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Committee deadline fatal for many bills
Indiana’s House and Senate both face committee deadlines this week, so any bill that doesn’t advance to the respective chamber is dead for the year. The House committee deadline passed on Tuesday, meaning that several Senate bills didn’t get the green light from the House this year. The Senate committee deadline is Thursday but, according […]
Lawmakers curb cold alcohol sales; non-compete bill moves
The General Assembly advanced numerous proposals Tuesday: from barring certain sales of cold alcoholic beverages and limiting physician non-compete agreements to increasing access to birth control. The House passed its committee reading deadline Tuesday and the Senate quickly approaches their deadline to move bills, marking the final days for bills to either pass or die […]
Rokita argues to reopen Bernard lawsuit so he can “correct” judge’s ruling he violated Indiana law
Legal counsel for Indiana Attorney Todd Rokita maintained in Marion County Circuit Court Tuesday that a lawsuit filed by Indianapolis OB-GYN Dr. Caitlin Bernard should be reopened, allowing Rokita to challenge and correct “errors” in a previous ruling. His attorney argued that Rokita “suffers prejudice” from an earlier judge’s “erroneous” and “unnecessary conclusion” that the […]
Lawmakers seek to require “science of reading” in all Indiana schools to improve literacy rates
Determined to enact legislation that helps improve students’ lagging reading skills, Indiana lawmakers are throwing support behind a bill to require “science of reading” curricula in Hoosier schools. The reading method incorporates phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education experts say it gives students the skills to “decode” any word they don’t recognize. The […]
Indiana House committee abandons contentious library materials amendment — for now
A hotly-debated amendment that sought to ban materials deemed “harmful to minors” in school and public libraries stalled Monday, following hours of opposition testimony the week prior. The House Education Committee did not vote on the amendment on Monday. Instead, lawmakers voted 12-0 to send the watered down bill, which deals with graduation rates, to […]
From pesticide to coal ash, lawmakers want more control
Indiana lawmakers want to give the General Assembly more power over decisions that are currently left to state agencies — a move that some advocates say would put Hoosiers’ health and environment in jeopardy. Major provisions in the latest draft of House Bill 1623 would change the way state agencies adopt regulations that implement state […]
Senate strikes parental consent requirement from bill targeting student pronouns in schools
A controversial “parental rights” bill was pared down by Indiana senators on Thursday to remove a provision that would have required schools get consent from parents if a student requests to change their name or pronouns. The amended version of House Bill 1608 now stipulates that parents only must be notified within five business days […]
Indiana lawmakers debate bill allowing parents to challenge “obscene and harmful” library materials
A bill that seeks to ban materials deemed “harmful to minors” in school and public libraries drew sharp debate Wednesday at the Indiana Statehouse, especially from librarians, who argued that such a policy would open them up to criminal charges and create a “chilling effect” on book selections. Beneath the surface of the discourse is […]
Indiana officials emphasize “child abuse is preventable” at April kickoff event
The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) on Tuesday kicked off Child Abuse Prevention Month at the Statehouse, calling for more statewide collaboration to increase safety for Hoosier kids. “This is a month where we call on every Hoosier to do their part in making sure Indiana has healthy, strong and supported families,” Gov. Eric […]
Indiana governor says bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors is “clear as mud”
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Tuesday he’s nearing a decision on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, though he has yet to say definitively where he stands on the matter. The Republican governor faces a Wednesday deadline to act on Senate Bill 480. He can sign the bill, veto it — with […]
Four attorneys assigned to abortion-related litigation resign from Indiana AG’s office
With key hearings scheduled in licensing and civil litigation against Indianapolis OB-GYN Dr. Caitlin Bernard this month, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office will be down four attorneys who worked on the case but have now resigned. Three of the four were section chiefs for Attorney General Todd Rokita. The Indiana Auditor’s Office — which is […]
Indiana Senate advances license plate speed camera pilot despite Republican pushback
The Indiana Senate voted 31-17 Monday to allow the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to use license plate cameras to enforce speed limits in highway work zones. Republican state lawmakers were divided over the measure, however, with some arguing that such “Big Brother” technology amounts to government overreach and could lead to later legislation allowing […]