Indiana House backs slowing coal power plant closures
The Indiana House narrowly endorsed Monday a proposal aimed at making it more difficult for Indiana electric companies to close more coal-fired power plants.
proposed legislation
Articles
Indiana push for pregnant worker protections gets sidelined
Republican lawmakers on Monday threw a roadblock in front of a proposal that would require more Indiana businesses to allow pregnant women to take longer breaks, transfer to less physical work and take unpaid time off after childbirth. The Indiana Senate voted 34-15 to delete the requirement from the bill and, instead, send the issue to a special committee following this year’s legislative session.
Ban on drivers using handheld phones clears Indiana House
The Indiana House endorsed a proposal Wednesday that would ban motorists from using handheld cellphones, a step supporters say is aimed at combating distracted driving.
Senate passes bill restricting depositions of child sex crime victims
Alleged child sex crime victims would be subjected to discovery depositions only in rare circumstances under a bill that passed the Indiana Senate on a nearly unanimous vote. Adoption of the legislation would remove Indiana from the handful of states that do not shield child sex crimes victims from pretrial depositions.
Lawmakers consider change to business personal property tax
Indiana lawmakers are considering making another change to the state’s business personal property tax — a move that could affect tens of thousands of small businesses.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.