12 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 COVER STORY A Tale of Two Leaders Sen. Bray and Rep. Huston help guide Indiana The Indiana General Assembly is due to convene in January for a “long” session, following its every-other-year cycle of meeting for an extended time to address multiple topics, including setting the state budget. Traditionally, Indiana’s long session begins the first week of January and concludes at the end of April, though COVID-19 restrictions may impact the 2021 schedule. While next year will likely usher in some uncertainty, what is certain is that Indiana is graced with strong and stable leadership committed to guiding the proceedings of the Statehouse in a safe, efficient and productive manner. With Sen. Rodric Bray as president pro tempore of the Senate and Rep. Todd Huston as speaker of the House of Representatives, Indiana is prepared to face future challenges. Hoosier Banker recently had the opportunity to interview both leaders. Rodric Bray: President Pro Tempore Sen. Rodric Bray was elected to the Indiana Senate in 2012, serving District 37 covering Morgan County and parts of Johnson, Owen and Putnam counties. In December 2018, he was sworn in as president pro tempore. Bray additionally serves as counsel for Morgan County; is a partner with Bray, Bray and Bray law firm; and formerly served as Martinsville City Attorney. Community outreach includes service as past president of Morgan County Community Concerts and as a director of Home Bank, Martinsville. Bray earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a JD from Valparaiso University. He and his wife, Kelly, have two children. What are your responsibilities as president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate? “In Indiana, the lieutenant governor is the president of the Senate, presiding over the Senate chamber when in session. When the lieutenant governor is not there, it’s my job to preside. “The running of the Senate falls to the president pro tem. It’s my responsibility to appoint members of the Senate to certain committees and appoint chairmen of those committees. When bills are filed in December of the year leading up to the session that begins in January, I review and assign those bills to committees. I also assign members to the summer study committees. “In addition, I’m responsible for hiring the upperlevel staff, such as fiscal analysts. Of course, I also have the job of serving as senator for my district. Fortunately, I have a lot of good people helping to get it all done.” In the Senate, you chair the Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee and also have worked on the Judiciary, Civil Law, and Corrections and Criminal Law committees. How do the legal issues addressed in these committees affect Hoosiers? “They all have a significant impact. I have chaired the Judiciary Committee and the Civil Law Committee and have served on the Corrections and Criminal Law Committee. Those are a good fit for me, because I’m a lawyer by day. I also spent some time as a deputy prosecuting attorney, so the Corrections and Criminal Law piece was particularly of interest to me. “All of the issues raised in these committees hit the everyday Hoosier. The effective functioning of our courts is absolutely imperative with regard to how we handle crime, what kind of sentences there are, the cost imposed with that sentencing, and our policies for rehabilitation. My goal is to make that run as effectively and efficiently as possible.” In 2016 the Indiana Bankers Association named you Sen. Rodric Bray President Pro Tempore Rep. Todd Huston Speaker of the House
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