING ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA,
KEVIN, I THINK, YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SEE INCENTIVES TO HELP
INDIANA ATTRACT A MOBILE REMOTE

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WORKFORCE AGAIN COMING OUT OF
THE PANDEMIC.
>> YES. AS WE KNOW, MANY WORKERS
ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE

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COUNTRY WERE SENT HOME TO WORK
REMOTELY WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT.
OUR EMPLOYER SURVEYS SELL US
THAT FULLY 34% OF HOOSIER

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BUSINESSES EXPECT TO CONTINUE
REMOTE WORK EVEN AFTER THE
PANDEMIC IS OVER. AND MANY PLACE
ARE NOT CONDUCIVE...IF YOU'RE IN

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A STUDIO APARTMENT IN NEW YORK
CITY, THAT MAY NOT BE THE PLACE
YOU WANT TO SPEND 24/7. INDIANA
IS A LOWER COST, BETTER QUALITY

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OF LIFE STATE, AND WE THINK THAT
WE CAN ATTRACT BOTH REMOTE
WORKERS AND ULTIMATELY OTHER
PEOPLE WITH SKILLS TO COME AND

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LIVE IN INDIANA. WE WANT TO
PURSUE SOME INCENTIVES TO HELP
FACILITATE THAT.
>> ONE MORE, ONLY HAVE 30

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SECONDS, KEVIN. DO YOU
WANT -- YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE
ANOTHER INCREASE IN CIGARETTE
TAX, HEALTH A BIG AGENDA ITEM.

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>> YEAH. INDIANA HAS THE FOURTH
HIGHEST TOBACCO USE STATE. OUR
TAX RATE IS 38th LOWEST. WE'RE
LOWER THAN ALL OF OUR

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SURROUNDING STATES, A DIRECT
CORRELATION THERE, IN ORDER TO
REDUCE OUR SMOKING RATES, AND
REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THAT ON

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BUSINESSES AND ON SOCIAL
SERVICES, MEDICAID, ET CETERA,
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CIGARETTES
INCREASED BY $2 PER PACK, THE

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ADDED BENEFIT OF BRINGING IN
SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS
TO THE STATE'S REVENUE COFFERS,
WHICH COULD HELP THE STATE

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BALANCE ITS BUDGET THIS YEAR AND
OFFSET THE IMPACT OF THE
PANDEMIC ON STATE REVENUES.
>> ALL RIGHT, KEVIN BRINEGAR,

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PRESIDENT OF THE INDIANA
CHAMBER, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
I KNOW WE'LL BE TALKING MORE