The author of the controversial 2015 vaping law is back with a bill to address problems with the legislation, but at least one critic said the bill would allow the industry to remain a monopoly.
Those pledging to cut federal taxes to boost the economy might consider looking first at lessons learned in GOP-controlled states, such as Indiana, that adopted similar strategies, only to see growth falter or budget gaps widen.
Policymakers understandably have concerns about e-cigarettes, including whether vaping will attract new customers who are not current smokers. To date, research both here and in Europe suggests this is exceedingly rare.
Sen. Randy Head of Logansport said he will file a bill to “stop the monopoly” that was created by legislation passed in 2015 and amended in 2016, which essentially put one private security firm in charge of deciding which firms could manufacture the “juice” used in e-cigarettes sold in Indiana.
The proposal calls to raise three taxes and implement new user fees. House Speaker Brian Bosma said he expects the plan to cost most Hoosiers about $4 per month.
A coalition of not-for-profit and business community voices are urging the Republican majorities to add another priority: expanding a statewide preschool program for poor children.
As GOP leaders preach frugality ahead of the annual legislative session that kicks off Tuesday, they are also planning for a big increase in infrastructure spending—and are considering raising taxes of some kind to pay for it.
The fact that two just-retired Indiana legislators are both already legally working for lobbying groups is leading some to question whether the state’s ethics laws are strict enough.
The law, passed in 2015 and tweaked in 2016, effectively put a single private firm—Lafayette-based Mulhaupt’s—in charge of deciding which companies can seek a permit to manufacture e-cigarette liquids sold in Indiana and which were shut out of the state’s market for good.
Incoming Gov. Eric Holcomb has said he wants to develop an infrastructure plan that could cover the next 20 years. But he has yet to weigh in on specifics and hasn't indicated his stance on a tax increase.
A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pushing states with high Medicaid smoking rates to do more to encourage enrollees to quit and live longer.
A serious dialogue about curbing smoking in the Hoosier state should start with the most promising solutions. And as rigorous research studies and other states’ experiences have shown, there are far more powerful tools than e-cigarettes at our disposal.
Recent legislation has had the effect of dramatically reducing the number of players in Indiana’s vaping and e-cigarette industry and creating a monopoly for a Lafayette security firm.
At Tuesday’s Organization Day, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma called for lawmakers to move past a "rough" campaign season and refocus on the priorities of state government when the Legislature convenes in early January.
House Speaker Brian Bosma said Monday at the Indiana Chamber’s annual legislative preview event that he wanted funding for Indiana’s roads and bridges that would last for “a generation”—and the question now is how the Legislature will go about paying for it.
