The Indiana Public Defender Commission last month released an analysis of caseloads in Indiana, showing disparities between actual and ideal workloads. That data has led public defense experts to one conclusion: there’s still work to be done to ensure indigent Hoosiers receive quality defense.
Following the growing awareness of police brutality across the country, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is leading the call for policing reform with the group’s chair believing if the General Assembly does not act during the 2021 session, the opportunity for meaningful change will have been lost.
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is urging Gov. Eric Holcomb to call a special session of the Indiana General Assembly to focus on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Hill joins legislative Democrats who have also called for a special session to address the pandemic and potentially other issues.
The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus on Thursday called for state lawmakers to increase accountability and transparency for the state’s police officers.
Indiana’s public schools would be assured of full state funding for the rest of this year under a plan announced by the governor Wednesday to sidestep a warning from a top fellow Republican that schools could face a 15% cut if they didn’t hold in-person classes.
With at least 31 positive cases of the coronavirus reported in Indiana schools since buildings began reopening in late July, district leaders, teachers and parents are pressuring state officials to identify benchmarks for what would require schools to go back online as confirmed cases of the virus increase.
Controversy over Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s statewide mask mandate has spilled over into the race for attorney general, with Democratic candidate Jonathan Weinzapfel accusing Republican candidateTodd Rokita of purposefully declining to stand with the governor.
Gov. Eric Holcomb said Thursday he is confident he has the legal authority to impose a statewide mask mandate, telling reporters after an event in Lafayette that “we do our research before we speak.” His comments came after fellow Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill issued an opinion saying Holcomb lacked the authority to enforce a mask order.
Two of the state senators who asked the attorney general for a legal opinion about whether Gov. Eric Holcomb has the authority to enforce a statewide mask mandate say they do not plan to file a lawsuit to challenge the measure.
Gov. Eric Holcomb lacks the authority to enforce the statewide mask mandate he announced on Wednesday and should call a special session if he wants to implement the requirement, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill said late Wednesday.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission did not overstep its bounds when it granted a municipal sewer company exclusive license to do business in unincorporated areas near Muncie, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled, finding Indiana Code gave the IURC jurisdiction in the Delaware County dispute.
Legislative Democrats want Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to bring the General Assembly back in a special session as concerns over racial injustice and rising coronavirus cases have created what they say is an immediate need for legislators to reconvene.
Plunging tax collections caused by the coronavirus pandemic have delivered an $850 million hit to Indiana’s state budget reserves, and a top state official said Thursday he anticipates possibly steep spending cuts in the coming years.
Former Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said he plans to leave the Legislature at the end of the month — five months before his term expires.
In its latest lawsuit seeking to overturn an amended state law that limits the extension of voting hours on Election Day, Common Cause Indiana said it is again having to go to court to fight voter suppression efforts that have increased since Republican supermajorities took control of both chambers of the Statehouse.
A federal judge has struck down another Indiana abortion law as unconstitutional, continuing a years-long streak of court action against Hoosier abortion legislation. However, the state also secured a victory when the same judge upheld a requirement that abortion clinics be inspected annually.
Changes could be coming to the way Indiana legislators convene this summer, as teleconferencing and virtual meetings become more commonplace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of abortions performed in Indiana fell by about 5% last year, according to a new state health department report.
Using a handheld cellphone while driving will become illegal on Indiana roads under a new state law taking effect Wednesday.
Even while the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the two escape convictions of a Shelby County man, the appellate panel noted it was concerned that the defendant who was ultimately found not guilty still has a pair of felonies on his record for “relatively minor violations” of pretrial home detention rules.