Indiana health officials announce COVID-19 testing expansion
Indiana will increase free COVID-19 testing across the state through a partnership with Gravity Diagnostics.
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Marion Superior judge keeps whistleblower lawsuit against state treasurer under seal
The whistleblower lawsuit filed against Indiana State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell remains largely under seal after the Marion Superior Court released an order clarifying that only the complaint has been made public while all other filings in the case remain concealed.
Indiana landlords turn to Rokita for help as fears of evictions rise
A group of Hoosier landlords has asked Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita for help in getting compensation from the state for the rent they lost during the eviction moratoriums and is preparing to take legal action against the state and federal governments.
Indiana sets up blue-ribbon commission to modernize state’s public health system
Gov. Eric Holcomb is setting up a blue-ribbon commission to examine Indiana’s public health system as the state continues to struggle with some of the highest rates of obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, annual immunizations and public health funding in the nation.
DOC: Indiana lethal injection drugs long expired
A lawsuit that sought information about the drugs Indiana plans to use in lethal injections and that motivated the Legislature to use a late-night session to keep the veil of secrecy intact has come to a close, with the state paying more than $800,000 in legal fees and disclosing that its supply of lethal injection drugs has long been expired.
Lawsuit seeks report on AG’s former private sector job
A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Marion Superior Court is giving fresh scrutiny to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s continued employment at a private company while he was beginning his term as the state’s top lawyer.
Crane steps down as head of state’s Department of Administration
Lesley Crane is stepping down as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Administration to join the private sector.
Mississippi argues Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn its landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and let states decide whether to regulate abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb, the office of Mississippi’s Republican attorney general argued in papers filed Thursday with the high court.
Hoosiers getting state tax refund after surprising revenue surplus
Indiana taxpayers can expect to see a refund when they file their state income taxes in 2022 because state revenue collections for this year exceeded expectations.
Appeals court: Indiana must resume unemployment benefits
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the state must temporarily continue payment of federal unemployment benefits, affirming an earlier court order that Indiana must restart the extra $300 weekly payments to unemployed workers.
Indiana FSSA chief Jennifer Sullivan takes out-of-state job
Dr. Jennifer Sullivan is stepping down as leader of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and deputy state health commissioner to take a job in North Carolina. Gov. Eric Holcomb named Dr. Dan Rusyniak, FSSA’s chief medical officer, as the new secretary, effective Aug. 1.
$12M OK’d for design work on rebuild of Westville Correctional Facility
The State Budget Committee has approved spending $12 million for engineering and design work on a planned $400 million rebuild of a deteriorating state prison in northwest Indiana.
New law establishes process for removing no-show elected officials from office
Motivated by a Lake County recorder who did not show up for work for more than a year, the Indiana General Assembly took an unusual step during the 2021 session and created a narrow pathway for local governments to remove one of their own instead of waiting for the voters to take action.
New laws: Legislature makes moves despite COVID
The Indiana General Assembly convened in-person for its 2021 session with COVID-19 protocols in place. Here’s the full list of legislation it enacted this year.
One company’s bill for testing Hoosiers for COVID-19: $139.6 million (and counting)
The state of Indiana has paid an outside vendor $139.6 million to perform more than a half-million COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.
Indiana rushes to spend virus relief aid on new jobs program
Indiana legislators scrambled in the final days of their session to make decisions on spending the state’s $3 billion share of the $350 billion in federal coronavirus relief money approved this year for state and local governments.
Indiana health officials closing state’s virus testing sites
The Indiana Department of Health will close state-sponsored coronavirus testing programs at the end of the month, delegating future tests to pharmacies, community clinics and local health departments, officials announced Thursday.
US increasingly unlikely to meet Biden’s July 4 vax goal
For months, President Joe Biden has laid out goal after goal for taming the coronavirus pandemic and then exceeded his own benchmarks. Now, though, the U.S. is unlikely to meet his target to have 70% of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4.
Longtime developer Chambers named Indiana secretary of commerce
Longtime commercial real estate developer Brad Chambers has been named Indiana’s secretary of commerce, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Monday morning.
Hearing set on whether Indiana governor may sue Legislature
A judge will hear arguments later this month over whether Indiana’s governor can go ahead with a lawsuit challenging the power state legislators have given themselves to intervene during public emergencies.