As one of Indiana's most effective and respected leaders, State Senator Vi Simpson has spent a career fighting for causes that matter most to Hoosiers.
In her time in the Indiana State Senate, Simpson has worked to make health care more affordable and accessible for all Hoosiers. She's led the fight to restructure the state's economy so businesses and workers can more effectively compete in the global marketplace and she's been a tireless advocate for improving Indiana's public schools and universities.
First elected to the Senate in 1984, Simpson was elected Democrat Leader by the Senate Democrat Caucus in 2008. She previously served two years as Assistant Democrat Leader from 2006 to 2008.
In addition to her leadership duties, she serves on the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee and on that panel's Public Health Subcommittee. Simpson also serves on the Senate Joint Rules Committee, the Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee, and on that panel's Insurance Subcommittee. As Senate Democratic Leader, Simpson serves as the Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee.
Widely regarded as an expert on the state's finances, Simpson served as the caucus' representative on the State Budget Committee from 1998 to 2007. She was the first woman to serve on and lead the powerful committee.
Simpson has also been appointed to serve on the Legislative Effectiveness Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.
Among her many legislative accomplishments include authoring legislation that created Indiana's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which has become a national model for delivering cost-effective health services to uninsured children. She is also credited with creating national award winning legislation dealing with voluntary environmental cleanups. In 2002, Simpson and her colleagues initiated the debate on tax restructuring and property tax reform which led to the passage of historic legislation that revamped the state's entire tax code.
She has received a variety of state and national awards and honors for her work. Simpson was most recently awarded the 2010 Indiana Women of Achievement Award by the Ball State University College of Sciences and Humanities for her accomplishments through legislative leadership. In 2009 she received the Friend of Children Award by IARCCA, a statewide association of agencies serving children and families, in honor of her many years of work to make life better for Hoosier children. In 2009 she was recognized by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce as the recipient of the Small Business Champion Award which recognizes legislators who support efforts for small business advocacy and growth. She has also been named "Legislator of the Year" by the State Employees Association, the Indiana Library Federation, the Indiana Wildlife Federation and numerous other organizations. On the national level, Simpson has been honored with the Distinguished Legislator Award by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the National Legislator of the Year by the American Academy of Physicians, and in 2005 the American Medical Association awarded Simpson their highest honor, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service. She also serves as a member of the Indianapolis Museum of Art's Government Relations Committee.
Simpson, who served as Monroe County Auditor before joining the Indiana General Assembly, received her law degree from Indiana University School of Law. She has two adult children and four grandchildren. She resides in Ellettsville with her husband, former state senator Bill McCarty.