The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Bar Foundation have collaborated to publish the 40th edition of the “Here is Your Indiana Government” book.
By Dwight Adams
The Indiana Citizen
February 23, 2024
Most anyone living in Indiana quickly learns of the two U.S. presidents who came from the Hoosier state: William Henry Harrison, first governor of the Indiana Territory, who went on to become the ninth president in 1841, and his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, who became the 23rd president in 1889.
But did you know that Katie Hall, a public school teacher from Gary, became the first black woman from Indiana elected to the U.S. Congress, serving from 1982 to 1985, and that she sponsored the legislation to create a national holiday for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.?
Interesting facts about Hoosiers involved in civic affairs, the history of Indiana, and details about the functions of state and local government, the judiciary, and other governmental entities are sprinkled throughout the nearly 250 pages of the just-published 40th edition of the “Here is Your Indiana Government” book. Previously published exclusively by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, this latest edition was created in collaboration with the Indiana Bar Foundation. A digital version of the book is available for free.
Indiana Chamber President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders, in a statement in a press release, said that “increasing civic engagement for all Hoosiers” is one of the goals of the chamber’s Indiana Prosperity 2035 plan released in December 2023.
“For decades, Indiana students have been educated through this book and we’re pleased to make it even more impactful by meeting current educational standards regarding civics,” Sinders said.
The new edition was updated, the chamber said, specifically to help educators teach to civics and government standards for Grades 4 through 12. The upgrade coincides with a new state law that went into effect for the 2023-2024 school year that requires every middle school student in Indiana to take one semester of civics education.
Although it is geared toward Indiana’s students, the “Here is Your Indiana Government” book is also a compendium of information many adults might enjoy perusing as well. It’s chock-full of stories to inspire Hoosiers to get more involved in their communities at a time when the chamber’s IP 2035 plan states a clear need to increase Hoosiers’ civic engagement and the 2023 Indiana Civic Health Index highlighted the state’s continuing lackluster voter registration and turnout numbers.
The single volume contains chapters on the structure, history and duties of federal and state governments, including information about Indiana’s executive and legislative branches, and the state’s judicial system.
Also, there’s much detailed information about how local governments – including the 120 first-, second-, and third-class cities, 447 towns, 1,002 townships, and nearly 300 separate school corporations in the state – operate and receive funding. County government, and its powers, is covered, too. (Interesting fact: A county coroner is the only law enforcement officer in Indiana who can arrest and incarcerate a county sheriff.)
Indiana’s educational system gets attention as well. There’s a chapter about the administration of public schools, as well as information about charter schools, private schools and innovation schools. The book tells about the passage of legislation in 2001 that made Indiana the 38th state to allow the formation of charter schools. By the 2022-2023 school year, there were more than 120 charter schools in operation across Indiana, serving more than 51,000 students.
In addition, the book details the electoral process, giving an overview of the power of the voter and the role of political parties. (Interesting fact: Every year, on the Friday morning prior to the Fourth of July holiday, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis hosts the largest naturalization ceremony in Indiana, welcoming new citizens – and potential voters – to the state.)
The resource book includes the salaries and duties of major public figures in state government. Were you aware that the secretary of education is paid $196,000 a year, easily surpassing the $134,000 annual salary of the governor? Near the end of the book is a multi-page list of state agencies, stating their governance, purpose and contact information.
Case studies in the book give real-life examples of how government functions and the impact of civic involvement.
One case study among several in the book showed how four eighth-grade Cadettes in Girl Scout Troop 1937 began in the summer of 2022 to work with state legislators to realize their goal of helping children in Indiana’s foster families.
After creating a survey and conducting interviews, the girls determined that foster families were not visiting state parks and museums because of the costs involved. The girls contacted their local state senator and helped craft Senate Bill 151, which allowed foster families to visit Indiana state parks for free. The girls, though nervous, testified about the bill at hearings at the Indiana Senate and House, before the bill passed both chambers unanimously and was later signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb on May 1, 2023, taking effect two months later.
Finally, for trivia buffs, the book also includes information about Indiana’s symbols, how its 92 counties got their names, and notable Hoosiers and their accomplishments. It also highlights quirky local laws, and features a timeline of key events in the state’s history.
Charles Dunlap, president and CEO of the Bar Foundation, shared the chamber’s excitement about this latest edition, saying in the press release that he expects that the resource book “will be an outstanding tool for educators around the state to help learn and teach about state and local government.”
A PDF of the “Here is Your Indiana Government” book, 2024-2025 edition, can be downloaded for free at www.inbarfoundation.org/IndianaGovernmentBook. Hard copies are also for sale at www.indianachamber.com/here.
The “Here is Your Indiana Government” book is sponsored by Church Church Hittle and Antrim, the Indiana Civics Coalition and the IU Center for Representative Government.
Dwight Adams, a freelance editor and writer based in Indianapolis, wrote this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
