State rallying troops to increase Department of Defense spending in Indiana
Reaching Gov. Eric Holcomb’s goal would entail boosting the amount of federal defense dollars spent in Indiana to at least $10.2 billion in the next five years.
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Bill that creates Indiana’s own voter crosscheck system heads to the full House
An Indiana House committee advanced legislation Thursday that would create a voter registration crosscheck system for the state similar to a widely discredited one in Kansas.
Senate Democrats pushing for more oversight for virtual schools
State lawmakers say it’s not too late to enact legislative “guardrails” that could help prevent virtual schools from spending tax dollars in the future without accountability.
Lawmakers considering central Indiana regionalism legislation
Senate Bill 350 would create a regional development authority framework for central Indiana to allow local officials to work together on significant economic development initiatives. The pilot program would be in place for five years.
Senate passes bill to prevent companies from requiring employees to be microchipped
A bill that would prohibit businesses from using the implantation of some type of tracking or identification device as a condition of employment is headed to the governor.
Indiana panel backs ban on drivers using handheld phones
A state Senate committee voted 8-1 Tuesday to endorse the bill that only permits cellphone use with hands-free or voice-operated technology, except in emergencies.
Indiana pregnancy accommodation proposal unlikely to advance
The proposal would have required Indiana businesses with more than 15 employees to allow pregnant women to take longer breaks, transfer to less physical work and take unpaid time off after childbirth.
Holcomb says he’ll continue to push for workplace accommodations for pregnant women
Republican senators stripped from a bill the requirement that businesses modify jobs for pregnant women who need longer breaks, transfers to less physical work and unpaid time off after childbirth.
Indiana’s school choice voucher program growing statewide
The program has been growing since its inception in 2011, when it was limited to 7,500 students. Last year, 36,290 students around the state utilized vouchers to attend private schools.
Merritt shifts focus to poverty after mayoral run
Sen. Jim Merritt says his run last year for Indianapolis mayor has made him a better senator—one who’s more in touch with his constituents and who has seen the city’s poverty and crime problems firsthand.
Ed Feigenbaum: Two issues threaten to disrupt more mundane work
Each year, one item seems to arise unexpectedly—innocently or intentionally—that seems to consume, as Statehouse denizens observe, all the time and calories.
Medicaid changes could have big state impact
The Trump administration has announced it would allow states to add eligibility requirements, benefit changes and drug-coverage limits, which could limit what the government will spend for certain enrollees.
By avoiding primary, Myers can focus on November gubernatorial election
Dr. Woody Myers’ newly cleared path to the Democratic nomination is a bonus for the Indiana Democratic Party, which will face an uphill battle if it’s going to seriously challenge Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Tech exec Owens drops bid for governor, endorses Myers
Supply Kick CEO Josh Owens said the move to suspend his campaign—which comes two days before the candidate filing deadline—lets Woody Myers become the party’s presumptive nominee.
Senator drops push to force Indiana marijuana prosecutions
The proposal followed the Indianapolis prosecutor’s new policy of not pressing charges for possessing small amounts of marijuana.
Embattled Rep. Forestal won’t seek re-election; city councilor to seek his House seat
State Rep. Dan Forestal, a Democrat facing charges of drunken driving and impersonating a public servant, said he will not seek re-election so that he can “focus on my mental health.”
State lawmakers send school ‘hold harmless’ bill to governor
Schools won’t be punished for low test scores earned during the first two years of the state’s new ILEARN test—a move by state lawmakers Monday that will render schools’ 2019 and 2020 state grades essentially meaningless.
Report: First month of Illinois pot sales netted nearly $40M
Despite shortages, Illinois residents bought more than $30.6 million in January, while out-of-state visitor sales totaled $8.6 million. Dispensaries sold more than 970,000 products.
Indiana push for pregnant worker protections gets sidelined
The proposal faced opposition from some business groups, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Manufacturers Association.
Indiana House passes bill to slow utilities from shutting down coal plants
The bill’s opponents call the legislation a “coal-bailout bill,” designed to prop up the state’s struggling coal industry just as utilities are preparing to shut down aging coal plants.