Bill to drug test Indiana welfare recipients advances
A legislative committee is backing a proposal to require drug testing for some Indiana welfare recipients despite complaints that it's unfair to the state's neediest residents.
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Pence salary of $111K highest for Indiana governor
Mike Pence's annual salary of $111,687 is the highest ever for an Indiana governor, due to a law that boosts the salary of the state’s chief executive at the beginning of every term.
Indiana Senate panel weighs preschool pilot program
Public and private school advocates displayed rare unity Wednesday in support of preschool for Indiana children but split over an effort to give children school vouchers once they complete preschool.
Indiana Senate approves new specialty plate limits
Indiana legislators have approved a proposal overhauling the state's specialty auto license plate system that requires all the groups with plates to sell 500 a year and undergo a financial review once a decade.
State audit finds Beech Grove finances in disarray
Mayor Dennis Buckley requested the audit in March 2012 after uncovering a range of problems, including missing files and delinquent loans in the Main Street program.
Pence objects to proposed gambling expansion
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is asking lawmakers not to approve an expansion of gambling despite pressure from new casinos in bordering states.
Crane workers to protest federal budget cuts
Workers at southern Indiana's Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center are planning a protest of furloughs and pay freezes stemming from the automatic federal budget cuts.
Bill would add rules for Indiana financial aid
A bill making its way through Indiana's General Assembly would change the laws governing need-based state financial aid to add more requirements for students.
Indiana House backs bill allowing younger sports referees
The Indiana House voted 92-4 on Monday in favor of the bill adding youth sports officials to the list of jobs for which children younger than 14 can be hired.
Land bank bill likely heading for study committee
Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, said his bill on land banks may have tried to tackle too many issues involving abandoned housing, including Indiana’s tax-sale process.
Overseas tax savings for U.S. drugmakers under threat
Eli Lilly and Co. and five other big drugmakers avoided paying $7 billion in U.S. taxes last year by shifting their profits overseas. The strategy has drawn the ire of some legislators.
Rally backs Indiana charter school, voucher programs
Supporters of Indiana's charter schools and private school vouchers packed a Statehouse corridor with hundreds of children from those schools for a rally Monday as they backed expansion of those programs.
Annexation request crimps Anderson land plan
Efforts by Anderson officials to annex land to create an economic development corridor could be thwarted by a request from property owners who want to become part of the town of Lapel instead.
North-central Indiana counties form development group
The organization will focus on combining the counties’ local matching funds to attract federal money.
Love-hate relationship with D.C. money grows
On the same day last week that state budget director Chris Atkins announced Indiana would be able to tough out a series of automatic federal budget cuts, Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann announced the creation of a new office that will lobby for more federal defense spending.
Families want answers about missing funeral money
A group of Indiana funeral directors wants the state to add more inspectors to monitor the industry.
Ballard plans to strengthen panhandling ordinance
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard wants to ban all forms of panhandling in the city's busiest downtown area following long-running complaints from convention officials and city boosters about people begging for money along downtown streets.
Unemployment falls to 7.7 percent, as U.S. adds 236,000 jobs
Stronger hiring shows businesses are confident about the economy, despite higher taxes and government spending cuts. However, more than 130,000 people left the work force in February.
Attorney general shows support for school resource officers
Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Thursday he supports a bill in the General Assembly that would provide matching state grants to help schools create or expand school resource officer programs.
Indiana House plans $750,000 Statehouse renovation
Indiana's House Republicans are looking to spend $750,000 on renovations to desks, leather chairs and a ceiling in their Statehouse chamber, after spending $74,000 to replace worn carpeting in the Statehouse last summer.