Indiana school board elects teacher as vice chairwoman
A central Indiana elementary school teacher has been elected as vice chairwoman of the State Board of Education, a new position that shares authority with Superintendent Glenda Ritz.
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‘Benefit corporation’ offers new path for firms that see past profit
Indiana might not seem like fertile ground for growing socially responsible companies, but a new state law, coupled with local interest in national certification services for such firms, is tilling the field.
House lawmakers move to shield communications from public
Lawmakers in the Indiana House are working to keep internal correspondence secret by quietly changing the definition of a "work product" in a way that could shield nearly every communication from public view.
BMV, smoking, testing among topics for study committees
Restoring public trust in the Bureau of Motor Vehicles is one of 40 topics that study committees will consider in advance of the 2016 legislative session.
Gay rights not part of state’s study-committee roster
State lawmakers will not conduct a public study of gay rights issues in Indiana in advance of the 2016 legislative session.
Casinos say law won’t be cure-all
Indiana lawmakers bought the state’s embattled casino industry time, but the new protections might not be enough to ensure each gambling parlor’s long-term survival.
State tweaks law to entice $500M Rolls-Royce upgrade
If a tailor-made tax credit is any indication, Rolls-Royce Group plans to spend at least $500 million modernizing its Tibbs Avenue jet-engine factory.
Governor vetoes transparency bill over records fee
A bill that would have allowed government agencies to charge private citizens for public research requests will not go into effect this year.
Savings from Indiana energy-efficiency law could be small
A new law aimed at decreasing energy usage in Indiana might not save consumers money as advertised and could leave the state at risk of violating federal emissions rules, environmentalists say.
Pence signs board bill, other education legislation
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed education bills Thursday that will revamp the State Board of Education, speed up state intervention into failing schools and give teachers more flexibility to experiment in the classroom.
Pence set to sign $31 billion Indiana budget plan
The new two-year state spending plan was approved by the General Assembly last week. Slightly more than half of the $31 billion budget goes toward K-12 education, with funding going up 2.3 percent each year.
Religious freedom turmoil likely to spill into next year
Legislative Democrats say they plan to push next year to add nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity to the Indiana civil-rights law covering education, employment, public accommodations and housing.
K-12 schools prepare for funding boosts, cuts in new budget
As Indiana’s fast-growing suburban districts breathe a sigh of relief with more funding on the way, many urban and rural districts are bracing for drastic cuts under the state’s new budget and experts say there might not be a middle ground between the two.
Legislative roundup: Which bills passed, and which died?
Lawmakers passed bills on topics ranging from ethics reform to "religious freedom." Meanwhile, they shot down legislation that would have helped the Indy Eleven build or renovate a stadium and that would have permitted Sunday alcohol sales.
Deal allows inland moves for Indiana’s riverboat casinos
Lawmakers have approved a deal to allow Indiana's riverboat casinos to build on-land facilities, but live dealers won't be working table games anytime soon at the state's two horse track casinos.
Indy Eleven stadium bill dies as session nears close
A bill that would have funneled state money into a new or substantially renovated soccer stadium for the Indy Eleven has died in the legislative session's final hours.
Budget deal means more for schools, less for roads
Most charter schools would get additional money, teachers would get a $100 tax credit and the governor’s regional cities initiative would be funded under a budget compromise the Indiana House and Senate reached Tuesday.
Indiana lawmakers send tougher ethics bill to Pence
Indiana legislators gave final approval Monday to a state ethics law overhaul that requires greater financial disclosure by lawmakers and expressly prohibits elected officials from using state resources for political purposes.
Lawmakers still unsettled over more live casino dealers
The question of whether the two horse track casinos in central Indiana will be allowed to add live dealers for their current electronic table games remained unsettled Monday with little more than a week left in this year's legislative session.
Angst over ISTEP continues in Statehouse, school districts
Lawmakers are at odds over a proposal to scrap the ISTEP+ standardized test for an off-the-shelf model. Meanwhile, schools are preparing to take the online portion of the high-stakes test, which has been glitchy in the past.