Indiana report says abortions dropped 5% in state last year
The number of abortions performed in Indiana fell by about 5% last year, according to a new state health department report.
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SCOTUS remands 2 Indiana abortion cases, won’t hear ‘buffer zone’ challenges
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday remanded to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals two lawsuits challenging Indiana laws restricting abortions, leaving undisturbed for now lower court rulings striking down state laws that would have required stricter ultrasound measures and parental notification for mature minors.
New state laws ban drivers holding phones, hike marriage age
Using a handheld cellphone while driving will become illegal on Indiana roads under a new state law taking effect Wednesday.
Justices grant expungement petition that led to change in law
Confusion over prolonged expungement wait times that Indiana’s longest-serving judge called “unjust” was settled Wednesday when the Indiana Supreme Court declared a new law that eliminated the confusion applies retroactively.
New laws for 2020
The Indiana General Assembly passed laws this year on matters ranging from increasing the smoking and vaping age to laws banning distracted driving, specifically prohibiting the use of a cellphone behind the wheel. The following enrolled acts, followed in parentheses by their corresponding public law numbers, take effect July 1 unless otherwise noted.
Death penalty ‘secrecy statute’ now in hands of justices
It’s now year six of an ongoing battle between the Indiana Department of Correction and a Washington, D.C., lawyer who wants to know the drugs used in Indiana’s lethal injection cocktail and who supplies them. In those six years, a public records request, a lawsuit and a legislative change have propelled the dispute to the Indiana Supreme Court, which now has a consequential ruling in its hands.
Death penalty ‘secrecy statute’ goes before Indiana Supreme Court
The longstanding dispute over whether the Indiana Department of Correction can keep the identities of its lethal-injection drug suppliers secret reached the Indiana Supreme Court this week, with the parties offering strongly divergent views on Hoosier public access laws and constitutional rights.
Gaming Commission approves Terre Haute casino license
The cards have been dealt, and Terre Haute is getting a casino. The Indiana Gaming Commission on Friday awarded a casino license to Spectacle Jack LLC, which plans to build a $120 million casino near Interstate 70 and State Road 46 in Terre Haute.
Trump, Congress near deal on small business, hospital aid
The Trump administration and Congress are trudging toward an agreement on an aid package of more than $450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.
Legislation on summonses revisited amid pandemic
Legislation that would have favored summons over jail time for low-level misdemeanors didn’t pass the Indiana Senate, but in light of COVID-19 restrictions, the Indiana Supreme Court urged trial courts to take a similar approach. Local law enforcement seems to be following suit to keep inmates at low risk for exposure.
Opposition to rental bill prompts veto from Holcomb
Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed a measure opposed by fair housing advocates that would have limited local controls over landlord-tenant matters. Holcomb said the language was “overly broad” and, in a reference to the ongoing pandemic, this was “not the right time” for such a law.
New law mandates Indiana schools test for lead contamination
Drinking water fountains and taps at public and private schools in Indiana will be required to be tested for lead contamination by 2023 under a new state law.
House passes $2.2T rescue package, rushes it to Trump
Acting swiftly in an extraordinary time, the House rushed President Donald Trump a $2.2 trillion rescue package Friday, tossing a life preserver to a U.S. economy and health care system left flailing by the coronavirus pandemic.
Holcomb vetoes controversial landlord-tenant legislation
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has vetoed a controversial bill that would have prevented local governments from regulating any aspect of landlord-tenant relationships.
Washington agrees on unrivaled $2 trillion virus rescue bill
The White House and Senate leaders announced agreement Wednesday on an unparalleled, $2 trillion emergency bill to rush aid to businesses, workers and a health care system slammed by the coronavirus pandemic, the largest economic rescue bill in history.
Holcomb signs bills standardizing small claims cap, indigency
New court-related legislation has been signed into law in Indiana, giving judges guidance on indigency determinations and setting the statewide cap for small claims dispute awards at $8,000.
Sen. Rand Paul tests positive for virus, forcing quarantines
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first case of COVID-19 in the Senate and raising fears about the further transmission of the virus among Republicans at the Capitol. The deveoplment came as the Senate wrangled overnight Sunday to agree to an emergency economic stimulus package.
Evictions, foreclosures stalled, but housing worries continue
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order Thursday that protects Hoosiers from being evicted or foreclosed on during the pandemic, but housing advocates are still pushing for a veto of legislation they say could force low-income families from their homes when the moratorium is lifted.
Holcomb signs bill eliminating expungement wait time issue
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday signed into law a measure eliminating confusion in the courts and establishing that the waiting period to obtain an expungement begins on the date a felony conviction is entered and does not start anew if that conviction is later reduced to a misdemeanor.
Holcomb signs bills related to health care, distracted driving
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed 84 bills Wednesday, including some that aimed to tackle health care costs, distracted driving and regional development.