Bill would criminalize DNA sampling denial during booking on felony charges
The measure was both applauded as a “fix” to an eight-year-old oversight and criticized as infringing on “genetic privacy.”
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State settles with anti-abortion group; will release terminated pregnancy reports
The Indiana Department of Health will release the individual reports filed on every abortion but with redactions to protect patient identity.
Despite pushback, lawmakers advance bill to double inspections of Indiana’s confined animal farms
A bill to increase inspections of confined livestock farms advanced Monday despite pushback from multiple Indiana farming groups who argued that additional oversight requirements will come at a cost to producers.
Governor’s cabinet secretaries near top of state pay with $275K salaries
The eight cabinet secretaries serving under Gov. Mike Braun will be some of the highest-paid employees in the state — with each taking home $275,000 for their new positions. Five of the secretaries will also directly lead an agency, though all oversee several agencies under the newly crafted cabinet structure.
Legislative leaders talk post-moratorium gambling expansions, more bills reach halfway point
Just six months after a former Indiana lawmaker was sentenced to a year in federal prison for gambling-related corruption, industry expansion proposals are moving through the Legislature.
Indiana casino relocation nixed without a vote
After two hours of testimony from roughly three dozen people, a committee chair opted not to advance a proposal to move a casino license from a southeastern Indiana community to a city 160 miles north—an idea that pitted neighbor against neighbor in the casino’s potential new home.
A-F grades set to return for Indiana schools as lawmakers consider new accountability system
After a multi-year hiatus, A-F grades are likely to be used again to measure the quality of Indiana’s schools. The return to a statewide letter grade system is outlined in Republican Rep. Bob Behning’s House Bill 1498, which unanimously passed out of the House Education Committee on Wednesday.
Hospitals take heat during dueling health care hearings
House lawmakers heard two bills on Tuesday that are priority legislation for Republicans, one that would potentially redefine nonprofit hospitals in Indiana and another, six-pronged effort that would make several changes to the health care landscape.
‘Access money you’ve already earned.’ Indiana lawmaker seeks regulations for early wages
With Hoosier employees increasingly using payment tools that let them tap earned wages before a regularly scheduled payday, an Indiana lawmaker is proposing a new framework to regulate the “earned wage access” industry.
Indiana bill would ban state contracts with foreign adversaries, give AG’s office more oversight
House Bill 1032, authored by Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, would double down on restrictions already in effect for investors located in China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela — all countries currently labeled as foreign adversaries in state and federal code.
Elections bill would strike down student IDs as voting option
Some worry the measure will discourage college students from voting and add additional duties to local county voter registration offices.
Indiana bill would expand K-12 curricular material ban to include ‘pornographic material’
As part of an ongoing effort to eradicate “obscene” and “harmful” books or curricular material from Indiana schools, a new bill floated by Republican lawmakers seeks to expand that ban to include “pornographic” content, too.
Indiana House proposal on immigration raises profiling fears
The measure would require local law enforcement to give federal authorities notice when they arrest people who are reasonably believed to be in the country illegally.
Social media ban for Hoosiers under 16 gets Indiana Senate greenlight
A bill prohibiting some Hoosier minors from using social media without their parents’ permission received bipartisan support in the Indiana Senate on Thursday and moved to the House for further consideration.
Indiana Senate committee advances several health care bills
Legislators voted to advance five health care-related bills, including measures banning non-compete agreements for physicians and placing limits on prior authorization.
Anti-DEI bills take heat but pass committee
For four hours on Wednesday, and with tempers flaring throughout, Indiana lawmakers and plenty of constituents debated whether diversity, equity and inclusion efforts combat or constitute discrimination.
Braun signs executive orders on abortion records, health care costs
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday waded into a legal fight over the release of abortion records while signing a health-focused tranche of executive orders.
Black Indiana lawmakers denounce governor’s anti-DEI order, budget proposal
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun last week signed an executive order replacing “diversity, equity and inclusion,” or DEI, throughout state government policies and programming with “merit, excellence and innovation,” or MEI.
Libraries fire back on bill to remove taxing authority
A proposal from Republican Sen. Gary Byrne of Byrnesville would remove taxing authority from library boards and give it to the county.
Indiana Legal Services raises concerns about ‘squatter’ legislation
Some advocates warn Senate Bill 157—which would require police to remove “squatters” within 48 hours—would allow landlords to skip the court, chipping away at tenants’ rights.