State Laws, Local Impact
A community conversation on the local impacts of state laws and policies passed by the 2026 Indiana General Assembly will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 23, 2026 in the Goshen Theater, 216 South Main Street. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder will lead the event, sponsored by the Goshen City Democratic Party, which has created broad community engagement over the past year. Yoder will explain the local impact of state laws and policies passed by the 2026 General Assembly and answer questions from residents during a lively gathering.
“The Indiana General Assembly adjourned in February, but the ramifications of the legislation passed in the 2026 session will be with us for a long, long time,” said Paul Stauffer, chair of the Goshen City Democratic Party. “We’re inviting the community to join us for this forward-looking community gathering. Sen. Yoder will address the ‘Indy to Goshen’ connection and explain the positive and negative impacts of newly passed state legislation.”
Phil Lederach, the host of the event, said what’s decided in Indianapolis doesn’t stay there. “It shows up here in Goshen when it comes to funding for the city and schools, the cost of childcare, healthcare, housing and utility bills as well as immigration and other policies that affect civil rights,” Lederach said. “State laws and policies impact daily life more than you think.”
Stauffer said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian is planning to attend and the audience will also hear from the three Democratic primary candidates running for Goshen’s State House District 49 seat. There also will be a question-answer session. Several hundred community members are expected to attend the forum.
The State Laws, Local Impact community conversation will feature:
• A short, clear breakdown of what passed (and didn’t) during the legislative session
• The local context for how those new laws and policies will impact Goshen
• An open question-answer session (no pre-screened questions)
• A casual meet & greet after the event (with a cash bar) providing opportunities for attendees to learn more as well as to meet and network with others
• The Goshen City Democratic Party and the Democratic primary candidates running for Goshen’s State House District 49 seat will staff tables in the theater lobby.
• Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the conversation will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Sen. Shelli Yoder is the Senate Minority Leader in the Indiana State Senate and a Senior Lecturer at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, where she teaches communication and leadership. Elected to the Senate in 2020 after serving on the Monroe County Council since 2013, she offers extensive experience in public finance, local government, and stakeholder-driven problem solving.
Born and raised in Shipshewana and now living in Bloomington with her husband and three children, she brings a grounded understanding of both rural and urban Indiana to her leadership. Shelli is focused on the building blocks of strong communities and a competitive economy: a skilled workforce, strong public schools, affordable health care, reliable childcare, attainable housing, and respect for working people. Sen. Yoder is guided by a clear conviction that Hoosiers should be able to work hard and build a life marked by stability, freedom, and opportunity.
This event is being organized by Goshen Call to Action, a committee of the Goshen City Democratic Party. Call to Action members are Richard R. Aguirre, John Ferguson, Norm Kauffmann, Lisa Lederach, Phil Lederach, Michael Stellingwerf and Marcia Yost. Since Call to Action was formed a year ago it has held many community gatherings and organized large forums on state property taxes and immigration.
For more information or to arrange coverage on April 23 at the Goshen Theater, contact Phil Lederach at [email protected] or (574) 538-9023.