Indiana House backs abolishing all township assessor offices
The Indiana House has voted to eliminate the last remaining township assessor offices around the state.
Indiana General Assembly
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Holcomb says again wait a year on teacher pay boost
Indiana’s governor on Tuesday outlined to state legislators how to free up tens of millions of dollars to boost teacher pay but said he didn’t want them to act on it until next year.
Indiana House backs no test scores in teacher evaluations
Schools would no longer be required to use student standardized test scores in teacher evaluations under a bill approved by the Indiana House.
Indiana House passes $291M surplus spending bill
The Indiana House has approved a spending bill that uses $291 million in surplus dollars to pay for several capital projects at higher education institutions with cash instead of issuing debt.
Special prosecutor sought in attack after bus fatality sentence
A special prosecutor should be appointed to determine whether a northern Indiana woman will be charged in an attack on a woman who had just been sentenced in a crash that killed her three children at a school bus stop, county prosecutors said. Fulton County prosecutors asked a judge in a filing Thursday to appoint a special prosecutor, saying they cannot be unbiased in deciding whether Brittany Ingle should be charged in the Dec. 18 attack on Alyssa Shepherd.
Indiana redistricting critics keeping up push for changes
Critics of how Indiana politicians dice up the state for congressional and legislative districts know they are running out of time for changing that process with the once-a-decade U.S. census less than three months away.
Justices hear Holcomb v. Bloomington annexation appeal
Arguments were heard Thursday before the state’s highest court in an annexation dispute between the City of Bloomington and the Indiana Governor’s Office, with the city defending its award of summary judgment and Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office arguing for a reversal.
Rush to present 2020 State of the Judiciary Wednesday
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush next week will present the 2020 State of the Judiciary, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Friday.
Indiana may toughen retailer penalties with 21 smoking age
Indiana lawmakers are looking to toughen the penalties stores face for selling tobacco products to underaged customers as they raise the state’s minimum age for smoking and vaping from 18 to 21 to conform with the new federal law.
Indiana governor changes stance on teacher pay action
Indiana’s governor opened the door Monday to potentially boosting school funding and teacher pay after weeks of refuting any plans on such action until next year.
Bloomington annexation case heads to Supreme Court
A battle over a voided annexation ordinance between Bloomington and the Indiana Governor’s Office will continue this week when the Indiana Supreme Court hears oral arguments.
Redistricting reform advocates pushing for transparency
Redistricting reform advocates are taking a slightly different approach at the Republican-controlled Indiana Legislature this year, as they make more transparency the priority ahead of lines being redrawn in 2021.
Indiana GOP holding off teacher pay action in 2020 session
Members of the Republican-dominated General Assembly return Monday to the Statehouse in Indianapolis for their 2020 session, during which they will face continued calls from teacher unions and Democrats for better teacher pay and less reliance on standardized student test scores for evaluation of schools and educators.
Report blames 65 Indiana child deaths on abuse or neglect
A new report shows that 65 Indiana children died from abuse or neglect during 2018, the same number as its last year-long review. The Indiana Department of Child Services said it investigated 242 child fatalities that happened in 2018, determining 26% of those deaths were from abuse or neglect.
Senator tries again to ban Indiana vouchers over gay firings
A proposal aimed at banning private schools that discriminate against gay employees and students from receiving Indiana voucher program money is being backed by the state’s Republican school superintendent.
Indiana school bus safety program nets nearly 2,700 tickets
Indiana police departments issued nearly 2,700 tickets and 1,400 warnings for unsafe driving around school bus stops and routes during a two-month enforcement program, state officials announced Thursday.
Illinois sees first legal sales of recreational marijuana
The sale of marijuana for recreational purposes became legal Wednesday in Illinois to the delight of pot fans — many who began lining up hours early at dispensaries. Meanwhile, legislative leaders in Indiana remain opposed to marijuana legalization in the Hoosier state.
Indiana asks SCOTUS for ‘urgently needed clarity’ in parental-notice abortion case
Calling on the nation’s highest court to provide “urgently needed clarity” to caselaw governing abortion laws related to minors, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General is asking the Supreme Court to grant certiorari to a case challenging Indiana’s “mature minors” parental notice law.
Civil forfeiture amendments don’t defeat prior forfeiture action, COA says
Legislative amendments to Indiana’s much-debated civil forfeiture scheme did not defeat a pre-existing forfeiture action in state court, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday, finding the amendments did not constitute an ex post facto law.
Despite conflicting statutes, COA affirms juvenile gun adjudication
A juvenile dangerous possession of a firearm adjudication has been upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals despite the finding that state statutes in play in his case are in conflict.