Department of Child Services reform bill passes Indiana House
The House on Tuesday unanimously passed House Bill 1006, sending it to the Senate for consideration. The bill, authored by Avon Republican Greg Steuerwald, has five major provisions.
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Poll: Support for ‘Medicare-for-all’ fluctuates wildly with details
“Medicare-for-all” makes a good first impression, but support plunges when people are asked if they’d pay higher taxes or put up with treatment delays to get it.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg jumps into 2020 presidential race
Buttigieg has touted his work to improve his city of 100,000 residents as he's prepared for an improbable jump from local politics to a presidential campaign.
U.S. Senate sets up showdown votes on shutdown plans
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. set up the two showdown votes for Thursday, a day before some 800,000 federal workers are due to miss a second paycheck.
Republicans Jose Evans, Jefferson Shreve eschew 2019 city elections
Jose Evans has decided to not to run for mayor and has thrown his support behind State Sen. Jim Merritt. And City-County Council member Jefferson Shreve, who replaced Jeff Miller last year, won’t seek a return to the council after his current term ends.
Indiana unemployment holds steady at 3.6 percent
Private sector employment in Indiana grew by 12,200 in December with significant gains in education and health services, construction and hospitality.
Political upstarts like Indiana’s Buttigieg getting serious look in age of Trump
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is barely old enough to run for president, but he and other young potential candidates are finding encouragement at a time when conventional election wisdom has been upended.
House committee passes tighter rules for virtual schools
House Bill 1172, authored by Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, outlines new rules to better assess and guide the educators, parents and students engaged in virtual school.
Gambling bill would allow Terre Haute casino, accelerates timeline for live games at racinos
The bill, filed by Republican Sens. Mark Messmer and Jon Ford, covers a wide range of gambling issues expected to be debated this year.
Hogsett kicks off 2019 mayoral campaign with $3.2M war chest
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett has a huge fundraising advantage over his Republican challengers, who are starting their campaigns with bank accounts in the four-figure range.
Panel backs proposal to move up appointing state schools chief
Indiana’s governor would begin appointing the state schools superintendent in 2021 instead of 2025, under a proposal endorsed Wednesday by the House Education Committee. Voters traditionally have elected the superintendent.
From travel to IPOs, here’s how shutdown is upsetting U.S. economy
Delta Air Lines can’t get eight new aircraft in the air. Roughly a million government employees and contractors aren’t being paid. Some Americans who are trying to start small businesses face delays in obtaining information from the IRS.
Legislators try to get tighter grip on virtual charter schools
New proposals stem from recommendations made by education officials, including potential solutions to low test scores and graduation rates, a lack of student and parent participation, and the need to improve their oversight.
Senators ask FDA to update rules on CBD, hemp products
Congress legalized the production and sale of industrial hemp and hemp derivatives, including CBD. But FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has restated his agency’s stance that CBD is a drug ingredient and therefore illegal to add to food or health products without his agency’s approval.
Indiana lawmaker seeks tighter management of veterans fund
Republican Rep. Randy Frye, of Greensburg, submitted a bill Thursday that would make Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs employees ineligible for grants from the Military Family Relief Fund and would firmly cap the lifetime amount a person could receive at $2,500
Gov. Holcomb announces plan to pay off pension liability, free up money for teacher raises
On Tuesday night, Holcomb said in his State of the State speech that the state will use $150 million from its surplus to pay off a teacher pension liability that schools have been gradually paying down.
Bill would boost CIB funding, require new 25-year deal with Pacers
A bill filed by Senate Appropriations Chairman Ryan Mishler would extend the life of multiple tourism- and entertainment-related taxes that help fund the Capital Improvement Board and expand the footprint of what’s known as the Professional Sports Development Area to capture even more tax revenue for the CIB. But there’s a catch.
Former Rep. Luke Messer joins FaegreBD consulting team in D.C.
Messer will co-lead the firm’s federal advocacy team with FaegreBD principal Ted Bristol, who served as legislative advisor to senior Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate.
Justice Department opinion could threaten online gambling
Several states—but not Indiana—moved to authorize online gambling after an Obama administration decision appeared to allow it. Now, the Justice Department is reversing that opinion.
Council panel postpones vote on controversial billboard plan to consider changes
Council Vice President Zach Adamson said “we all have received lots of calls” on the proposal and said postponing the matter would “allow additional conversation” on whether or not to amend the proposal or accept it as written.