Submitted
OneZone Chamber of Commerce has announced its 2024 legislative priorities for local lawmakers to address during the legislative session at the Indiana Statehouse. This year OneZone will concentrate its efforts on childcare and workforce development.
OneZone’s focus on workforce will be to support policies and incentives that encourage attracting, training, and retaining talent to meet the needs of the area’s current and future workforce. OneZone believes while the labor market remains robust, the number of qualified workforce participants continues to dwindle, with job vacancies causing problems for industries across the board.
It is critical that Indiana allows businesses to remain competitive and, thus, spurring growth in existing and future economic development. This could include policies that encourage quality of place and infrastructure investments that attract and retain talent, remove overly burdensome regulations, and keep Indiana’s tax climate business-friendly.
Russell
“Workforce plays an important role as we look to attract talent, not just in neighboring states but across the country,” OneZone President & CEO Jack Russell said. “We will continue to be a voice for businesses to help attract and retain talent.”
OneZone will also focus on improving childcare policies. OneZone supports increased access to quality educational programming for Hoosier children – specifically for childcare and pre-kindergarten programs. OneZone supports regulatory change to decrease undue burdens on facilities. Additionally, OneZone supports innovative ideas to grow the workforce to meet the needs of employers and employees.
Quality childcare and pre-kindergarten programs are essential to grow our future talent pipeline and promote a strong educational foundation before starting a formal K-12 education. In addition, quality programming for children allows parents to have the ability to participate in the workforce, have financial stability, and even continue furthering their own education. Decreasing regulatory burdens for childcare providers allows for increased access and availability and allows them to focus on providing quality care.
“We saw great discussion in the 2023 session around childcare and hope to build off the momentum,” Russell said. “We look forward to working with our Hamilton County legislators on creating a strong foundation for Hoosier children while finding new and innovative ways to allow parents to participate in the workforce.”
As the session approaches make sure to attend the January, February, and March Eggs & Issues. Hear from state legislators on these topics and more. The first Eggs & Issues will be from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 12 at The Bridgewater Club.