State Sen. Jon Ford to resign from Senate

State Sen. Jon Ford to resign from Senate

State Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) today announced he will resign from his seat in the Indiana Senate effective Oct. 16, 2023, in order to pursue new professional endeavors. Ford has served in the Senate since 2014.

"One of the greatest honors of my life has been serving the residents of Senate District 38," Ford said. "I am thankful for the people of Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties for trusting me in casting important votes on their behalf for nearly a decade. Through my time in public service, I have met numerous people who aim to make the Wabash Valley and Indiana a better place to raise a family."

Background

Ford currently represents Vigo and Clay counties and a portion of Sullivan County. During his tenure, he has served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Elections, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Family and Children Services and as a member of the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Public Policy, Veterans and The Military, Homeland Security and Transportation, and Judiciary.

Over the course of his tenure in the Senate, Ford has led efforts on several topics to improve the lives of Hoosiers.

Supporting foster families

During his time in the Senate, Ford has been a strong advocate for children in the foster care system, authoring legislation that required the Indiana Department of Child Services to develop and update a statement of the rights of foster parents. He also authored a new law that provides free entrance to properties maintained by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for foster families.

Increasing TANF eligibility

Ford has authored many bills during his time in the Senate to expand eligibility requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. During the 2023 legislative session, legislation authored by Ford passed the Indiana General Assembly to change the income eligibility for families to participate in the TANF program. The passage of the 2023 bill came after nearly five years of work on the legislation.

Ensuring secure elections

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Elections, Ford has been an advocate for ensuring secure elections so Hoosiers can have confidence in the integrity of their vote. In 2022, Ford sponsored House Enrolled Act 1116, which requires all electronic voting machines in the state to incorporate a voter-verifiable paper audit trail by the 2024 election. During the 2023 legislative session, he sponsored House Enrolled Act 1334, which added identification requirements to mail-in ballots during elections.

Gaming expansion

Ford sponsored legislation that brought sports wagering to Indiana and a new casino to Terre Haute, which is expected to open in early 2024.

As president of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, he has advocated for states across the country to develop responsible gaming standards.

Other highlights

Ford has also advocated for Hoosier children with autism, recently requesting the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to reconsider a proposed fee-for-service rate for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services.

He has also advocated for legislation that benefits the Wabash Valley and helped attract economic development to the area.