Indiana legislative committee weighs cannabis legalization but fails to make recommendations
Could Indiana be moving toward less stringent marijuana laws, or even total cannabis legalization?
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Lawmakers grapple with legal, educational implications of AI
Artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize how people work, and nearly every aspect of life could be transformed — prompting lawmakers in an interim commerce committee to scrutinize the new technology and how to best regulate it.
Carrasco wins caucus to finish Sandlin’s term in Indiana Senate
Former Indiana Inspector General Cyndi Carrasco was selected overwhelmingly by a caucus of Republican precinct committee members Wednesday to fill the remainder of the late Jack Sandlin’s term in the Indiana Senate.
State Rep. Schaibley of Carmel to retire after almost decade in office
Rep. Donna Schaibley, a Republican from Carmel, announced Thursday that she will retire after nearly 10 years in office.
Rep. Jerry Torr to retire from politics after 28 years in Indiana House
Rep. Jerry Torr, who has served in the Indiana House of Representatives since 1996, announced Tuesday that he will not run for reelection.
Sen. Jack Sandlin dies at 72
State Sen. Jack Sandlin of Indianapolis has died, GOP officials said Wednesday evening. He was 72.
Indiana state senator to resign in September, cites `business, personal and family obligations’
A long-time Indiana state senator announced Wednesday that he will resign from the chamber in late September, citing the growing pressures of balancing his legislative duties and “business, personal and family obligations.”
Books, pronouns and trans athletes: What contentious education policy is coming next?
If the last few legislative sessions are any indication of what could be on the horizon for the Indiana General Assembly in 2024, one seemingly safe bet is that the state’s lawmakers will again take up controversial education policy.
Courts and the Judiciary not meeting in 2023 as legislative study committees get underway
Indiana lawmakers are returning to the Statehouse this month to begin meeting in their interim study committees, but one group that won’t be gathering is the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary.
Room for individual, narrower legal action on abortion ban, legal experts say
A split ruling from the Indiana Supreme Court late last month has left the door open to both individual future challenges and further restrictions to the state’s near-total abortion ban.
Indiana legislator convicted of drunken driving publicly acknowledges he used ‘horrible’ judgment
An Indiana legislator convicted of drunken driving publicly acknowledged on Wednesday that he used “horrible” judgment.
Indiana abortions drop sharply ahead of state ban possibly taking effect, state reports show
The number of abortions being performed in Indiana has dropped steeply even before a court ruling that has a Republican-backed abortion ban set to potentially take effect in the coming weeks.
Medical marijuana struggles to gain foothold in Indiana: Another legislative session passes without legalization, establishment of state program
To Indiana medical marijuana supporters, it seems like popular opinion is on their side. Whatever public support exists, however, it didn’t result in the passage of any new bills in 2023.
New state laws taking effect July 1 on birth control, speeding tickets, gas prices
The bulk of this year’s new legislation will take effect July 1, with changes ranging from increased access to contraceptives to greater restrictions for public school educators.
In budget year, lawmakers tackle controversial topics
In a budget year that brought in new legislators following last November’s elections, Indiana lawmakers tackled more than one controversial topic in 2023.
Courts see boost in salaries, tech funding: Civil legal aid also sees boost in funds for coming fiscal year
The state’s multibillion-dollar biennial budget enacted during the 2023 legislative session includes increases all around for the sate’s judiciary, including additional funding for including civil legal aid, salaries and court technology.
Marijuana, taxes among interim study committee topics
Legislators will spend their interim break studying various topics of interest, including the impacts of cannabis legalization on the workforce and possible tax reform.
No legislative discipline in sight for Indiana lawmaker who admitted drunken driving
An Indiana state lawmaker isn’t facing any immediate legislative discipline after pleading guilty to drunken driving charges for crashing his pickup truck through an interstate highway guardrail and driving away.
Indiana Lottery to send expected $362 million surplus back to state
Indiana’s lottery expects to send a whopping $361.7 million to state coffers, up 4% from last year’s payout but down from a pandemic-era record-high.
Mental health services get boost from Legislature via HEA 1006
Signed into law earlier this month, HEA 1006 is designed to allow Hoosiers experiencing a mental health crisis to get treatment in a local hospital, rather than in prison or jail.