State representatives from the Indiana Republican Party spoke with students from IU College Republicans Monday evening.
The event “Meet State Rep. Peggy Mayfield!” took place at 7 p.m. Monday in the Godfrey Graduate and Executive Education Center in the Kelley School of Business. Speakers were executive director of strategic communications and talent development of the Indiana Republican Party Pete Seat and State Representative Peggy Mayfield, R-District 60.
“This gives us a wide perspective on what’s happening at the state level in the Republican party,” Chairwoman of IU College Republicans Reagan Kurk said.
After saying the Pledge of Allegiance, Seat was the first to speak because Mayfield had to stay in Indianapolis to watch a vote on a proposed law longer than she had expected.
Seat began his speech by explaining his position in the party and began to address the changing policies under Indiana's new chairman of the Republican Party, Kyle Hupfer.
One new policy will be monitoring Sen. Joe Donnelly’s, D-Indiana, activities in Washington D.C., he said.
“He’s a completely different person when he’s there in the swampland than he is in the great Hoosier state of Indiana,” Seat said.
Seat talked to the students about the Republican Party’s interest in offering young students internships to bring in their creative ideas.
He said they want to have training seminars across the state.
“You guys are creative,” he said. “You’re young, and you have great ideas.”
Before she arrived, students spoke in murmurs to one another about politics and the Super Bowl. Their voices stopped when Mayfield entered the room.
She apologized for being late. Rather than beginning her speech by lecturing to the students, she opened it up immediately to questions.
“Are you proposing any bills anytime soon?” someone asked.
“I am currently working on about seven or eight right now,” Mayfield replied.
She said one of her priorities this year is offering health coverage to police reserve officers. She explained that these officers are volunteers who help at departments when they are needed. It’s often an officer at one department helping another.
She said, as of now, there is no financial coverage for them if they are hurt on the job. Volunteer firefighters are given that coverage, she said.
“I’m just trying to protect the people who are working for free,” Mayfield said.
She also answered questions about Tesla, buying alcohol on Sundays and the gas tax.
She spoke about the complications regarding the proposed Tesla law. She said the question about alcohol was complicated because there were different rules for liquor stores and stores like Walmart. She discussed a potential 10 cent increase in gas taxes and explained the difference between gas taxes and sales tax on gas.
The event was also supposed to include State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell, but she was forced to return quickly to Indianapolis before she arrived.
