Young, Bayh trade barbs in heated Senate debate
Democrat Evan Bayh and Republican Todd Young accused each other of being Washington insiders and putting special interests over Hoosiers during Tuesday night’s charged debate.
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Vaping firms, casino company have surprising ties
Three of the six firms initially authorized under a controversial law to manufacture e-liquids for sale in Indiana have owners who either work for Centaur or were shareholders in the company before it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2010.
Emails show state staffers rooting against Monarch’s liquor battle
Monarch Beverage Co.’s attempts to enter the liquor business over the past decade were frequently met with displeasure from staffers in the Indiana Governor’s Office and at the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, according to private emails brought to light by a recent court case.
Security firm for e-liquid manufacturers raises eyebrows with billing plan
The more product that e-liquid manufacturers make, the more that Lafayette-based Mulhaupt’s could earn. The volume-based pricing is unusual for the security industry.
Indy-bound group that crafts conservative bills has critics
Critics of the American Legislative Exchange Council say it provides corporations easy access to lawmakers—access that can’t be scrutinized like traditional lobbying and campaign finance information.
Lawrance returns to Chamber, to push for more road funding
Mark Lawrance spent 14 years at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce before heading to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute two years ago. Now he’s back at the Chamber in a new role.
Do city’s new ethics rules go far enough?
Good-government advocates say new rules championed by Mayor Joe Hogsett are an improvement, but that they would have liked to see him take a stricter approach.
Indiana Senate delays LGBT protections bill amid lobbying
Republicans who control the chamber put off action Monday following a closed-door meeting and lobbying pressure.
Bose adds veteran lobbyist Queisser to staff in Washington, D.C.
Brad Queisser previously served in the administrations of Govs. Evan Bayh and Frank O’Bannon, as well as in the Indiana Democratic Party and Democratic National Committee.
Longtime CEO of state casino lobbying group stepping down
Mike Smith plans to resign as president and CEO of the Casino Association of Indiana after more than a dozen years in the position, the group announced Monday.
Ethics legislation gets closer to becoming law
The Indiana Senate passed ethics legislation Wednesday that would require lawmakers to be more transparent about their finances and strengthen laws designed to keep legislators from taking advantage of state resources for political gain.
Angie’s List CEO: Controversial bill ‘sends a clear message’
Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle, a Republican who gave at least $150,000 to help elect Gov. Mike Pence, on Saturday explained why Pence and Republican state lawmakers left him no choice but to call off his company's $40 million Indianapolis headquarters expansion.
Secretive ‘bill mill’ gets local foothold
An offshoot of the American Legislative Exchange Council that aims to influence local government is making inroads in Indiana. The American City County Exchange, which launched about a year ago, has 22 members from eight Indiana counties, including Marion and Hamilton.
Debate on common wage repeal lingers during contractor event
A proposal to repeal the state law that sets wages for public construction projects requires further study instead of a quick vote, opponents of the measure said Monday at the Indiana Statehouse.
Free-market policy group to convene in Indy
The conservative-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council, which drafts model legislation for state legislatures, will host its annual meeting in Indianapolis in 2016.
2015 Forty Under 40: Andrew Cullen
Andrew Cullen, 39, vice president of public policy for United Way of Central Indiana, is a lobbyist who looks out for Indiana’s kids.
Nursing home construction moratorium fight fuels lobbying, donations
The two sides duking it out over a construction ban on nursing homes spent more than $475,000 over six months to win lawmakers to their sides—a spike of 37 percent over previous years. And that kind of high-stakes fight is about to happen again.
Legislators need stricter disclosure rules, advocate tells panel
Indiana legislators need to be more transparent about conflicts of interest and should never lobby for issues that could impact their finances, an open-government advocate said Monday.
State energy trade association replaces longtime leader
The Indiana Energy Association has appointed former Northern Indiana Public Service Co. President Mark Maassel as president, succeeding longtime leader Ed Simcox, the organization announced Thursday.
Bosma removes Turner from leadership post-scandal
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma has removed Rep. Eric Turner from his leadership team amid concerns over Turner's lobbying against a nursing home construction ban that would have impacted his family's business.