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Breach exposes information of 200,000+ Hoosier Medicaid members
The personal health information of more than 200,000 Hoosiers on Medicaid may have been exposed in a global software breach in late May, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced Friday. That includes the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, gender, medical conditions, diagnoses, medications, allergies, health conditions, member IDs and […]
Hospitals close-lipped on post-rape abortion policies
Indiana’s largest hospital systems are opaque on their policies for post-rape abortions — or flatly deny the prospect as “elective” — drawing into question the effectiveness of the rape exemption written into the state’s newly effective abortion ban. Hoosiers seeking abortions after rape can legally access the procedure at hospitals up to 10 weeks post-fertilization. […]
Delta-8 in dispute: following attorney general’s guidance, industry files suit
Matt Wall estimates that he’s got a month left in business. He owns Wall’s Organics, a retailer of delta-8 and other hemp-derived products that, until this year, had encountered “no problems” legally. That was until August 4, when Evansville Police Officer Nathan Hassler entered one of Wall’s four stores and told him to get such […]
Utility regulator staffer to work as industry lobbyist
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s chief of staff will soon leave the agency to lobby for an electric utility group. Ryan Heater has served as the powerful regulator’s staff chief since 2019, but he’ll soon head to Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) to be the group’s vice president of government relations. “It has been a privilege […]
Experts carefully optimistic about state’s fiscal footing as lawmakers look to cut taxes
Indiana’s budget chiefs offered a measured sense of optimism on the state’s finances at a potentially transformational task force’s first meeting — as Republican-aligned speakers pushed for big moves on taxes and Democrat lawmakers expressed frustration with the group’s structure. The Interim State and Local Tax Review Task Force will examine Indiana’s corporate tax, individual […]
AG Rokita leads tenants protection movement with mixed results
Indiana’s long-struggling tenants protection movement counts an unlikely potential champion among its ranks: Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, who’s led multiple legal battles on behalf of “severely mistreated” renters, with mixed results. Republican state lawmakers have long resisted taking up legislation strengthening tenants’ legal rights, making Rokita an outlier at the state level — but […]
Holcomb nominates consultant Anne Hathaway as state GOP chief
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has put forth consultant Anne Hathaway as the state Republican Party’s next chair — although the party’s central committee has final say. Current head Kyle Hupfer said Friday that he’s stepping down, but only when his successor’s in place. Hathaway would be the first woman to run the Indiana Republican Party. […]
Kyle Hupfer to step down as state GOP chair
Indiana Republican Party Chair Kyle Hupfer announced Friday that he’s stepping down from his role leading the state party but will not sit on the sidelines in 2024. “I’ve told folks for a long time that I was going to really care about what’s next for the future of Indiana. … I think the 2024 […]
Multi-agency cooperative to triple Indiana’s wildlife research capacity
Purdue University will host the country’s next — but Indiana’s first — wildlife-focused cooperative research unit, which will tackle the state’s natural resource management needs. “When I went on my first hunting and fishing trips as a young boy growing up in southern Indiana, the world was a different place,” Indiana Department of Natural Resources […]
Pence defends Georgia election after Trump indictment, announces states’ rights plan
Former Vice President Mike Pence defended Georgia’s elections in a speech Wednesday morning — days after former president Donald Trump was indicted in that state — even as he denounced what he framed as politically motivated attacks on his former boss. “Despite what the former president and his allies have said … the Georgia election […]
Indiana has paid out $1 million in restitution to eight wrongfully incarcerated people
Harold Buntin spent 13 years in prison for a rape and robbery he didn’t commit. In February — 37 years after his false conviction — the state of Indiana agreed to pay him more than half a million dollars in restitution for his trouble. Buntin is one of 10 people to whom the state owes […]
Tax task force with transformational potential to hold first meeting
A new two-year tax-focused task force, authorized during Indiana’s most recent legislative session, is set to hold its first meeting next week. Lawmakers hope to use its findings to overhaul or even ditch some taxes. “Fiscally conservative leadership at the Statehouse has continued to improve Indiana’s economic situation,” Sen. Travis Holdman, the legislation‘s author, said […]