Indiana House Democrats, whose walkout nearly a month ago halted the legislative process, remain in no hurry to return considering they face the prospect of losing on almost every vote.
My fellow Tea Party Republicans, I have an idea. Let’s enact legislation requiring immigrants and homosexuals to wear purple hats. What difference does it make if we precipitate an economic disaster?
The stalemate that sent Democrats across state lines more than four weeks ago started as a principled stand against a Republican overreach. But it’s the Democrats who will be remembered for overreaching.
An Indiana Senate panel eliminated part of a proposal on Wednesday that would have required traditional public schools to help provide transportation to students attending charter schools.
The Republican speaker of the Indiana House said Wednesday that the ongoing walkout by Democratic legislators has stirred up interest in one day making such actions illegal or allowing voters to remove boycotters from office.
Two of Indiana's most-prominent companies told a state Senate committee they feared their ability to recruit top employees could be hurt by a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage and civil unions.
The Republican leader of the Indiana House said his patience was wearing thin with Democratic lawmakers who have shut down the legislative process in Indiana for three weeks by walking out on their jobs.
Republicans in the state Legislature are advancing a budget that would carve $7 million a year from the Indiana Medicaid plan by creating a list of preferred mental health drugs based at least partly on rebates negotiated with drug manufacturers, according to the Associated Press. Indiana is one of only nine states that does not have such a list. But groups representing doctors and patients say the money-saving could be eaten up if patients suffering from mental illnesses are unable to get the drugs they need, possibly leading to expensive hospital stays or even run-ins with police. Medicaid enrolls more than 1 million low-income Hoosiers in such programs as Hoosier Healthwise for children and pregnant woman, the Healthy Indiana Plan for uninsured, and Care Select for the disabled. The provision in the budget bill would require doctors to seek prior authorization from Medicaid to prescribe drugs not on the authorized list. However, psychiatrists would not need prior authorizations.
Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Co., has agreed to acquire Jannsen Animal Health, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, pending regulatory approval. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. But Elanco, based in Greenfield, would acquire about 50 animal health products that Janssen sells in Europe, mostly focused on pigs, poultry and pets. Elanco also would bring on an unspecified number of Janssen’s employees. Elanco currently employs 2,300 people in more than 40 countries. Lilly has been trying to grow its animal health business through acquisitions in order to build up revenue expected to be lost late this year when its best-selling human drug Zyprexa faces competition from cheaper generic copies. They will sap most of Zyprexa’s $5 billion a year in sales. Last year, Elanco pulled in revenue of nearly $1.4 billion, up 15 percent from the previous year. Elanco’s drugs are mainly for pigs, poultry, cows and pets.
An Indiana Senate committee plans to vote Wednesday on a proposal aimed at expanding charter schools after hearing from the public on the bill last week.
More talks between the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Indiana House might be inching the two sides closer to resolving the now three-week-long boycott by Democratic legislators.
A Hamilton County court magistrate has entered a not guilty plea for Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White, who was indicted last week on seven felony counts including voter fraud.
When it comes to individual liberties, we’re among the most fortunate citizens on Earth that our government guarantees that the majority will not always prevail.
Indiana House Democrats largely remain bunkered en masse in Urbana, Ill., save occasional individual appearances back at town hall events in their respective districts.
I was disappointed and frankly astounded at the incredible lack of balance and clear anti-Republican, anti-conservative message delivered in the Feb. 28 Forefront.
