Clemency hearings end for Indiana death row inmate
Whether death row inmate Benjamin Ritchie will be executed on May 20 is now up to the state parole board and Gov. Mike Braun.
Indiana Capital Chronicle
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Indiana crackdown on ‘predatory’ towing to take effect in July
Surveyed commercial carriers logged the most “predatory” towing incidents relative to mileage in Indiana between 2021 and 2023, according to a report by the American Transportation Research Institute.
Indiana death row inmate seeks SCOTUS intervention weeks before scheduled execution
The high court requests are in response to a 2-2 decision handed down late last month by Indiana’s Supreme Court justices, which shut the door on any further legal challenges in state or federal courts.
Indiana elections chief defends voting ban on ‘unsecured’ student IDs after legal challenge
A news release from Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales asserted that the law ends the use of “unsecured” cards “that do not meet uniform security standards.”
ACLU sues governor’s office over change to IU board of trustees
The lawsuit challenges a new budget provision that gives the governor full control over Indiana University’s board of trustees. Previously, three members of the nine-person board were elected by IU alumni and the governor appointed the others.
Five news outlets file lawsuit to open executions to press
Indiana is one of only two states with a death penalty law that doesn’t provide for media witnesses.
‘I am so sorry’: Clemency hearings begin for Indiana death row inmate Benjamin Ritchie
Indiana death row inmate Benjamin Ritchie expressed remorse and shed tears as he pleaded Monday for the state’s parole board to spare his life.
County resistance plagues Indiana renewable push
Seventy-two of 92 counties have moratoriums or bans on renewable energy installations, according to legislative energy head Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso. Several attempts this year to intervene against blockages died, but lawmakers are starting to recognize the need for diversification.
Indiana lawmaker files disciplinary action against state’s attorney general
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s claims about a sitting lawmaker—that she stopped an immigration bill for “personal reasons”—could land him in more legal hot water after she lodged a disciplinary action against him.
IU alumni question board of trustees changes slipped into state budget
A letter signed by 26 former chairs of the Board of Managers for IU’s Alumni Association expressed “alarm and anger” over provisions that take away alumni power to elect some IU trustees.
Braun chides Beckwith for Three-Fifths Compromise comments, defends tax plan
Indiana cabinet members, lawmakers, lobbyists and more gathered Wednesday to celebrate Gov. Mike Braun’s first 100 days in office—but the man of the hour had tough words for his second-in-command.
Indiana Economic Development Foundation releases annual audits at Braun’s demand
The state-affiliated nonprofit averaged more than $2 million in spending annually on travel and more.
Appeals court hears streaming services case where Legislature intervened
At question was whether lawmakers unconstitutionally intervened in 2023 to nullify a lawsuit filed by four Indiana cities seeking to recoup franchise fees from some streaming service providers.
Ex-Indiana congressional candidate gets prison sentence in campaign finance fraud case
Former Indiana Congressional candidate Gabriel “Gabe” Whitley admittedly falsified campaign finance records and lied about raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions ahead of the May 2024 primary.
A ‘great move,’ or revisionist history? Indiana’s Beckwith sparks Three-Fifths Compromise debate
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s defense of the Three-Fifths Compromise — which he called “a great move” by the country’s founders toward ending slavery — has triggered sharp pushback from historians and civil rights groups.
Here’s what died – and got dropped in – during the final hours of the Indiana legislative session
Controversial language targeting homeless Hoosiers, regulating marijuana-like products and cracking down on illicit massage parlors perished late Thursday — even as Indiana lawmakers crammed changes to a new property tax reform package into an unrelated agency bill to end the session.
Disciplinary commission rejects Indiana AG Todd Rokita’s call to dismiss latest ethics complaint
In a 44-page brief, Adrienne Meiring, executive director of the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission, called Rokita’s motion “procedurally improper” and “meritless.”
Final legislative flurry includes bills on health care, absenteeism and school accountability
Thursday alone saw more than two dozen proposals sent to Gov. Mike Braun’s desk, including those dealing with education “deregulation,” pharmaceutical pricing and public retiree bonuses.
Last-minute budget addition gives Braun full control over IU board
The nine-member board serves as the governing body for the state’s largest postsecondary institution, overseeing major decisions related to policy, finances and leadership appointments.
Partisan school board bill narrowly avoids tie vote, goes to governor
Indiana is set to join the handful of states running partisan school board elections after a squeaker of a final vote Thursday—pending a decision from Republican Gov. Mike Braun.