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Legislation aims to tame ‘Wild West’ nature of land contracts

A bill that passed through the Indiana House 82-14 and is now in the Senate would protect families from predatory land contracts. Provisions would require buyers be told the value of the property and how much they will ultimately pay for it if they complete the terms of the agreement, among other protections.

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Critics say Indiana redistricting bill doesn’t do enough

An Indiana bill that would change the state’s redistricting rules doesn’t do enough to end gerrymandering, critics say. The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Greg Walker of Columbus would allow lawmakers to continue drawing the state’s legislative and congressional district maps for the foreseeable future.

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Holcomb plans public appeal on Indiana hate crimes law

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday he will try to build public support for a hate crimes law, a week after the Republican-dominated state Senate stripped out a list of specific protected traits he had supported to get Indiana off a list of five states without such a law.

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Senate backs study of juvenile justice system

Concerns surrounding the way Indiana adjudicates and rehabilitates its juvenile offenders has resulted in the proposal of a summer interim committee to address how adequately the juvenile justice system is governed.

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Lake Michigan shoreline bills advance in Indiana Senate

Two pieces of legislation that would define public and recreational use of Lake Michigan’s shores and give jurisdiction of seawalls, beach grooming and land walls to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources have made advances in the Indiana Senate this week. 

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Indiana Senate approves stripped-down hate crimes bill

The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate passed a stripped-down hate crimes bill Thursday and sent the measure to the House, where Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and others hope the legislation can still be strengthened. The Senate voted 39-10 in favor of the legislation that was changed two days earlier to remove a list of specifically protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, gender identity and race.

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Senate Republicans strip hate crimes bill of victim categories

The Republican-majority Senate stripped a hate crimes bill Tuesday of language that specified the types of crimes it would apply to — those motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation, gender and other categories — despite emotional pleas by Democrats to leave the bill as written.

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SCOTUS rejects appeal of Lake Michigan public access case

The Supreme Court of the United States will not hear an appeal that sought to restrict public access to the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan. Justices let stand an Indiana Supreme Court decision that found a public access right to the state’s 45 miles of Great Lakes beaches.

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