Indiana lawmakers clash over COVID-19 protocols as 2021 session nears
Democrats and Republicans clashed over COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday as they gathered for a ceremonial start to the 2021 legislative session.
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Articles
COVID-19 school turmoil, teacher pay face Indiana lawmakers
The turmoil that Indiana schools have faced from the coronavirus pandemic will be a top concern of state legislators during their upcoming session, the leader of the Indiana House said ahead of lawmakers convening for Organization Day.
No face mask rule for Indiana lawmakers despite virus spread
Indiana lawmakers won’t be compelled to wear face masks as they meet next week at the Statehouse for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic was first sweeping across the country in March.
Study committee supports judicial requests in 6 counties
Courts in six Indiana counties have received a favorable recommendation for additional judicial resources after a unanimous vote by the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary.
Creating a ‘dynasty’: Probate proposal could amend Indiana Rule Against Perpetuities in trust laws
Currently, assets in an Indiana legacy trust must vest within 90 years, covering a few generations of heirs. But a proposal before the Probate Code Study Commission would quadruple that time to 360 years, allowing for the creation of Hoosier “dynasty trusts” for the first time.
IndyBar: Win Tickets to the 2020 Virtual BGD LegCon!
The IndyBar Government Practice Section is pleased to offer two tickets to Bingham Greenebaum Doll’s 29th annual Legislative Conference (LegCon) to section members. LegCon will be completely virtual this year and will take place on Thursday, Dec. 17. Registration, as well as the agenda and speaker lineup, will be available soon.
ISBA section calls for nonviolent sentencing reforms
More than six years after sweeping criminal code reforms were enacted in Indiana, a section of the Indiana State Bar Association is calling for additional sentencing reforms to establish parity with those who received longer sentences before the reforms were enacted.
Prosecutor Mears backs move to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears on Thursday announced his support for ending debt-based driver’s license suspensions across the state, just ahead of a legislative committee meeting to discuss the issue.
Indiana alters student count to maintain school funding
The Indiana State Board of Education approved a method to maintain funding for schools reopening virtually this fall after warnings of possible cuts from lawmakers last month.
Indiana moves student count to delay school funding question
The Indiana State Board of Education approved a method to maintain funding for schools reopening virtually this fall after warnings from lawmakers last month of possible cuts.
Public defender report underscores need for additional resources
The Indiana Public Defender Commission last month released an analysis of caseloads in Indiana, showing disparities between actual and ideal workloads. That data has led public defense experts to one conclusion: there’s still work to be done to ensure indigent Hoosiers receive quality defense.
Policing the police: Indiana Black Legislative Caucus counting on public advocacy to push policy changes
Following the growing awareness of police brutality across the country, the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is leading the call for policing reform with the group’s chair believing if the General Assembly does not act during the 2021 session, the opportunity for meaningful change will have been lost.
Indiana Black Caucus pushes for more police accountability
The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus on Thursday called for state lawmakers to increase accountability and transparency for the state’s police officers.
Web Exclusive: Legislative study panels may be remote; emergency planning is focus
Changes could be coming to the way Indiana legislators convene this summer, as teleconferencing and virtual meetings become more commonplace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Southern Indiana District included in request for more judges
The Judicial Conference of the United States is again pleading with Congress to add 65 new judgeships in 24 district courts across the country, including two permanent new judges in the Southern Indiana District Court.
COA upholds escape conviction but encourages Legislature to reconsider statute
Even while the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the two escape convictions of a Shelby County man, the appellate panel noted it was concerned that the defendant who was ultimately found not guilty still has a pair of felonies on his record for “relatively minor violations” of pretrial home detention rules.
Trump, Congress near deal on small business, hospital aid
The Trump administration and Congress are trudging toward an agreement on an aid package of more than $450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.
Sen. Rand Paul tests positive for virus, forcing quarantines
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first case of COVID-19 in the Senate and raising fears about the further transmission of the virus among Republicans at the Capitol. The deveoplment came as the Senate wrangled overnight Sunday to agree to an emergency economic stimulus package.
After controversy, juvenile justice review effort begins
In the middle of the General Assembly’s 2020 session, as youth advocates were fighting proposed legislation that would have allowed preteens to be charged as adults for certain crimes, the Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana took a step toward comprehensive juvenile justice reform.
Indiana legislators pass bill seeking to deregulate wetlands
Indiana’s protections for certain wetlands would end under legislation state lawmakers approved in the waning hours of their session, even though the state’s own environmental agency joined environmentalists in opposing the measure.