Married lesbian couples seek birth certificate equality
Lesbian couples in Indiana are learning the fight for state recognition did not stop with the legalization of same-sex marriage. The battle now has moved to parenthood.
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Expunged criminal records still may show up and might be required in some cases
If you’ve stayed out of trouble for the required number of years, Indiana’s expungement statute will erase your criminal record and give you a clean slate. (Individual results may vary.)
Coalition pushes for hate crime legislation
Indiana is one of five states without a hate crime law on the books.
Marion County judicial selection now in lawmakers’ lap
A federal appeals court rocked the Marion County court system last fall when it quashed its unusual judicial election process, saying it burdened the right to cast a meaningful vote. Now the court’s fate is in the hands of lawmakers, who will get a crack at replacing the election system the federal judges ruled unconstitutional.
Adoption records, gun licensing reform bills to be heard this week
Hoosier adoptees will make a new push for access to their birth records, beginning with a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.
Terror-related arrests in 2 states refuel refugee debate
Two Iraqi-born men who came to the United States as refugees have been arrested on terrorism-related charges by federal authorities who allege one traveled to Syria to fight with terrorists in the civil war and the other provided support to the Islamic State group.
Obama vetoes bill to repeal signature health care law
President Barack Obama has vetoed legislation to repeal his signature health care law.
Senate bill would protect sexual orientation, punt on gender identity
A Republican state senator’s answer to the debate over gay rights and religious freedom would protect gay, lesbian and bisexual Hoosiers from employment, housing and public accommodations discrimination but would exclude transgender people and punt the debate on their issues until next year.
State Department watchdog finds ‘inaccurate’ response to Clinton email questions
A report released Thursday by the State Department's Inspector General found the department provided inaccurate responses in 2012 to inquiries about then-Secretary Hillary Clinton's email practices.
Indiana BMV fees overhaul proposed after overcharging woes
Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles would see its fee structure simplified under a bill presented Wednesday to legislators following an audit last year that found the agency had overcharged motorists more than $60 million since 2013.
New bid planned to end Indiana’s Sunday alcohol sales ban
A new attempt could be coming to end Indiana's eight decades-old ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales.
House vote to send health law repeal to Obama for first time
After dozens of failed attempts to undo President Barack Obama's health care law, the GOP-led Congress will finally put a bill on the president's desk Wednesday striking at the heart of his signature legislative achievement.
Bill proposes increasing med-mal cap by $400,000
The maximum award for medical malpractice would increase by $400,000 under legislation proposed after a study committee last year examined Indiana’s caps. Caps on damages were last raised 17 years ago and have been increased just twice in 40 years.
Coalition advocating for hate crime legislation
A coalition of religious and civic organizations has already started pushing the Indiana General Assembly to pass hate crime legislation that includes language covering sexual orientation and gender identity.
Obama says expanding gun background checks no threat to rights
President Barack Obama said expanding background checks to cover more firearms transactions won’t trample on the right of Americans to own guns or lead to confiscation of weapons, as he made an emotional pitch for a package of executive actions intended to stem gun violence.
Pence agenda addresses ISTEP impact, not LGBT rights
Gov. Mike Pence called for lawmakers to pass legislation decreasing Indiana's reliance on 2015 ISTEP standardized test scores but made no mention of adding LGBT civil rights protections into state law when he released his agenda for the coming legislative session.
Bill eases law on alcohol offenders obtaining gun permits
Indiana lawmakers will consider a plan to lift state restrictions on alcohol offenders obtaining handgun licenses.
US sues VW over emissions-cheating software in diesel cars
Federal authorities are suing Volkswagen over emissions-cheating software found in nearly 600,000 vehicles sold in the United States.
Vaping industry sues state over new regulations
The advocacy group that represents Indiana’s vaping and electronic cigarette industry is suing the state, claiming new safety regulations are unconstitutional.
Mike Oxley, congressman behind anti-fraud law, dies at 71
Mike Oxley, the former U.S. congressman who co-sponsored the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act requiring corporate executives to vouch for company financials in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom accounting scandals, has died at age 71.