Indiana House sees leadership change as session nears end
The top leadership position in the Indiana House changed hands Monday for the first time in a decade in an unusual transition just as this year’s legislative session is about to wrap up.
Law & Politics
Articles
Ex-South Bend officer justified in black man’s killing
A special prosecutor announced Friday that a white former South Bend police officer was justified in the fatal shooting of an African American man last summer and that he won’t be charged in the killing that roiled then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.
Schumer: I ‘should not have used’ critical words on justices
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he “should not have used the words I used” when he declared at a rally in front of the Supreme Court that two justices would “pay the price” for their decision in an abortion case.
Indiana governor backs path for forcing out attorney general
Indiana’s governor is endorsing a proposal that could force the state’s attorney general from office if his law license is suspended over allegations he drunkenly groped a state legislator and three other women.
Justices OK state charges for immigrants who use fake IDs
The Supreme Court made it easier Tuesday for states to prosecute immigrants who use fake Social Security numbers to get a job. The issue for the court was whether states could pursue the immigrants in court or had to leave those choices to the federal government, which typically has authority over immigration.
Roberts chides Schumer for ‘dangerous’ remarks on 2 justices
Chief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday criticized as “inappropriate” and “dangerous” comments that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer made outside the Supreme Court earlier in the day about Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
Supreme Court divided in 1st big abortion case of Trump era
A seemingly divided Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with its first major abortion case of the Trump era, leaving Chief Justice John Roberts as the likely deciding vote.
Indiana lawmakers back dropping tests in teacher evaluations
Indiana legislators have voted to end the mandatory use of student standardized test results in teacher evaluations, dropping a requirement long opposed by teachers.
AG Hill’s ethical, political limbo leaves leaders guessing
The only thing certain in the discipline case against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is uncertainty. That’s the consensus of legislative and political leaders responding to the recommendation that the Republican AG serve a 60-day suspension without automatic reinstatement.
Bont: Baseball, politics and the curveballs of crime and punishment
Much like baseball players, politicians (or political operatives) are making headlines for not playing the game by the rules.
Roughly 1 in 5 current Indiana legislators initially sent to Statehouse by party caucus
From 2017 through 2019, nine legislators exited the Statehouse before their terms expired, requiring the state’s caucus system to ramp up to handle the large number of vacancies and bringing renewed attention to political party processes that choose who will represent voters. At present, 21.3% of Indiana legislators first entered the Statehouse through a caucus election.
Lawmakers to debate bill change that could determine whether AG Hill stays in office
The Republican-controlled Indiana House on Monday afternoon is expected to consider an amendment to a bill that would force Attorney General Curtis Hill out of office if he loses his law license or is suspended from office for 30 days or more.
Supreme Court will decide fate of Obama health care law
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, but the decision is not likely until after the 2020 election.
For a historic high court pick, Dems must think outside box
Joe Biden is dangling a history-making promise shortly before South Carolina’s presidential primary Saturday, the first 2020 contest featuring a majority black electorate. Elect him president, Biden says, and he might nominate the first black woman to the Supreme Court.
Indiana lawmakers agree on tougher tobacco sales penalties
Indiana lawmakers are poised to double the fines stores could face for selling smoking or vaping products to anyone younger than 21 years old.
Domestic battery charges against Lake County official dismissed
Six domestic battery charges have been dismissed against Lake County Recorder Michael B. Brown after his attorneys provided prosecutors with videos showing the alleged victim hitting him in front of children several times and defecating on his personal belongings.
Right to Farm case ends with denial from Indiana Supreme Court
In ultimately denying transfer, a divided Indiana Supreme Court ended a dispute that pitted neighbor against neighbor and raised questions about whether the state’s Right to Farm Act was meant to cover an 8,000-head hog operation in Hendricks County.
Slaughter invites challenges to reviews of agency adjudications
A Fulton County man will not be permitted to build a concrete seawall on his lakefront property after the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously denied transfer to his case. But Justice Geoffrey Slaughter wrote separately to invite legal challenges to the system for adjudicating agency legal disputes like the instant case out of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Indiana teacher gun training plan failing amid opposition
A legislative proposal for requiring annual training for teachers who carry guns inside Indiana schools was scuttled amid a disagreement over whether it infringed on gun rights. The legislation also was opposed by groups advocating for gun control.
New Virginia sentencing law ends high court’s DC sniper case
Lee Boyd Malvo, the Washington, D.C., area sniper, and the state of Virginia agreed Monday to dismiss a pending Supreme Court case after the state changed criminal sentencing law for juveniles.