Court taking up whether lawmakers can keep emails private
The Indiana Supreme Court will consider whether a state lawmaker’s emails and other correspondence with utility company officials about proposed legislation can be kept private.
Indiana General Assembly
Articles
Marion County Bar Association opposes judicial selection bill
Lawmakers are working to craft an 11th-hour agreement on how judges should be chosen in Marion County after they were unable to reach a compromise Monday. Meanwhile, Indianapolis’ historically black bar association called for direct election of judges instead of a proposed merit-selection system.
‘No more stringent’ restrained
Manufacturers, agriculture and other big Hoosier industries pegged House Bill 1082 at the top of their legislative agenda this year. So did about 20 environmental, health and public-interest groups that opposed the measure barring Indiana from adopting environmental regulations tougher than federal standards.
Bill giving longer sentences to drug dealers headed to governor
A bill imposing mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders has been approved by the Indiana Legislature and is expected to be signed by Gov. Mike Pence.
Private college records exemption heads to governor’s desk
Private college police departments won't have to follow the same rules for crime reporting as public police departments under a bill that's now on its way to the governor's desk.
Indiana House OKs measure to replace jailed councilman
The Indiana House of Representatives has approved a bill that would allow East Chicago officials to temporarily replace a jailed councilman without removing him from office.
Vaping firms say industry in peril in state unless lawmakers act
Manufacturers of electronic cigarette liquids that hope to gain a license to continue selling their popular products in Indiana fear their business in the state is at risk of evaporating.
Senate approves police video bill
Indiana law enforcement would be forced to publicly release body-camera video if the recordings might show officers using excessive force or violating someone's civil rights under a measure approved by the state Senate.
House panel OKs medical malpractice cap increase
Medical malpractice victims would be able to receive more compensation under a measure an Indiana House committee approved Monday that would update the payment cap for the first time in nearly 18 years.
Coalition still pushing after hate crime bills fail to advance
Despite a grassroots effort and several bills addressing the issue, hate crime legislation appears to have failed in the Indiana Statehouse.
Lawmakers back dropping ‘he’ references to state officials
Legislators have approved replacing all the male pronouns in laws describing the duties of Indiana's statewide officeholders with gender-neutral terms.
Senate panel approves bill to punish meth, heroin dealers
Meth and heroin dealers in Indiana will face harsher penalties if they are convicted and have a criminal history under a bill passed by a state Senate panel Tuesday.
Mandatory minimums for drug dealing splits Statehouse
Roughly 18 months after Indiana’s reformed criminal code took effect, emphasizing treatment over incarceration for drug offenses, the General Assembly is considering proposals that would boost certain crimes to a higher level felony, stiffen punishments for possession of controlled substances and make some cold medicine more difficult to purchase.
Adoptee birth-records bill passes
A bill long sought by Hoosiers adopted between 1941 and 1993 and denied their birth records passed the Indiana General Assembly Monday and heads to the desk of Gov. Mike Pence.
Black lawmakers oppose Marion County judge selection bill
A proposal to create a 14-member merit-selection commission to nominate Marion Superior judges would harm minority representation on the bench of the state’s largest county, members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus said in a statement Monday as the bill awaited second reading on the House floor.
Indiana House committee tosses hate-crimes bill
Legislation creating the state’s first hate-crime law to help victims targeted because of their race, sexual identity, religion or other specified characteristic is expected to die because it won’t get a committee hearing in the House, leaving lawmakers few options to address civil rights this year.
Attorneys added to Marion County judicial selection committee
The Courts and Criminal Code Committee in the Indiana House of Representatives passed an amendment Wednesday modifying the makeup of the Marion County judicial selection committee. The amendment adds more Marion County attorneys to the committee that will send names to the governor for appointment.
Indiana Senate panel delays bill on police video
An Indiana Senate panel is holding off on changing and voting on a bill allowing law enforcement agencies to withhold police video from the public.
Future uncertain for state environmental policy limit
The future remains uncertain for a proposed limit on Indiana's authority to make its own environmental policies. The Senate Environmental Affairs Committee heard hours of testimony Monday on the bill, which has already passed the House.
Adoptee birth records bill advances to full House
A House committee voted 11-2 Monday in favor of passage of a bill that would provide thousands of adopted Hoosiers with access to their birth and adoption records.