Daniels to outline 2011 legislative agenda
Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels will outline his 2011 legislative priorities Thursday, and his agenda could be a bit bigger now that the GOP has a firm grip on the Indiana House and Senate.
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New GOP-led House will focus on private-sector job creation
With new control of the Indiana House, Republican lawmakers plan to pursue an agenda focused on encouraging the private sector to create jobs and passing a budget without tax increases.
Tax-cap amendment means change for local government
Cuts in services, higher fees and consolidation of government units are possibilities, but advocates for the constitutional amendment say long-term certainty about property tax rates could benefit the economy.
GOP could gain quorum in state Senate election
Indiana Senate Democrats, long considered the last bastion of liberal thought in state government, are in danger of becoming politically irrelevant after the Nov. 2 election—something they say would disenfranchise nearly 2 million Hoosiers who live in their districts.
Daniels hoping GOP victory will pave way for education reform
Gov. Mitch Daniels and public schools chief Tony Bennett have major legislative changes they want to make to implement their education reform ideas—but to do it they need their Republican Party to regain control of the Indiana House of Representatives.
Election could give GOP control of state policy decisions
With a Republican tide predicted to wash over the country in next month’s election, there is a very real chance that the Indiana House will be dominated by the GOP for the first time since 2005-06, putting virtually all policy-setting responsibilities in Indiana in one party’s hands.
State legislators ready to redo alcohol ID law
Legislators and liquor store workers say they've received many complaints from people about a state law that took effect this summer requiring anyone buying carryout alcohol in Indiana to show a photo ID.
Indiana lawmakers push for Internet taxes
A bipartisan duo of state lawmakers wants Congress to allow states to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases, a move they say could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to cash-strapped Indiana.
Control of House key issue as election season revs up
One hundred Indiana House seats are on the ballot—though many fewer are competitive—but their outcomes may affect the state well beyond the two-year terms that the candidates seek.
Heat wave could renew push for later school start
A mid-August heat wave that has left some students sweltering in classrooms without air conditioning could renew the push
for an Indiana law preventing schools from starting classes before Labor Day.
Big budget cuts will make for bitter state politics
As Indiana’s reserves dwindle toward zero and federal stimulus money disappears, trying to keep political debate friendly
and the budget in the black will be quite a challenge. Half a year before they must craft the next state budget, Democrats
and Republicans already are squabbling.
Fort Wayne legislator quits, joins lobbying firm
Rep. Randy Borror of Fort Wayne is ending his re-election campaign to become a senior vice president for Indianapolis-based
Bose Public Affairs Group.
IEDC responds to House speaker’s public records request
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob’s letter Tuesday to Democrat Pat Bauer details IEDC’s approach to job-creation incentives
and its clawback efforts in the recession.
Indiana Senate’s top Democrat demands budget-cut data
Minority Leader Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, said the Republican governor’s budget director told her that a comprehensive list
of executive branch budget reductions wasn’t available. She said that’s unacceptable.
New Indiana law aims to promote safety of traditional loans
A new state program is encouraging lenders to promote the stability of their conventional mortgages to help Indiana's
housing market rebound from a foreclosure crisis instigated by risky loans.
New collateral rules for Indiana deposits may favor big banks
New state rules designed to protect government cash from bank failures might have an unintended consequence: helping the biggest
banks and hurting the smallest.
Fort Wayne’s Wyss tops ranking of business-friendly lawmakers
Speaker Pat Bauer get the lowest ranking in the state chamber’s analysis.
Lawmaker: Maybe Indiana should drop out of Medicaid
Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said the costs to Indiana for health reform will be so great that
the state should consider the drastic step of creating another option to Medicaid.
Primary victories set up key fall showdowns
Three Republicans with strong party financial backing won their Indiana House primary races Tuesday, setting up November matchups
with Democrats that could tilt the narrowly divided chamber into GOP hands and decide which party controls redistricting.
37 contested Indiana House races prelude to November
Voters will nominate candidates in more than 30 Indiana House primary races Tuesday, completing matchups for November’s general
election that will determine control of the narrowly divided chamber.