A look at key issues during Indiana’s legislative session
The Indiana General Assembly concluded the year’s regular session early Friday. Here are some key issues debated during the nearly four-month session.
Education
Articles
Indiana bill could make book banning in schools easier
Indiana lawmakers on Thursday gave their final approval to a bill that could make it easier to ban books from public school libraries.
School funding worries lead to late Indiana budget boost
Republican legislators pushed through a new state budget plan early Friday that greatly expands eligibility for Indiana’s private school voucher program after they added money for traditional schools.
Fort Wayne schools sue top social media companies for alleged harm to students’ mental health
Fort Wayne Community Schools has filed a public nuisance lawsuit against the world’s top social media platforms, claiming their apps are harming students’ mental health.
Supreme Court rules for deaf student in education case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday for a deaf student who sued his public school system for providing an inadequate education. The case is significant for other disabled students who allege they were failed by school officials.
Attorney general finds Indianapolis Public Schools did not violate $1 law
Indianapolis Public Schools did not violate a controversial state law that requires school districts to offer unused classroom buildings to charter schools for $1, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office concluded Tuesday.
Indiana considers cutting legal defense for school libraries
Indiana state lawmakers advanced a measure Wednesday to strip legal protections for school libraries if their educators are accused of assigning texts harmful to students.
State lawmakers revive effort to require partisan school board elections
Indiana lawmakers are trying again to pass a Republican-backed proposal to make school board elections partisan despite opposition from school board members and education advocates from across the state.
Indiana House GOP ‘exploring options’ to postpone school tax referendums, including for IPS
Indiana House Republicans are mulling legislation to delay local referendums to increase school property taxes until the fall election, a move that could have major implications for a rebuilding plan for Indianapolis Public Schools.
Feds propose ‘student loan safety net’ alongside forgiveness
The White House is moving forward with a proposal that would lower student debt payments for millions of Americans now and in the future, offering a new route to repay federal loans under far more generous terms.
Indiana lawmakers return for session of spending decisions
Indiana lawmakers return Monday to the Statehouse for the start of this year’s legislative session with a large budget surplus and a long list of big-ticket spending wishes to sort through.
In budget request, Holcomb doubles down on economic development strategy
Hoping to capitalize on a record-breaking year of $22.2 billion in committed capital investment, Gov. Eric Holcomb laid out an economic development agenda Wednesday that includes increased funding to buy land, close deals and improve the state’s workforce while attracting more jobs and employers to Indiana.
Curriculum, pre-K, culture bills among education priorities for state lawmakers
Changes to K-12 curriculum, increased access to early-childhood education and a response to Indiana’s ongoing teacher shortage are top-of-mind issues for Indiana lawmakers as the 2023 legislative session nears.
Faculty: Purdue Northwest CEO must resign for racist remarks
The faculty senate of Purdue University Northwest is demanding the resignation of CEO and Chancellor Thomas Keon after he mocked Asian languages during commencement.
Teacher’s aide loses 1st Amendment case after being fired for social media comment
A teaching aide who lost her job after posting misinformation about a school leadership program on Facebook has also lost her bid for summary judgment in her federal lawsuit against the school corporation.
Hoosier attorneys’ challenge to loan forgiveness program put on hold at 7th Circuit
The lawsuit filed by a pair of Hoosier attorneys against the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program has been put in neutral by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals pending the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s review of the issue.
We the People state competition starts in Indianapolis
Middle and high school students from across the Hoosier State are in Indianapolis Monday and Tuesday for the 2022 Indiana We the People state finals.
Indiana Chamber, state lawmakers lay out legislative priorities
Lowering health care costs, improving child care access, attracting and retaining talented employees, and creating a state energy plan are among the top priorities of business leaders as Indiana lawmakers prepare to return to the Statehouse next year.
Alex Jones ordered to pay $965 million for Sandy Hook lies
Jurors ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Wednesday to pay nearly $1 billion to Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims’ relatives and an FBI agent.
Payne-Elliott decides to end litigation against Indianapolis Archdiocese
Joshua Payne-Elliott, the former Cathedral High School teacher who sued the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis after he lost his job for being in a same-sex marriage, has decided to end his litigation.