Author

A native of upstate New York, Whitney previously covered statehouse politics for CNHI’s nine Indiana papers, focusing on long-term healthcare facilities and local government. Prior to her foray into Indiana politics, she worked as a general assignment reporter for The Meridian Star in Meridian, Mississippi. Whitney is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University (#GoBonnies!), a community theater enthusiast and cat mom.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Doden launches ad campaign
By: Whitney Downard - November 17, 2022
Eric Doden, a 2024 candidate for governor of Indiana, has launched an ad campaign just over a week after the midterm election. The moves comes just before U.S. Sen. Mike Braun is expected to announce his decision on whether to run for governor. Several media reports have indicated it could come any day now. Doden, […]
Advocates try again to increase Indiana’s cigarette tax
By: Whitney Downard - November 17, 2022
With the 2023 legislative session around the corner, health advocates continue to push the General Assembly to do more to reduce Indiana’s smoking rate, which costs the state $3.4 billion in healthcare costs annually, by increasing the cigarette tax. Bryan Hannon, the American Cancer Society government relations director for Indiana, emphasized the need to discuss […]
Hoosier Lottery revenues increase following in record-high Powerball
By: Whitney Downard - November 16, 2022
As the Powerball drawing payout climbed to record-breaking numbers in the days preceding last week’s election, state lotteries across the country benefited from a surge in ticket sales, including Indiana’s own Hoosier Lottery. A winner in the $2.04 billion drawing last week hasn’t been identified, though a service station in California reported selling the winning […]
Share of women in State legislative chambers hits record-high of 40
By: Whitney Downard - November 15, 2022
The number of women holding an elected legislative office at the Statehouse in Indiana hit a record high following the outcomes of last week’s elections. Should results hold, a total of 31 women will serve in the House and another nine will work in the Senate. The percentage of women in the General Assembly, 26.7%, […]
State looks for opportunities to reduce overdose deaths
By: Whitney Downard - November 14, 2022
To tamp down on the growing number of opioid overdose deaths, Indiana stakeholders hope to explore ways to intervene earlier by analyzing “touchpoints” between Hoosiers and healthcare or criminal justice systems. For the second year in a row, Indiana hit a record high for the number of overdose deaths, with 2,755 Hoosiers dying in 2021 […]
Revenues exceed forecast again after September lull
By: Whitney Downard - November 10, 2022
Following a September lull in which revenues missed the forecasted amounts for the first time in a year, October’s gains exceeded predictions by $184.7 million, or 12.6%. Revenues for the month totaled $1.7 billion, or $283.5 million (20.7%) higher than October of 2021. The monthly revenue report credited that increase to better-than-expected individual income tax […]
Doctors file for emergency order to block Attorney General Todd Rokita
By: Whitney Downard - November 10, 2022
Two doctors targeted by Attorney General Todd Rokita filed an emergency court order Wednesday to block his office from accessing patient’s medical records, a follow-up to an earlier complaint filed to initiate a lawsuit against Rokita. Dr. Caitlin Bernard told the IndyStar she performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim who couldn’t access care […]
Supermajorities maintained; GOP leadership unchanged in House, Senate
By: Whitney Downard and Casey Smith - November 10, 2022
Senate Republicans picked up a seat while the House GOP appears to have held its advantage pending final tallies — a red victory that maintained supermajorities and led to the re-election of leadership in both chambers Wednesday. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray did have to fend off a challenge for control from Sen. Mark […]
U.S. Supreme Court hears Indiana case on rights of Medicaid beneficiaries
By: Whitney Downard - November 9, 2022
The U.S. Supreme Court heard an Indiana case Tuesday that could determine whether Medicaid beneficiaries can sue in federal court if they believe their rights are being violated or whether the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should make that determination. In the case of Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC) v. […]
Preliminary election results show GOP wins in state House, Senate
By: Whitney Downard - November 8, 2022
The Republican supermajority hold over the House Chamber may grow following election results Tuesday night after two apparent upsets with margins of less than 1%. Republican Kyle Pierce ousted incumbent Democrat Rep. Terri Austin in a nail-biter race, with unofficial results reporting just after 8 p.m. that Pierce won by a margin of 333 votes. […]
How do I vote in Indiana? And other Election Day questions
By: Whitney Downard - November 8, 2022
Today is the last day for Hoosiers to vote in the 2022 midterm elections, and hundreds of thousands have already cast their ballots for their preferred candidates. Every vote counts in a tight election and the Indiana Capital Chronicle has those all detailed for you here. First, interested voters should check their voting status by […]
Continuous Medicaid coverage set to expire with national public health emergency
By: Whitney Downard - November 7, 2022
A “Great Unwinding” of Medicaid coverage could leave hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers without the insurance coverage they continuously kept during the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, recipients are up for renewal annually but the federal government waived that requirement in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. States were directed not to kick anyone off of a government insurance […]