The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has released its list of priorities for the upcoming legislative session, with addressing the state’s workforce challenges being paramount.

The chamber’s 2023 policy agenda includes several efforts to help attract and retain talent. According to Indiana Chamber Vice President of Education and Workforce Jason Bearce, the chamber hopes the legislature focuses on talent pool opportunities and challenges as Indiana battles in the national and global economy. Bearce said that Indiana is lacking in terms of the education and skill level of its workforce, putting it at an increasingly competitive disadvantage.

The chamber is pushing for the legislature to address barriers to prosperity and invest in projects that will attract and retain workers, and also to do more to grow its own talent base. Another priority issue for the chamber is healthcare, as the state routinely ranks poorly in a variety of metrics when it comes to healthcare access, quality, and determinants.