Indiana lawmakers look for better ways to identify students living in poverty
The Indiana General Assembly’s interim study committee on tax and fiscal policy asked for ideas from the public and heard over two hours of testimony on Tuesday.
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Convenience vs. security: The dilemma of digital tickets
Some state lawmakers want to require paper tickets, but event organizers say they can easily be manipulated and duplicated. Digital ticketing reduces fraud, they say.
Indiana Democrat pitches teacher-pay plan, but it could be hard sell
Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, put forward a plan this week to raise teachers’ salaries. Among his proposals: give school districts incentives to set minimum pay at $40,000, and freeze corporate tax rates to pay for it.
UPDATE: Third Democrat joins Indiana governor’s race, with GOP backer
First-term Sen. Eddie Melton of Gary joined the Indiana governor’s race Tuesday night in Gary with an introduction from the state’s Republican schools chief.
Indiana legislators mull installing work zone traffic cameras
Members of the General Assembly’s Interim Study Committee on Transportation will decide later this month whether to officially recommend that Indiana’s Legislature consider making the state the sixth with work zone speed cameras.
Consolidation up for consideration for state education agencies
On Tuesday, an interim committee of lawmakers discussed potentially consolidating the state board of education, governor’s workforce cabinet, and Commission for Higher Education.
Tech exec sees ‘newbie’ status as political asset
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Owens, the 34-year-old CEO of tech firm SupplyKick, has never held elected office. But he doesn’t consider that a bad thing.
Mobile sports betting will launch Oct. 3
The Indiana Gaming Commission has approved the mobile launch for the first operator, French Lick Casino, which is working with Chicago-based Rush Street Interactive to offer retail and online sports wagering.
Holcomb names new head of National Guard after forcing previous leader out
Salem native R. Dale Lyles has spent 32 years in the military, including deployments to Bosnia and Afghanistan.
State lawmaker accused of defamation, slander
The complaint is related to remarks state Rep. Dan Forestal made during the House Elections and Apportionment Committee hearing on Feb. 14 when lawmakers were discussing a bill that would have made changes to the way local primaries are conducted.
Indianapolis to get boost in road funding, but other cities, towns face decrease
The city of Indianapolis is about to get a boost in road funding from the state—at the expense of other cities and towns—after a discrepancy was found in how the formulas for certain taxes had been applied for years.
Tech executive Josh Owens jumping into race for governor
The Shelbyville native has never held elected office, and his only campaign experience was an unsuccessful run for an at-large seat on the Indianapolis Public Schools board in 2014.
Indiana governor concludes trip to Japan, South Korea
Gov. Eric Holcomb spent Tuesday in Tokyo where his meetings included time with executives from Subaru and Honda, both of which have major auto assembly plants in Indiana.
Indiana seeks to keep records sealed in child services cases
Lawyers for Indiana’s Department of Child Services are pushing to seal records in a federal class action lawsuit accusing the child welfare agency of inadequately protecting thousands of children in its care.
Carmel Republican planning election run against Holcomb
Brian Roth, a Carmel resident and president of a consulting and leadership development firm, has filed paperwork to create a committee to run for governor.
Legislative study committee to debate vaping taxes
With vaping on the rise, Indiana lawmakers are set to launch another debate about whether to impose taxes on e-cigarettes and e-liquids like they do on traditional cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products.
Fewer than half of Indiana students meet new state exam standards
Nearly two-thirds of all Indiana students in grades 3-8 did not pass the new state standardized test, called ILEARN, according to results released Wednesday. The latest test scores represent a 13 percentage point drop in the passage rate since last year.
State health department receiving $21M grant to combat drug overdoses
Money will go toward such uses as collecting more timely data on overdoses treated at emergency rooms and enhancing the state’s prescription-monitoring program.
Hoosier Lottery has another record-breaking year
Lottery sales reached $1.34 billion in the latest fiscal year, up from $1.27 billion in the previous year.
Gov. Holcomb kicks off Indiana sports betting with wagers on home teams
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville, Ameristar Casino in East Chicago and Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg opened their sports books Sunday, the first day they were allowed by law.