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Public camping ban, mobile phone prohibitions and other laws go into effect next week

June 25, 2026

More than 160 bills got past the finish line in Indiana during this year’s legislative session, with dozens of them taking effect in July.

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Illinois officials to Bears: Tell us what stadium deal you want

June 16, 2026

John Pletz, Crain's Chicago Business

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, echoing Gov. JB Pritzker’s comments last week, indicated he’s open to the possibility of a special session and hinted the Bears’ move to Indiana is far from assured.

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Bears, state move toward formal stadium agreement as work happens behind the scenes

June 7, 2026 |

Mickey Shuey

Two sources familiar with conversations between the state and the Bears said no formal deal or letter of intent has been finalized, though each described the sides as “very close” to putting pen to paper.

Chicago Bears pick Indiana for new stadium, but hurdles remain for project

June 5, 2026 |

Mickey Shuey and Justin Laurence, Crain's Chicago Business and Danny Ecker, Crain's Chicago Business

The Bears said in a statement that its board of directors met and voted to move forward with Hammond.

The Bears said Chicago wasn’t in play. Records point to a different story.

June 4, 2026 | Justin Laurence, Crain's Chicago Business

The discrepancy contradicts what the Bears told lawmakers crafting the Arlington Heights legislation and could deepen mistrust between the team and Springfield after months of negotiations over a stadium proposal.

Bears proposal in Illinois getting reshaped in final hours of legislative session

May 31, 2026 | Justin Laurence, Crain's Chicago Business and

Samm Quinn

The Illinois Legislature faces an 11:59 p.m. deadline to adjourn its spring session.

Indiana Republicans want businesses to chip in for employee child care

May 7, 2026 | Dylan Peers McCoy, WFYI

The law is one of two recent state actions on child care from a Republican-controlled General Assembly that has resisted state funding for child care and early education.

Election updates: Shreve outlasts opponent in 6th District | Baird wins 4th District primary | Ford, Spartz win in 5th

May 5, 2026 | IBJ Staff

Check here for primary election updates throughout the evening.

Illinois House approves legislation to keep Chicago Bears in state

April 23, 2026 | Justin Laurence, Crain's Chicago Business

The bill was approved in a bipartisan 72-38 vote after a series of amendments and backroom jockeying played out in the state Capitol.

Federal legislation that Braun calls ‘crazy’ is aimed at Bears and Indiana

March 26, 2026 |

Lesley Weidenbener

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, say the bill would protect taxpayers from being extorted by team owners for huge subsidies. The legislation would likely face an uphill climb in the Republican-controlled Congress.

That 1% incentive to encourage data center approvals? Final deal watered it down

March 26, 2026 | Tom Davies, Indiana Capital Chronicle

Private meetings between legislators and lobbyists for data center companies resulted in rewritten incentive provisions that were not reviewed in public and were inserted in the final bill.

Prospects for 14th Indiana casino remain an unsure hand

March 20, 2026 | Marek Mazurek

As the dust settles on House Enrolled Act 1038, questions are beginning to emerge about the next steps for turning legislation into a new casino in northeast Indiana.

Lawmakers, private sector make progress on efforts to lower the cost of child care

March 13, 2026 | Marek Mazurek

HEA 1177 expands the tax credits available to businesses that help employees with the cost of child care. SEA 4 allows but does not require FSSA to use dollars from the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth fund on child care vouchers.

2026 legislative recap: What passed and what didn’t

March 6, 2026 | Marek Mazurek

Efforts to attract the Bears across the Illinois border received widespread, bipartisan support. But other items lawmakers tackled were contentious.

Indiana governor touts agency, agenda bill successes after session

March 3, 2026 | Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun says his administration got almost nine in every 10 agency and agenda bills over the finish line during his second session.

Here are the education bills that Indiana lawmakers passed in the 2026 legislative session

February 28, 2026 | Aleksandra Appleton, Chalkbeat Indiana

Among them are a new restriction on social media for minors and a ban on cellphones during school hours, which could change how students spend their time while reducing fights and distractions.

Township merger bill clears Legislature after years of failed attempts

February 27, 2026 | Tom Davies, Indiana Capital Chronicle

Provisions of Senate Bill 270, which the House approved on Tuesday, would require townships with poor performance scores to merge with other townships or some cities.

‘Public camping’ ban targeting homelessness heads to governor

February 27, 2026 | Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle

The measure bans camping, sleeping or long-term sheltering on land owned by the state or a unit of local government — and establishes a Class C misdemeanor for violations.

Indiana lawmakers set to approve stadium bill as Illinois inches closer to Bears deal

February 26, 2026 | Justin Laurence, Crain's Chicago Business

The Indiana Senate is set to vote as soon as Thursday afternoon on legislation that would authorize the financing and construction of a stadium in Hammond.

Indiana Senate sends ‘bell-to-bell’ school cellphone ban to governor

February 26, 2026 | Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle

Restrictions apply to common student devices, which schools must either prohibit entirely or require students to keep powered off and inaccessible during the school day.

Lawmakers eye road spending review as big southern Indiana plans face opposition

February 24, 2026 | Tom Davies, Indiana Capital Chronicle

A provision added to the northwest Indiana stadium bill would require State Budget Committee review of any highway project with a price tag of at least $250 million.

Chicago Bears say HQ, training facility would not be part of stadium deal in Indiana

February 23, 2026 | Marek Mazurek

Last week, the mayor of Hammond said the NFL franchise had been talking about moving “Halas Hall, everything” to Indiana.

JULY 3-9, 2026

Digital Edition

Roche Diagnostics is expanding to focus on diabetes care

Daniel Bradley

Giving via bequest has increased. But will it last?

Susan Orr

Q&A: GM says Indy Ignite is ‘building toward’ profitability through an entrepreneurial approach

Mickey Shuey

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