Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

IN Scorecard 2021-2022

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Indiana General Assembly in 2021 and 2022 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Permitless Firearm Carry

Good Vote: Yes

HB1296 Permitless Firearm Carry (passed 30 to 20 on 3/8/2022). Allows permitless carry of a handgun for certain persons who are not otherwise prohibited from carrying or possessing a handgun in Indiana.

2. Protecting Minors Against Harmful Material

Good Vote: Yes

SB0017 Protecting Minors Against Harmful Material (passed 34 to 15 on 2/1/2022). Would remove the exemption for K-12 schools and certain public libraries under current law that prohibits the distribution of material or a performance harmful to minors.

3. Budget

Good Vote: No

HB1001 Budget (passed 46 to 3 on 4/22/2021). Provides the biennial budget for the State of Indiana, as passed by the General Assembly, which appropriates approximately $92.2 billion for FY 22-23.

4. Restrictions on Abortion-Inducing Drugs

Good Vote: Yes

HB1577 Restrictions on Abortion-Inducing Drugs (passed 36 to 14 on 4/6/2021). Prevents an abortion-inducing drug from being given to a pregnant woman after eight weeks of post-fertilization age.

5. Justice Reinvestment Advisory Councils

Good Vote: No

HB1068 Justice Reinvestment Advisory Councils (passed 49 to 0 on 3/16/2021). Establishes a Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council (JRAC) for each county in Indiana, consisting of leadership within the respective executive and judicial branches of government, whose purpose is to review local or regional criminal justice systems, policies, and procedures.

6. Oversight of Local Emergency Powers

Good Vote: Yes

SB0005 Oversight of Local Emergency Powers (passed 40 to 8 on 2/8/2021). Provides that a local order may not be more stringent or broader in aspect than an executive order issued by the state during a declared emergency without the approval of the local legislative body.

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Ron Alting R SD-022 50% ++---+
Scott Baldwin R SD-020 67% ++-+-+
Eric Bassler R SD-039 50% -+-+-+
Vaneta Becker R SD-050 33% -+---+
Mike Bohacek R SD-008 67% ++-+-+
Philip Boots R SD-023 33% +----+
Rodric Bray R SD-037 67% ++-+-+
Jean Breaux D SD-034 20% --+-.-
Liz Brown R SD-015 50% -+-+-+
Brian Buchanan R SD-007 67% ++-+-+
James Buck R SD-021 67% ++-+-+
Justin Busch R SD-016 50% +--+-+
Ed Charbonneau R SD-005 50% -+-+-+
John Crane R SD-024 67% ++-+-+
Michael Crider R SD-028 50% -+-+-+
Stacey Donato R SD-018 67% ++-+-+
Blake Doriot R SD-012 67% ++-+-+
J.D. Ford D SD-029 0% ------
Jon Ford R SD-038 50% +--+-+
Aaron Freeman R SD-032 67% ++-+-+
Chris Garten R SD-045 67% ++-+-+
Mike Gaskill R SD-026 67% ++-+-+
Susan Glick R SD-013 33% ---+-+
Ronald Grooms R SD-046 50% ..-+-+
Travis Holdman R SD-019 67% ++-+-+
Erin Houchin R SD-047 60% .+-+-+
Eric Koch R SD-044 67% ++-+-+
Dennis Kruse R SD-014 67% ++-+-+
Timothy Lanane D SD-025 17% --+---
Jean Leising R SD-042 67% ++-+-+
Eddie Melton D SD-003 0% ------
Mark Messmer R SD-048 67% ++-+-+
Ryan Mishler R SD-009 67% ++-+-+
Frank Mrvan D SD-001 0% ..---.
Rick Niemeyer R SD-006 67% ++-+-+
David Niezgodski D SD-010 17% -----+
Chip Perfect R SD-043 33% ---+-+
Fady Qaddoura D SD-030 0% ------
Jeff Raatz R SD-027 67% ++-+-+
Lonnie Randolph D SD-002 0% -----.
Linda Rogers R SD-011 67% ++-+-+
Jack Sandlin R SD-036 67% ++-+-+
Karen Tallian D SD-004 0% ..----
Greg Taylor D SD-033 17% --+---
James Tomes R SD-049 67% ++-+-+
Greg Walker R SD-041 50% -+-+-+
Kyle Walker R SD-031 50% -+-+-+
Shelli Yoder D SD-040 0% ------
Michael Young R SD-035 80% ++.+-+
Andy Zay R SD-017 67% ++-+-+

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 59.3%
Democrat 6.5%