Three utility-related bills pass the Indiana House
Two of the bills–one establishing utility receiverships and another increasing the cap on pay that trustees on utility boards can earn–received no opposition, passing with a unanimous vote.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Government races to reassure U.S. that banking system is safe
In response to the crisis, regulators guaranteed all deposits at the two failed banks and created a program that effectively threw a lifeline to other banks to shield them from a run on deposits.
IEDC paying premium for farmland for Boone County tech district
The quasi-government entity has secured roughly 9,000 acres of land in Boone County for its LEAP Lebanon Innovation and Research District.
Money debate begins in Statehouse over transition to green energy
A bill advancing through the Legislature would add natural gas to the list of clean-energy projects state utility regulators could consider for a financial incentive known as “construction work in progress,” or CWIP for short.
Stalled tax plan to revive IPS pushes charters, district further apart
The district’s unique portfolio of charters and traditional public schools, created nearly a decade ago by IPS leaders and state lawmakers, has left both populations fighting for funding.
Indiana’s third-party testing on toxic train-derailment waste comes back clear
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered continued third-party dioxin testing of any and all subsequent loads of soil coming to Indiana from the East Palestine, Ohio, train crash site.
U.S. sues to block JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines
The Justice Department said the $3.8 billion acquisition would hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options than they can find on JetBlue and other airlines.
Bank sues to block Biden’s pause on student loan payments
SoFi Bank argues the moratorium has no legal basis and has cost the bank, known for its refinancing business, millions of dollars in profits.
3 northern suburbs prepare to select new mayors
Change is coming to Carmel, Westfield and Zionsville as a trio of mayors prepares to step aside and a roster of candidates looks to fill those shoes.
Robotics curriculum initiative targets younger, nonwhite kids
A $2.6 million grant from the Indiana Department of Education, announced Feb. 21, will help expand a program offered by the IUPUI Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering.
House passes $43.4B budget with no Democrat votes
Democrats denounced the budget for taking funding away from traditional public schools. Under the new proposal, families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level, roughly $220,000, qualify for vouchers.
Study: Smoking costs Hoosier businesses $3.1B annually in ‘hidden tax’
The Indianapolis-based foundation said the study, announced Thursday, shows that if the state cigarette tax increased by $2 per pack, from the current 99 cents per pack, an estimated 45,000 Hoosier adults would stop smoking.
Statehouse, City-County Council poised for dogfight over retail sale of pets
The Indianapolis City-County Council Public Affairs Committee voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of restricting the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits, days after the Indiana Senate voted in favor of a law that would override such an ordinance.
Lawmakers advance bill banning education on ‘human sexuality’ through 3rd grade
The latest draft of the proposal also targets transgender students by prohibiting school employees from using a name or pronoun that is inconsistent with a student’s sex without a parent’s written consent.
Catholic Diocese refutes state senator’s concerns about private Indiana high school
The Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is defending a private high school in northern Indiana after a top Republican lawmaker admonished the school for “disgusting” behavior.
FDA’s own reputation could be restraining its misinformation fight
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking aim at a new health hazard: online misinformation. It’s an unlikely role for the 100-year old bureaucratic agency, which has never been known for its communication skills.
Biden’s ‘Buy America’ bid runs into manufacturing woes it aims to fix
The initiative intended to promote domestic manufacturing and fuel a blue-collar renaissance is running into a problem: The United States no longer produces many of the items needed to modernize roads, bridges and ports.
Indiana House Republicans ‘committed’ to voucher school expansion
Indiana House Republicans will seek to expand the state’s “school choice” program despite a top GOP senator’s call for more voucher school reforms.
Prescription savings under PBMs, manufacturer rebates cause confusion
Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, were the target of state senators Wednesday as they attempt to find solutions to decrease Indiana’s elevated health care costs.
Indiana senators nix discussion on latest bill restricting classroom topics
The abrupt change in plans by the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development came after a Tuesday rally by groups opposed to such legislation.