AVON, Ind. — Gov. Eric Holcomb has not been shy about using his executive powers to take on the coronavirus pandemic.
One man, running for Indiana State Senate, feels that regardless of the effectiveness of such orders he feels that some of the decisions that have been made during the pandemic should not have been made unilaterally.
Stan Albaugh, a Democrat candidate for Senate District 24 which represents Hendricks and Putnam Counties, told the Rob Kendall Show on 93 WIBC the problem is that the state legislature cannot act as a check to the governor year-round because it’s a part-time legislature.
“We need to fix that one of two ways,” Albaugh said. “Either limit it so that he’s (Holcomb) forced to call a special session so we can get legislative action, or simply convert our legislature to full-time.”
Albaugh said the legislature should be called back to a special session on several issues surrounding the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, such as figuring out funding for schools that only offer virtual learning.
Senate President Pro-Tem Rod Bray said earlier this month that state law may not allow schools that only offer virtual learning to get full funding. Gov. Holcomb responded to that saying that schools will be getting their full funding. But, nothing has been put in writing and Albaugh said it should be the job of the state legislature to put it in writing.
Still, Albaugh said there is expected to be skepticism from those on both sides of the aisle given that it’s an election year.
“When you open it back up and go into the legislature, especially during an election year, there’s then a lot of people concerned ‘yes, I might make points or headway on this issue, but I may lose ground on this issue’,” said Albaugh. “What’s the net, sum, gain?”
State Supt. Dr. Jennifer McCormick has called on the governor several times to convene a special session of the legislature to figure out school funding during the pandemic. It’s not clear if Holcomb plans to do so.
