Hoosiers getting state tax refund after surprising revenue surplus
Indiana taxpayers can expect to see a refund when they file their state income taxes in 2022 because state revenue collections for this year exceeded expectations.
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Appeals court: Indiana must resume unemployment benefits
The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the state must temporarily continue payment of federal unemployment benefits, affirming an earlier court order that Indiana must restart the extra $300 weekly payments to unemployed workers.
Indiana FSSA chief Jennifer Sullivan takes out-of-state job
Dr. Jennifer Sullivan is stepping down as leader of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and deputy state health commissioner to take a job in North Carolina. Gov. Eric Holcomb named Dr. Dan Rusyniak, FSSA’s chief medical officer, as the new secretary, effective Aug. 1.
$12M OK’d for design work on rebuild of Westville Correctional Facility
The State Budget Committee has approved spending $12 million for engineering and design work on a planned $400 million rebuild of a deteriorating state prison in northwest Indiana.
New law establishes process for removing no-show elected officials from office
Motivated by a Lake County recorder who did not show up for work for more than a year, the Indiana General Assembly took an unusual step during the 2021 session and created a narrow pathway for local governments to remove one of their own instead of waiting for the voters to take action.
New laws: Legislature makes moves despite COVID
The Indiana General Assembly convened in-person for its 2021 session with COVID-19 protocols in place. Here’s the full list of legislation it enacted this year.
One company’s bill for testing Hoosiers for COVID-19: $139.6 million (and counting)
The state of Indiana has paid an outside vendor $139.6 million to perform more than a half-million COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.
Indiana rushes to spend virus relief aid on new jobs program
Indiana legislators scrambled in the final days of their session to make decisions on spending the state’s $3 billion share of the $350 billion in federal coronavirus relief money approved this year for state and local governments.
Indiana health officials closing state’s virus testing sites
The Indiana Department of Health will close state-sponsored coronavirus testing programs at the end of the month, delegating future tests to pharmacies, community clinics and local health departments, officials announced Thursday.
US increasingly unlikely to meet Biden’s July 4 vax goal
For months, President Joe Biden has laid out goal after goal for taming the coronavirus pandemic and then exceeded his own benchmarks. Now, though, the U.S. is unlikely to meet his target to have 70% of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4.
Longtime developer Chambers named Indiana secretary of commerce
Longtime commercial real estate developer Brad Chambers has been named Indiana’s secretary of commerce, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Monday morning.
Hearing set on whether Indiana governor may sue Legislature
A judge will hear arguments later this month over whether Indiana’s governor can go ahead with a lawsuit challenging the power state legislators have given themselves to intervene during public emergencies.
For first time, private virtual schools seek to accept vouchers in Indiana
Two new private schools hope to join the growing wave of online education in Indiana and accept state funded-vouchers to subsidize tuition—a first for virtual schools.
Indiana reports 19 more COVID-19 deaths, 674 new cases
The state said 2.47 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 2.62 million had received the first dose of a two-dose vaccination.
Governor wants Indiana state employees in offices in July
Staffers for many state agencies have been working remotely, but Gov. Eric Holcomb said in an email to employees that “it is not the optimal way for us to serve Hoosiers.”
Attorney general argues governor exceeding authority
Attorney General Todd Rokita argues in new legal filings that Gov. Eric Holcomb is wrongly trying to use the courts to expand his powers with a lawsuit challenging the authority state legislators have given themselves to intervene during public emergencies.
AG argues governor not allowed to override Legislature’s veto
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is doubling down on his argument that the governor cannot turn to the courts to settle the dispute over House Enrolled Act 1123, asserting the executive branch is attempting to use the judiciary to demand a “super” veto of the Legislature.
US jobless claims fall again as some states end federal aid
Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week — the latest encouraging sign for the rebounding U.S. economy — just as Republican-led states including Indiana are moving to cut off a federal benefit for the jobless.
Holcomb claims Rokita seeking to expand power of attorney general’s office
As part of his battle with the Legislature over executive powers, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is accusing Attorney General Todd Rokita of creating a legal fiction in order to expand the attorney general’s “authority beyond his statutory duties and powers.”
Supreme Court throws abortion fight into center of midterms
In agreeing to hear a potentially groundbreaking abortion case, the Supreme Court has energized activists on both sides of the long-running debate who are now girding to make abortion access a major issue in next year’s midterm elections.