The State Board of Education’s decision to end the takeover confirmed the waning enthusiasm in Indiana for state oversight of failing schools. But it also revealed how much Indianapolis Public Schools has transformed in recent years.
The bill moved through the Indiana General Assembly faster than usual. The chambers usually wait until the halfway point of the session to consider legislation that originated in the opposite chamber.
The committee listened to about two hours of testimony, with many of the speakers telling personal stories. No one spoke against the hands-free driving measure, which is a legislative priority for Gov. Eric Holcomb.
In 2018, 7.3 out of every 1,000 babies born in Indiana died in their first year of life, one of the highest rates in the nation. Last year, the rate dipped to 6.8 per 1,000.
The bill would undo a landmark Indiana Supreme Court ruling that affirmed that the shoreline of Lake Michigan is unquestionably owned by the state and held in trust for use by all residents.
Bob Grennes has served as chief operating officer at the Department of Revenue since 2017 and has played a role in helping the department update its technology.
A top legislative priority for House Republicans faced some push back this week from the very professionals lawmakers believed they would be helping with the measure.
A Democratic proposal to immediately boost Indiana teacher pay by $100 million a year by stretching out payments to a teacher pension fund was rejected Thursday by a Republican-controlled committee.
New state campaign finance reports filed Wednesday show Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb raised nearly $2 million in the last six months of 2019, leaving him with about $7.25 million in the bank for his 2020 re-election bid.
According to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s prepared remarks, Fiat-Chrysler will invest $400 million in its Kokomo facility and hinted that an announcement will be made on Friday from Toyota in Princeton.
The discussion comes as state lawmakers try to strike a balance between growing the unemployment trust fund, which is used to pay benefits to unemployed Hoosiers, to comply with updated standards from the U.S. Labor Department while at the same time not burdening businesses with higher tax rates.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is expected to talk during his annual State of the State speech Tuesday about a possible additional boost in school funding—just not one that would happen this year.
The vote came Monday after several failed attempts by House Democrats to amend the legislation and use the money for teacher pay bonuses and other “human capital” proposals, such as pre-kindergarten education and school safety.
Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Krupp said he would bring “leadership, integrity and results” to the job as Indiana’s top lawyer. Incumbent and fellow Republican Curtis Hill has been accused of unethical conduct.
