Guided by a task force report that calls for major reforms to Indiana’s indigent defense system, the Indiana Public Defender Commission is seeking additional funds in the state’s next biennial budget to improve defense services for indigent clients.
Some men and women whose mothers were unkowningly impregnated by their fertility doctor’s own sperm are upset that an Indiana legislative panel isn’t endorsing a proposed state law specifically against such actions.
On the 46th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, supporters and opponents scheduled rallies at the Indiana Statehouse, underscoring the deep divide over the ruling that remains more than four decades later. Advocates of reproductive rights gathered on the fourth floor of the Statehouse Tuesday to begin their push for Senate Bill 589, while Indiana Right to Life had a rally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
The Indiana General Assembly has taken the first step toward allowing Indiana counties to create regional public defenders’ offices, a change that has been championed as a means of reducing public defender caseloads and eliminating the appearance of judicial impropriety when appointing indigent defense.
In 1943, an Indiana farmer grew hemp on Hoosier soil to produce manufactured fibers, contributing to the efforts of World War II. More than 70 years later, his son is now poised to grow that same hemp legally in the state for the first time since.
Legislators in 2018 introduced a slew of bills trying to bring more collaboration and modest adjustments to the Department of Child Services. Lawmakers this year have introduced at least 25 bills impacting CHINS, foster parents and DCS caseloads, among other things.
After the Indiana Supreme Court struck down a state law allowing railroads to be fined for lengthy blockages of train crossings, legislation filed in the 2019 General Assembly seeks another avenue of relief for Hoosier motorists held up by trains, especially motorists driving emergency responders.
After sexual misconduct and harassment allegations were leveled at Attorney General Curtis Hill and House Speaker Brian Bosma, harassment-related legislation is again being considered by the General Assembly, this year taking specific aim at accused elected officials.
A Senate bill that would allow the Indiana Public Defender Commission to create guidelines for a multi-county public defender’s office will be heard by a committee Tuesday.
The full Indiana Senate on Tuesday will consider legislation that would waive Hoosier children as young as 12 into adult court if they are charged with attempted murder.
Indiana lawmakers will meet tomorrow to vote on proposed language that would make it an ethical violation for state representatives to commit sexual harassment, a move that comes as high-ranking elected officials are facing harassment allegations of their own. The House Statutory Committee on Ethics will vote on amended language of the House Code of Ethics upon adjournment of the House session on Tuesday.
Indiana voters wouldn’t decide anymore who serves as the state schools superintendent under a proposal being pushed by legislative Republicans.
An Indiana lawmaker is seeking to tighten up management of a grant program meant to help struggling veterans after revelations that the state agency that oversees it awarded some of the grants to its own employees.
The Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee is pumping the brakes on a bill that would allow grandparents and great-grandparents to seek visitation with their grandchildren despite estrangements with the children’s parents, with two notable Indiana bar association groups speaking out against the proposed legislation.
The Indiana lawmaker who publicly accused Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill of drunkenly groping her in early 2018 has filed a series of bills allowing for the removal of elected officials who commit sexual misconduct and enhancing the penalties for such conduct.
The mother of three children struck and killed while crossing a northern Indiana highway to board their school bus supports legislation for tougher penalties against drivers who pass buses with extended stop arms.
Two counties seeking funding for additional magistrate judges from the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee got their wish Wednesday when the panel advanced the legislation to the House floor.
As they did in January 2018, supporters of hate crimes legislation rallied Tuesday in the Indiana Statehouse to again push lawmakers to add a bias-motivated crime statute to the Indiana law books. Advocates from a broad array of groups, including business, education, nonprofits and faith-based organizations, were on-hand to applaud and cheer as legislators and community leaders called for Indiana to join the 45 other states with hate crimes law.
The Senate Ethics Committee unanimously passed an amendment to its internal ethics rules Monday, defining sexual harassment for the first time. The Senate and House will each draft their own ethics rules and conduct training for their respective lawmakers.
The priorities for Indiana House Republicans this year align with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s agenda, but one significant issue did not make the list: a hate crimes bill.