Election Day brought 24 new members to the House of Representatives. That huge freshman wave, plus the return of 18 reps who were newly elected in 2010, means 42 percent of the House will begin the 2013 session with two years of experience or less.
The $1.3 billion transit plan for Hamilton and Marion counties is one of a few lingering issues — along with Sunday alcohol sales and a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage — likely to appear before lawmakers in 2013.
Sam Odle, who retired from Indiana University Health in July as chief operating officer, is joining the local lobbying firm as a senior policy adviser, representing clients in the health care and life sciences sectors.
Questions remain whether Indiana’s governor will be covered by the state’s “revolving door” law when he becomes president of Purdue University. State ethics rules require a one year cool-down period for public officials after leaving office, preventing them from working as lobbyists.
The loss of hundreds of years of experience in the House, including the top Republican and Democratic budget writers, has some worried that paid lobbyists could gain an even heftier role within the General Assembly.
The new hires could be important following last year’s legislative session, in which state lawmakers passed a law to cut off Medicaid funding to groups that offer abortions.
Eli Lilly and Co. spent $1.9 million lobbying the federal government in the first quarter, focusing on the health care overhaul and overseas pricing reform, among many other issues.
WellPoint lobbied on issues tied to the overhaul's implementation and regulations for accountable care organizations, which are networks of hospitals, doctors, rehabilitation centers and other providers that coordinate a patient's care.
Education reformers dramatically outspent opponents on lobbying, advertising and grass-roots campaigning during the past legislative session.
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. raised its spending 8 percent from the $2.3 million that it spent in the first quarter of last year. The drugmaker also spent 70 percent more than the $1.5 million recorded in the final quarter of 2010, according to lobbying reports filed with the House of Representatives.
WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health insurer based on membership, spent about $1.5 million lobbying the federal government in the first quarter, as the health care overhaul debuted a new restriction that concerned managed care companies.
After years of advocating pro-business positions, many chambers are taking the next step and issuing endorsements in hopes of ensuring business-friendly mayors get elected.
Many of the same Democrats who blasted Republican Sen. Dan Coats last year for his time spent as a federal lobbyist are backing Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg, who's a registered lobbyist in Indiana.
Indiana House Democrats took a page from the playbook of their counterparts in Wisconsin on Tuesday, refusing to show up and at least temporarily blocking a Republican-backed labor bill.
The Indiana Lobby Registration Commission on Thursday fired its executive director after placing her on leave without explanation in mid-January.
The firm of McGuireWoods announced Monday that former Sen. Evan Bayh would be a partner and strategic advisor to domestic and international clients on public policy matters.
Top executives from WellPoint Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. are meeting almost monthly with their counterparts from Aetna Inc., Cigna Corp. and Humana Inc. in an informal lobbying alliance aimed at blunting parts of the health-care law, say sources with knowledge of the sessions.
The Indiana Lobby Registration Commission placed Executive Director and general counsel Sarah Nagy on paid leave Monday, the day before a busy filing day for the state's lobbyists.
When the Indiana General Assembly reconvened earlier this month, legislators were greeted by a huge cadre of lobbyists all wanting the same thing: their attention and support for whatever issue the lobbyist is pushing.
Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. spent $1.1 million lobbying the federal government in the third quarter, as it focused on several issues tied to the health care overhaul Congress passed in March.
