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Lawmakers hear, but don’t vote on, bill decriminalizing marijuana
A bill decriminalizing the possession of two ounces, or less, of marijuana received a hearing before a House committee Wednesday but isn’t expected to get additional consideration. Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, chairs the House courts committee and said the dialogue needed to be heard but didn’t call a vote on the bill — which would […]
Lawmakers advance ‘buffer zone’ and tax task force bills
The Indiana House on Tuesday approved a bill creating a 25-foot buffer zone around law enforcement officers that bystanders can’t cross. “This is an officer safety measure that will give Indiana police officers the necessary reactionary gap to protect themselves and the public from harm,” author Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, said on the floor. But […]
Traditional poverty calculation doesn’t capture all of Indiana’s struggling families
A new report finds that poverty, or inadequate income to meet a household’s basic needs, is much higher and more extensive in Indiana than official counts would suggest — particularly among working, single mothers of color. The Overlooked and Undercounted report commissioned by the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute analyzed how wages failed to keep […]
TIF districts get more scrutiny under House bill
The popular economic development tool used by Hoosier cities and counties, known commonly as TIF districts, will face additional scrutiny under a proposal from Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield. “We’re trying to have some transparency,” Cherry said during a committee hearing on Monday. “We don’t want to hurt TIF but we want to make sure it’s […]
Rokita joins multi-state ATF lawsuit
Attorney General Todd Rokita joined a multi-state lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), claiming a recent rule change infringes on Hoosiers’ gun rights. The federal agency amended rules in January for stabilizing braces and how their use meshes with the classification of a firearm as a rifle or short-barrel rifle. […]
First Lady to visit Valparaiso Ivy Tech
First Lady Jill Biden, a longtime advocate for community colleges, will visit the Hoosiers State next week. The event is part of a Biden Administration tour promoting community colleges as an affordable higher education option for good-paying jobs. Jill Biden will visit Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso on Friday, February 17 after visiting Mesa […]
GOP advances ‘parental rights’ bill targeting DCS policies for transgender children
A House committee voted to advance a bill Thursday enshrining parental rights and protecting parents who don’t support their transgender children from allegations of abuse. It is the latest example of transgender legislation sweeping the nation in Republican-led states. Bill author Rep. Dale DeVon, R-Granger, said the bill wouldn’t permit actual abuse, but would bar […]
Lawmakers wade into state budget discussion
Lawmakers got a taste of ongoing state budget discussions Thursday, with a five-hour committee hearing highlighting the state’s shortfall on mental health and home health services as well as its investment in K-12 education. It was the first public testimony on House Bill 1001, which contains the two-year budget. It currently is Gov. Eric Holcomb’s […]
Senators pass ‘site of service’ bill with reservations
A bill dictating payments for certain health services based on location — or site of service — cleared a Senate health committee Wednesday, though nearly every senator voiced concerns with the bill. Senate Bill 6 passed 8-4 with bipartisan votes on both sides, but at least five of the ‘yes’ votes expressed reservations about the […]
Indiana senators consider bill that would criminalize protesting outside of private homes
Indiana lawmakers are trying to find the line between protecting privacy in Hoosiers’ homes while respecting the First Amendment right to free speech and assembly. Senate Bill 348 would create a new crime — residential harassment — if someone pickets or protests outside a person’s dwelling. It would require an intent to harass and be […]
Birth-control and housing bills pass chambers
Welcome to Wednesday’s legislative roundup, with lawmakers approving several key bills Tuesday, from housing and education to contraceptives and taxes. The House kicked it off with a 91-5 vote to advance House Bill 1005, which establishes a revolving loan fund meant to help municipalities cover housing-related development costs. Bill author Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, said […]
Housing, education bills among key measures passed Tuesday
Welcome to Wednesday’s legislative roundup, with lawmakers approving several key bills Tuesday, from housing and education to contraceptives and taxes. The House kicked it off with a 91-5 vote to advance House Bill 1005, which establishes a revolving loan fund meant to help municipalities cover housing-related development costs. Bill author Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, said […]