Rep. Douglas Gutwein

State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) who succeeded Gutwein as the Dist. 16 representative in January this year has issued the following statement:

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the Gutwein family as we mourn the passing of Doug. As my predecessor and mentor, he had a tremendous impact on me and set a high bar for serving our community. Doug was pragmatic, a great storyteller and very passionate about getting work done on behalf of Hoosiers. He was a friend and leader, and he will be greatly missed."

A social media post from the Pulaski County Republican Party reads, “Deeply saddened by the passing of former State Rep. Doug Gutwein. He was (a) dedicated public servant who made lasting contributions during his time in the House of Representatives. Sending condolences to his family and loved ones. May he rest in peace.”

Also, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said in a statement, "I'm incredibly saddened by Doug's passing and I'm praying for his family, especially his wife, Mary Lew. Doug left a lasting impression on his legislative family and our state. Once Doug set his sights on solving a problem, there was no stopping him. He tackled issues with passion and a fire to get things done. Whether it was cutting government red tape, supporting Hoosier veterans and service members, or finding ways to help newborns diagnosed with terminal diseases, Doug was relentless. He and his legacy will certainly live on, and he will be deeply missed."

A full obituary appears on the PulaskiPost website's obituary page.

Background:

Former State Rep. Doug Gutwein (R-Francesville) retired from the legislature in 2022 after 14 years of service. Gutwein served as chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, and as a member of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, and the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. He also previously chaired the House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Gutwein authored "Graham's Law," which required spinal muscular atrophy and severe combined immunodeficiency to be added to the list of screenings newborns receive in Indiana shortly after birth. The legislation was named after Graham Vollmer, now 8, who was diagnosed with SMA at 8 weeks and not expected to see his second birthday. Gutwein also authored "Bryce's Bill" named after Bryce Clausen, who passed away in 2019 at only 14 months old. Clausen was diagnosed at 6 months with Krabbe, a rare genetic disease that breaks down the nervous system and usually results in death by age 2. The legislation added Krabbe to Indiana’s newborn screening panel along with Pompe disease, Hurler's syndrome and adrenoleukodystrophy.

To address flooding and drainage issues along the Kankakee and Yellow rivers, Gutwein authored a law in 2019 creating the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission to address challenges and make improvements to the interstate river system.

Gutwein was a U.S. Army veteran and member of the American Legion. He authored a law so Hoosier veterans are better notified of available resources and co-authored a law to phase in a complete military income tax exemption.