Obstruction of justice bill sits in Senate
A bill dealing with obstruction of justice concerns is slowly moving through the Indiana Senate, with lawmakers butting heads about definitions in the measure.
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Indiana lawmakers roll back curriculum transparency bills
Republican lawmakers in Indiana are rolling back the language in a series of bills they said would increase transparency around school curricula after the proposals drew national attention and widespread opposition.
Indiana Black legislators introduce legislation to ‘dismantle discriminatory systems’
Asserting they are willing to fight “these old battles,” the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus unveiled its 2022 legislative agenda that is focused on addressing what they called the “long-term effects of racism in society” in the areas of wealth, education, health and housing.
Public health emergency bill moves forward in Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate’s version of legislation to enact administrative tools to end the state’s public health emergency passed in committee unanimously on Wednesday, with backing from business and health care leaders.
House endorses bill allowing Level 6 offenders to go to DOC
In endorsing legislation allowing more people convicted of Level 6 felonies to be sentenced to the Department of Correction, an Indiana House Republican said the move was the result of learning from recent data. But some House Democrats said the bill was actually a sign that the Legislature had failed in its wide-ranging criminal justice reform bill passed nearly a decade ago.
Holcomb paints rosy economic picture in State of the State address
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb painted a rosy picture of the state’s accomplishments in his sixth State of the State address, and he outlined steps he wants to take to keep up that momentum while acknowledging lingering challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Handgun permit repeal bill advances to Senate
A bill that would do away with Indiana’s handgun permit requirement will continue to advance through the Indiana General Assembly after getting a majority vote of approval in the Indiana House on Tuesday.
Turn signal bill gets green light to Senate floor
A bill that would strip a requirement for Hoosier motorists to signal at certain distances before changing lanes or turning got the green light to move ahead in the Indiana Legislature on Tuesday.
Indiana teachers push back against school curriculum bills
A controversial Indiana bill that Republican lawmakers contend would increase transparency around school curricula has drawn opposition from dozens of teachers who testified Monday at the Statehouse that the legislation would censor classroom instruction and place unnecessary additional workloads on educators.
Indiana lawmakers eye returning to more prison sentences
A big jump in Indiana county jail overcrowding has state lawmakers looking to partially roll back a nearly decade-old criminal sentencing overhaul and let judges send more people convicted of low-level felonies into state prisons.
Republicans renew push to drop Indiana’s handgun permit law
Republicans are making a new push to loosen Indiana’s requirements for carrying a handgun in public despite the opposition of several major law enforcement organizations.
House committee moves vaccine mandates bill forward
The Indiana House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday passed a controversial bill that would restrict employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates by a vote of 7-4, moving the bill forward to the full House for what is expected to be a quick passage next week.
Indiana Senate bill sparks debate over school curriculum
Indiana lawmakers on Wednesday began debate on a Republican-backed bill that would require all school curricula to be posted online for parental review and ban schools’ ability to implement concepts like critical race theory.
Senate advances bill to amend obstruction statute, but keeps lawyers’ exemption
A proposed bill that would have removed lawyers’ exemption against obstruction of justice charges has passed out of an Indiana Senate committee, but the provision regarding lawyers was stripped in an amendment.
Legislators consider measure to repeal turn signal law
A bill that would remove a state law requiring drivers to initiate their turn signals at certain distances before turning or switching lanes has started down the Indiana legislative road.
House Republicans unveil $1B tax cut plan; other GOP leaders are more reluctant
Indiana House Republicans unveiled a tax plan to eliminate or lower four separate taxes that would result in $1 billion in tax cuts by 2025.
Lawyers in the Legislature: Fewer attorneys in Statehouse but their expertise still valued
As the General Assembly reconvenes, just 21 of the 150 members — or 14% — have a J.D. degree. Comparatively, from 1851 to 1889, when individuals became lawyers by reading the law, 32% of the Legislature was comprised of attorneys, according to “The Centennial History of the Indiana General Assembly, 1816-1978” by Justin E. Walsh.
Holcomb, lawmakers differing on top issues
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb proposed a tax cut for some businesses Monday that is decidedly less ambitious than what many of his fellow Republicans want to seek during the new legislative session.
Indiana lawmakers face debates on vaccine limits, tax cuts
Indiana lawmakers expect to start their new session by quickly diving into a contentious debate over a Republican-backed proposal aimed at limiting workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements, even as the virus threatens to overwhelm the state’s hospitals.
LegCon: Hoosier legislative leaders discuss priorities
House and Senate leaders of the Indiana General Assembly gathered in Indianapolis Wednesday during the 30th annual Dentons Legislative Conference to discuss their priorities for the 2022 legislative session, ranging from COVID-vaccine mandates and marijuana use to critical race theory education and tax cuts.