Holcomb said he made the decision—which comes on the heels of multiple conflict of interest questions about the gambling bill—to “spur positive economic growth for our state and for an industry that employs over 11,000 Hoosiers.”
Indiana's governor signed a new two-year budget Monday and pledged to work to restore some of the money lawmakers trimmed from his proposal to boost funding for the state's child welfare agency if the amount ends up being insufficient.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and other Republicans say the legislation covers all 6.6 million Hoosiers because it covers all characteristics and traits, whether expressly listed or not, but the Anti-Defamation League said the measure falls short.
The Indiana Senate adopted the House's version of a bias crimes bill on Tuesday afternoon, sending the legislation to Gov. Eric Holcomb despite complaints from opponents who say the bill isn’t specific enough.
Legislation passed by the Indiana Senate makes money for a soccer stadium available only if the city gains a Major League Soccer franchise—but that same legislation could make it more likely the MLS gives it a team.
The Senate amended Senate Bill 12 so it no longer specifies that crimes motivated by bias based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other categories are eligible for stronger penalties.
The spending plan includes the additional $286 million per year requested by the Indiana Department of Child Services, covers increases in Medicaid costs, and hikes K-12 spending by 2.1 percent in 2020 and 2.2 percent in 2021, which is slightly higher than the 2 percent annual increase suggested by Holcomb.
The proposal would turn the Office of Tourism Development into the Indiana Destination Development Corp., a quasi-governmental group that could accept funding from tourism organizations.
In 2018, Holcomb boldly outlined specific goals, One year later, he has exceeded some targets, but hasn’t met other goals.
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.
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.
The Republican governor did not take a position on an Indy Eleven plan to have state and local taxpayers fund a new stadium, but he said officials always need to embrace the future.
Several Indiana legislators support marijuana legalization bills that could be considered during the General Assembly session that starts in early January.
The Capital Improvement Board of Managers will ask lawmakers for more long-term funding that could be used in part for improvements at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The governor says he’s ready to listen.
The Indiana governor announced his 2019 agenda on Thursday, and it included passing a hate crimes law to get Indiana off the list of five states without such protection. Holcomb referred to it as being on the “naughty list.”
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s list of priorities, which he announced Thursday afternoon, also includes a bias-crimes bill, teacher pay, the Department of Child Services and the state superintendent of public instruction.
Podcast host Mason King talks with Rethink 65/70 member Paul Knapp, the CEO of Young & Laramore, about the group’s plan to put parts of the highway below grade. Then he talks with INDOT spokesman Scott Manning and HNTB’s Kia Gillette about whether the state will consider Rethink’s ideas.
Amazon is approaching its end-of-year deadline for deciding where it will locate the $5 billion campus, and two national newspapers reported over the weekend that an area in northern Virginia is far along in negotiations.
An ongoing effort to attract nonstop flights between Indianapolis and places like Asia, Mexico and Europe is in line for a big boost.
Bridging the digital divide between rural and urban communities will take years to complete, but a first-of-its-kind $100 million state grant program is expected to be a significant start.
