Vaping crisis could be impetus for Legislature to raise smoking age to 21
Time and again, legislation in Indiana to raise the age to possess or purchase tobacco to 21 has failed. But that could be about to change.
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Indiana resisting marijuana trend of neighboring states
Indiana’s Republican Statehouse leaders are firmly against taking any steps toward following neighboring states in legalizing marijuana use during the upcoming legislative session. But they might not be able to avoid talking about it during the 2020 election campaign.
Holcomb backs ban on drivers using handheld phones
Indiana’s governor on Tuesday threw his support behind a statewide ban on drivers using handheld cellphones as well as a plan to raise the minimum age for smoking and vaping to 21. Gov. Eric Holcomb made the proposals central to his 2020 legislative agenda.
‘Children are children’: Coalition forms after legislative attempt to lower waiver age
The Children’s Policy and Law Initiative of Indiana and more than 20 nonprofits and community groups have joined together to form the Indiana Coalition for Youth Justice, which advocates for reform in the juvenile justice system so that it offers treatment, programs and interventions that are age-appropriate, fairly applied and result in the best possible outcomes for Indiana children and public safety.
Web Exclusive: Inmates pursue legislative opportunities through public policy course
When a college program was crafted for the Indiana Women’s Prison in 2012, director Kelsey Kauffman knew she wanted to teach women about public policy. But the experience also became a life lesson that gave some of the women a new mission after their lives behind bars.
Panel recommends boosting Indiana’s cigarette age to 21
An Indiana legislative panel is recommending that Indiana’s legal age for buying cigarettes be raised from 18 to 21.
Indiana lawmakers pushed to adopt e-cigarette liquids tax
Indiana needs state taxes to discourage the use of electronic cigarettes as vaping becomes more popular and is increasingly blamed in illnesses and deaths, the state’s main physicians organization and other health advocates said Tuesday.
Lawmakers study highway work zone cameras to slow speeders
Some Indiana lawmakers want to authorize the installation of work zone speed cameras along the state’s highways to photograph speeding cars and fine lead-footed motorists.
Study committee begins summer review of criminal justice reform initiatives
As criminal justice reform efforts continue across the state, members of the Indiana General Assembly are meeting this summer to discuss issues related to pre-trial release, indigency and sentencing, among others.
Legislative Council approves 2019 interim committees
Study committees for the 2019 interim period have been approved by Indiana’s Legislative Council and will address dozens of issues for review in the coming months, including several legal-focused topics.
Crime sentences, vaping tax up for Indiana lawmaker panels
Indiana lawmakers will be looking at prescription drug prices, crime sentences and taxes on vaping liquids in the coming months. Those are among the more than 40 topics that leaders have assigned to committees ahead of next year’s General Assembly session.
Justices reject marijuana ‘pursuit of happiness’ appeal
The state’s high court will not partake in arguments that laws criminalizing marijuana violated a man’s right to the pursuit of happiness, snuffing out his challenge to Indiana’s pot prohibition.
What lawmakers did — and didn’t do — in the 2019 session
The 2019 legislative session ended April 24 — five days ahead of the statutory deadline — with hundreds of bills sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb for his consideration. Here’s a look at some of the top issues.
Request for study of court costs receives initial Senate approval
Questions regarding certain Indiana court costs might be addressed this summer if a study committee is approved to look into the issue in the coming months. Senate Resolution 52 requests that the Legislative Council assign the topics of court costs for indigent individuals and the look-back period for prior unrelated convictions in Indiana's criminal code to a summer study committee.
Civil remedy revenge porn bill passes House
Hoosiers hurting from the aftermath of a revenge porn incident are closer to gaining some relief from their perpetrators now that a bill that would offer them civil remedies has passed both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly. Measures that would make committing revenge porn a crime, however, look less likely to succeed.
Bill would make it harder to change gender on Indiana IDs
Indiana residents would face more hurdles changing their gender on driver’s licenses or other credentials issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles under changes approved by a House panel.
Bill targeting money stolen by public servants advances
Hoosiers impacted by the theft of money at the hands of public servants could find some relief if a bill that would allow them to dip into thieves’ public pension funds passes the Indiana Senate’s scrutiny.
Indiana abortion petition making eighth SCOTUS appearance, might be inspiring ‘screed’
Indiana’s petition for a review of its abortion law has been relisted for an eighth conference at the U.S. Supreme Court, raising suspicions that the case will not be accepted but could bring a fiery dissent.
Indiana moves toward expanding religious objection to abortion
Indiana lawmakers are moving closer to allowing nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists to object on religious or other grounds to having any role in an abortion. The Indiana House voted 69-25 on Thursday in favor of the legislation, which would expand the statute for medical professionals who don’t want to perform an abortion or participate in any procedure that results in an abortion.
As marijuana bills die, hemp legislation raises concerns
Despite previous optimism among pro-marijuana lawmakers for the issue to have a higher chance of success during the 2019 legislative session, numerous-marijuana related bills faltered, most not even receiving a hearing in committee to move forward before the deadline for bills to be approved had passed.