Indiana lawmakers look to update ‘Do Not Call’ law
Indiana lawmakers are looking for new ways to address illegal and unwanted telephone calls as telemarketers use technological advances to skirt the state’s telemarketing law.
Indiana General Assembly
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Legislative Council recommends adoption of sexual harassment policy
Top Republican and Democratic lawmakers voted Tuesday afternoon to recommend that the General Assembly adopt a new sexual harassment policy when it convenes next year. The Legislative Council unanimously approved the guidelines to combat sexual harassment at the Indiana Statehouse, but the policy will still undergo review by the ethics committees in the House and Senate and require approval from both chambers.
Indiana lawmakers return to Statehouse ahead of 2019 session
Indiana lawmakers returned to the Statehouse on Tuesday for the ceremonial start to the new legislative session.
Top legislators say no forcing out AG Hill
Top Republican legislative leaders don’t expect lawmakers will take any action toward removing state Attorney General Curtis Hill from office even though the governor and other state officials have called on him to resign over allegations that he drunkenly groped four women during a party.
Indiana lawmakers move forward with hate crime bill
Two Republican state lawmakers have released draft legislation that would address Indiana’s lack of a hate crimes law by giving judges the ability to consider bias as an aggravating factor when considering prison sentences.
Subcommittee silently makes sexual harassment recommendations; Legislative Council must act
Legislature should respond to complaints of sexual harassment by legislative employees, but it’s still unclear whether the Legislative Council will meet next week’s statutorily-mandated deadline to officially adopt the recommendations.
High chance for medical marijuana debate at statehouse
For proponents of medical marijuana, optimism was sparked when Indiana legalized CBD oil earlier this year. With that door opened, legislators in both parties are hopeful that success will boost their chances of getting a hearing on medical marijuana bills they will file in the 2019 legislative session.
Attorney couple seeking changes for Indiana foster parents
Indianapolis attorneys Joe Delamater, a criminal defense lawyer at Razumich & Delamater PC, and Kiamesha Colom, a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, encountered confusion, frustration and ultimately heartbreak during the course of a few months when they became foster parents to a baby boy. Now they are pushing for changes to state laws they say will balance the system so the right results happen for kids.
Porter County begins counting votes after delay
The commissioners in a northwestern Indiana county plagued by a mix of Election Day problems asked the FBI on Wednesday to investigate what they called “scores of alleged violations of Indiana Election Law” reported following Tuesday’s election. Porter County officials did not begin counting votes until Wednesday morning, more than 15 hours after the first polling places closed.
Appellate court says preferred venue statute is void
The Indiana Court of Appeals has held that a statute concerning preferred venue in corporate lawsuits is void because it conflicts with an Indiana Supreme Court-adopted trial rule. The appellate court’s ruling upheld the denial of a change of venue motion in a medical malpractice case based on the statute being a nullity.
Election recap: Braun win, Delph loss among top Indiana stories
On an election night in which Democrats took control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans appeared to tighten their hold on the Senate, Indiana stayed reliably red, with Republicans winning seven of nine House seats and challenger Mike Braun defeating incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. But in one of the biggest Election Day upsets, longtime Republican state Sen. Mike Delph lost the Statehouse seat he has held since 2005.
Indiana Supreme Court asked to review rent-to-buy agreements
Asserting the Court of Appeals’ ruling in a rent-to-own dispute will adversely impact tenants across the state, Indiana Legal Services filed a petition Monday to transfer its litigation against Rainbow Realty Group for the company’s rent-to-own practices. In its transfer petition,Indiana Legal Services argued Rainbow's rent-to-buy contract is a lease governed by the state’s Landlord-Tenant Act.
Special prosecutor believes women but won’t charge AG Hill
Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler said he believes the four women who accused Attorney General Curtis Hill of groping them, but he said he chose not to file criminal charges against Hill because believing the women would not be enough in a court of law.
Victims of AG Hill’s sexual misconduct want more than to be believed
Indiana’s top attorney threatened to sue the women for defamation. But the four who publicly came forward with allegations of being groped by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill found out that while the #MeToo movement gave them plenty of support from other victims, they will still be on their own in fighting for change.
Indiana lawmakers move forward on legal sports gambling
Indiana could join several states in legalizing sports betting following a committee’s unanimous recommendation that lawmakers consider the change. The Interim Study Committee on Public Policy voted this month to recommend legislation to bring legal sports betting to Indiana.
Suit against Hill could cost taxpayers; accusers to name state
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is now in the process of investigating a complaint filed against it, the state and Attorney General Curtis Hill after four women who publicly accused Hill of groping them at a party filed official notice of a civil lawsuit. If the women succeed on their claims against state defendants, taxpayers could be on the hook to pay any judgments.
Bosma: GOP lawmaker home, recovering after crash
Indiana’s House speaker says a top-ranking Republican lawmaker is recovering at home more than a month after a serious motorcycle accident in Michigan. Speaker Brian Bosma said in a statement Thursday that House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown is in therapy and continues to improve.
No criminal charges, but AG Hill faces suits from accusers
After the special prosecutor announced his decision Tuesday not to bring charges against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, the four women who have accused the state’s top lawyer of sexual misconduct stepped into the public spotlight together and said they are not done fighting.
Report: AG Hill’s behavior ‘creepy’ but not criminal
A 25-page report released by the Indiana Office of the Inspector General on Tuesday shines a light on the fallout from groping allegations against Attorney General Curtis Hill, including new allegations that he inappropriately touched four lobbyists in addition to the four women who previously accused him.
AG Hill to continue to serve despite likely suits by accusers
Facing the prospect of lawsuits from four women he is accused of groping, embattled Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill vowed through his legal team Tuesday to stay in office. A special prosecutor Tuesday declined to criminally charge Hill but said the AG admitted he consumed a significant amount of alcohol and touched his accusers the night of the alleged incidents.