1. United States
2. Ind.
3. Letter

Subject: Vote NO on HB 1343 – Protect Civilian Authority Dear Representative , I am writing as a constituent to urge you to vote NO on Indiana House Bill 1343. HB 1343 is not a routine public-safety bill. It authorizes the creation of a governor-controlled military police force drawn from the Indiana National Guard and grants it civilian law-enforcement powers while under state active duty. This represents a fundamental shift in how coercive authority is structured in Indiana. The issue is not whether Guard members are capable or well-intentioned. The issue is precedent and power. HB 1343 bypasses local control, weakens civilian oversight, and concentrates policing authority in the executive branch — exactly the opposite direction a constitutional republic should move. Indiana already possesses robust civilian law-enforcement institutions with defined jurisdiction, local accountability, and constitutional guardrails. Creating a parallel, militarized force that answers upward rather than outward erodes those guardrails and increases the risk of misuse during protests, emergencies, or politically volatile moments. Laws must be written for the worst-case administration, not the best-case assurances. Once this authority exists, it cannot be easily undone — and future leaders will not be bound by today’s intentions. The Indiana Senate exists to slow down, scrutinize, and stop legislation that alters the balance of power in dangerous ways. HB 1343 is such a bill. I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 1343, reject the normalization of military involvement in civilian policing, and uphold Indiana’s tradition of civilian governance, local control, and constitutional restraint.