Ending Indiana gun carry permits could cost police $3.5 million
Indiana legislators would face coming up with $3.5 million a year for local police agencies if they repeal the state law requiring a permit to carry a handgun in public.
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Indiana panel OKs bill that sets statewide standards on renewable energy projects
A bill that would set statewide standards for large wind and solar projects in Indiana passed a House committee on Wednesday morning, following a passionate debate between renewable energy advocates and a group of residents and local officials who said the bill would take away local control.
House amends COVID liability bill, prepares for final vote
Legislation to provide businesses and individuals with protection from COVID-related civil liability is getting closer to the governor’s desk, with the Indiana House amending the bill and setting it up for a final House vote Thursday.
Indiana Senate passes bill to require FAFSA submission
A bill that would require students at public schools to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid advanced to the Indiana House after lawmakers approved the measure in a Senate vote Tuesday.
Indiana House panel OKs bill recognizing tribal court orders
For the second year in a row, the Indiana House Judiciary Committee has endorsed legislation to extend full faith and credit to tribal orders issued in Indiana by the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Indians.
House panel advances pregnancy accommodations bill with virtually no mandates
Indiana lawmakers are moving forward with a pregnancy accommodations bill that won’t require businesses to make any adjustments for workers. Some legislators advocated for a measure that they said would offer pregnant workers more meaningful protections.
Juvenile justice bill supported by Indiana advocates advances
A coalition of state and national organizations are putting their support behind a juvenile justice bill in the Indiana Legislature that they say will bring much-needed reform and prevent the state from losing federal money. The measure advanced to the full Senate on Tuesday.
Legislature overrides Holcomb veto of housing measure
Nearing the mid-point of the 2021 legislative session, the Indiana Senate overrode Gov. Eric Holcomb’s veto of a bill that housing advocates claimed would put more Hoosier tenants at risk of eviction. Democrats harshly criticized the override as the work of a Republican supermajority “drunk on power.”
Bill giving adult guardians authority over final dispositions advances, but with concerns
A bill that would give adult guardians a say in the final disposition of their wards is headed to the full Senate, but a narrow vote in committee likely means the legislation will see further amendments.
Lawmakers reject no-excuse absentee voting, other election amendments
At least 13 bills dealing with election and voting have been introduced into the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly, but only three have received a hearing and none are addressing calls by Democrats for expanded absentee voting and easier access to early voting.
Indiana lawmakers propose using cigarette tax for Medicaid
A House committee made significant changes Thursday to the way Indiana would spend proceeds from a proposal to hike the state’s cigarette tax https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/indiana-lawmakers-discuss-doubling-cigarette-tax-rate for the first time in more than a decade and impose a new state tax on vaping liquids.
Bill removing lawyers from Lake, St. Joseph judicial panels draws more fire
Efforts to amend a bill that would fundamentally change the composition of the judicial nominating commissions in Lake and St. Joseph counties failed in the Indiana House on Tuesday, setting up the controversial legislation for a possible final House vote next week.
State lawmakers consider new emergency session rules
State lawmakers have significantly amended a bill that would give the Legislature the authority to weigh in on policies made during a public emergency. The bill cleared a committee and now heads to the full House for consideration.
Bill would require listing biological parents on birth certificates
A bill in the Legislature could reignite Indiana’s battle over birth certificates and possibly upend federal court rulings that allow married lesbian couples to have both their names listed as their children’s parents. Some attorneys, however, see numerous unintended consequences if the bill passes.
Bill protecting Indiana public monuments advances out of Senate committee
After the protests this summer that led to the destruction or defacement of monuments nationwide, a bill designed to protect Indiana’s historical markers is advancing in the Indiana Legislature.
Indiana Senate backs bill to ban renaming of Indianapolis
A proposal to ban Indianapolis and more than 100 other Indiana cities from ever changing their names has been approved by the state Senate. The proposal also would prohibit the renaming of many other Hoosier cities.
Law enforcement reform bill advances with bipartisan support
A bipartisan bill aimed at increasing police accountability and enacting criminal justice reform advanced to the Indiana Senate after lawmakers unanimously approved the measure in a House vote Tuesday.
Taking a stand for lemonade
A bill in the 2021 Indiana General Assembly would make clear that lemonade stands are legal in the Hoosier state, thanks to two LaPorte boys who wanted to tackle an issue near to their hearts.
Senate bill addresses post-release mental health treatment
A Senate bill requested by the Indiana Department of Correction would provide a way to ensure mental health treatment for inmates upon their release.
The next step: Civil forfeiture reform efforts continue in Indiana
Civil forfeiture is back before the judicial and the legislative branches of Indiana government. A Senate bill would implement forfeiture reforms that practitioners say have long been necessary, while a case scheduled to go before the Indiana Supreme Court this month for the third time could further refine how trial courts consider whether a forfeiture is lawful.