State representative Patrick Bauer of South Bend will not seek re-election

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – State legislator Patrick Bauer, who is the longest serving member of the Indiana House of Representatives, announced on Monday that he will not run for another term.

Bauer has served in the Indiana General Assembly for 50 years in a number of different roles, including Speaker of the House, Minority Leader and the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

As a state lawmaker, Bauer helped author and ratify several key pieces of legislation during his decades-long stint in the House of Representatives. He advocated for reforms to the tax system that, when put into effect, resulted in huge savings for homeowners, cuts in auto excise taxes and the implementation of our state’s earned income tax credit.

Bauer also led legislative efforts that focused on childhood education programs, health care, and economic improvement.

Bauer also authored crucial legislation that prioritized environmental safety standards, enacting new laws that eliminated phosphates in detergents and micro-beads in personal care products.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of St. Joseph County in the state legislature,” Bauer said in a statement. “What I will clearly miss the most is the interaction with all of the local residents who have been so kind and helpful through the years. By working together, I truly believe we have made St. Joseph County, and Indiana, a better place to live.”

Bauer received numerous awards during his time as a state representative, including the Legislative Excellence Award from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council.

33 years of Bauer’s career was also spent as an English Teacher and an administrator for the South Bend Community School Corporation. He later served as an administrator at Ivy tech Community College.