Indiana Senate sets up crucial Thursday vote on redistricting bill
Democratic amendments failed Wednesday as Republicans prepare for a tight, final vote on the contentious remap.
Democratic amendments failed Wednesday as Republicans prepare for a tight, final vote on the contentious remap.
Critics of redistricting, including former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, say the city’s interests aren’t likely to be a top priority for elected officials in the proposed new congressional districts.
The Senate Elections Committee approved the measure after a six-hour public hearing on the bill that was largely dedicated to public testimony.
As Indiana legislators debate redistricting, dozens of other bills have been filed. Here’s what stands out.
State Sen. Kyle Walker announced his redistricting opposition last month despite his close ties with a leader of a pro-redistricting group.
Indiana House Democrats on Monday decried the drafted maps as an “egregious gerrymander” and attempted multiple procedural maneuvers to prevent the legislative session from starting.
The map, posted to the House Republicans’ website Monday morning, significantly alters many of the state’s nine congressional districts to favor Republicans.
During a video news conference Tuesday afternoon, House Minority Leader GiaQuinta pointed to a House rule that requires the agreement of both the speaker and minority leader for meeting times to be changed.
Who controls the session’s length, agenda and existence once called has been debated since Indiana’s first constitutional convention in 1816, again in 1850 and in a 2022 Indiana Supreme Court case.
Votes in the Senate and House on Tuesday set Jan. 5 as the date lawmakers will start the new legislative session—not Dec. 1, as previously planned, to discuss redrawing congressional maps.
Republican Indiana legislative leaders avoided taking questions Monday about the political pressure they are facing from President Donald Trump over congressional redistricting, while the governor accused GOP senators of “hiding behind closed doors.”
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, President Trump attacked Indiana state senators who declined to consider redistricting and said Braun “perhaps is not working the way he should” to round up support.
Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced Friday that there are not enough votes in his chamber to move forward with redistricting efforts next month, as previously planned.
The approach is devoid of reason or fair play: “They cheated, so we have to cheat.”
The anti-tax Club for Growth is trying again to turn up the pressure on Indiana’s Republican legislators to support a new round of congressional redistricting.
State Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, is the 13th Senate Republican to signal support for new maps.
Lawmakers and advocates called mid-decade redistricting a moral and civil rights issue.
House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Roderic Bray announced Monday that rather than hold a special session, the Indiana Legislature will convene for an early start to its regular session.
Per Indiana Code, legislators have up to 40 calendar days to conduct business in a special session.
That evaluation from Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray’s office comes as the White House has stepped up its pressure campaign on Indiana lawmakers.