New City-County Council committee to strike a greener path
The panel plans to focus first on urban forests and parklands, then recycling and solid waste, then equitable health and infrastructure investments.
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Indiana lawmakers pass ‘baby nukes’ bill, send it to governor
The Indiana General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow electric utilities to build small modular reactors, a move that could pave the way for commercial nuclear power in the state for the first time.
Holcomb signals some support for contentious education bills
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb told reporters that he was waiting to see the final versions of bills that would ban transgender girls from participating in K-12 girls school sports and place restrictions on teaching about racism and political issues.
Indiana transgender athlete bill on fast track to governor
If the full Senate approves the bill, which could happen as soon as Thursday, it would head to the governor for consideration. The Indiana House already passed it.
Indiana lawmakers advance stripped-down college aid application bill
A bill that seeks to increase the number of Indiana students who complete the federal college financial aid application advanced to the Indiana House on Monday, but only after lawmakers removed an significant mandate from the measure.
As city boosts spending on anti-crime grants, some call for more accountability
Indianapolis has put more than $30 million into about 600 grants since 2009, when it launched what’s now called the Violent Crime Prevention Grants Program.
Restaurants seek more federal help after SBA fund runs out of cash
Restaurant owners want Congress to replenish the fund, and they want Indiana’s senators to sign on to a proposal that would provide cash to original applicants who were left high and dry.
U.S. Senate sends Biden bill averting federal shutdown
The Senate gave final approval Thursday to legislation averting a weekend government shutdown, sending President Joe Biden a measure designed to give bipartisan bargainers more time to reach an overdue deal financing federal agencies until fall.
Indiana lawmakers step back ‘curricula transparency’ bill
Indiana state senators on Wednesday also moved forward with a separate bill that would ban transgender women and girls from participating in K-12 school sports that match their gender identity.
Indiana Rep. Banks facing ‘insurrection’ ballot challenge
The challenge was filed by a long-shot Democratic candidate for Banks’ congressional seat and likely has little chance of success when it goes before the state election commission on Friday, a former longtime commission member said.
Michigan Senate votes to cut income, corporate tax rates
Republicans who control the Michigan Senate on Tuesday passed a $2.5 billion annual tax cut, voting to lower income and corporate rates while letting people claim a credit for their children and deduct more retirement income.
White House seeks another $30 billion for COVID-19 battle
According to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Congress has already approved $5.8 trillion to battle the pandemic in a series of major bills spanning the Trump and Biden administrations.
Indiana Senate committee strips all tax cuts out of House proposal
Republicans in the Indiana Senate gutted House Republicans’ plan for $1 billion in tax cuts within minutes of the bill’s first hearing in the Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday.
Hoosier Lottery could need legislative OK for online games
Indiana lawmakers are looking to block the Hoosier Lottery from starting online games or ticket sales without their permission.
Rocky Ripple residents push back on demolitions in cost-cutting anti-flood plan
Three years after Rocky Ripple approved a no-demolition plan for a new floodwall, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works has unveiled a tweaked plan that would involve destruction of as many as 14 houses and the Rocky Ripple Town Hall.
Indiana lawmakers turn down changes to mail-in voting rules
The proposal would have required voters who requested mail-in ballots to swear under possible penalty of perjury that they wouldn’t be able to vote in person at any time during the 28 days before Election Day.
McGuinness stepping down as chief of Indiana Department of Transportation
Mike Smith, deputy commissioner and chief financial officer for INDOT, will succeed Joe McGuinness.
Lilly to supply 600K doses of new COVID-19 antibody to U.S., if OK’d by FDA
The deal calls for the federal government to pay Eli Lilly and Co. more than $720 million for the antibody, which the company said is effective against all COVID-19 variants.
Senate passes bill to end forced arbitration in sexual assault, harassment cases
The bill would nullify agreements between employees and their employers in which the employees waive their rights to sue in the case of sexual assault or harassment.
House OKs bill easing budget strains on Postal Service
Congress would lift onerous budget requirements that have helped push the Postal Service deeply into debt and would require it to continue delivering mail six days per week under bipartisan legislation the House approved Tuesday.