Hoosier Environmental Council’s job no easier with Pence administration
Group plans full-time presence at Statehouse to guard against governor, Republican legislature rolling back environmental protections.
Legislature
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Freshman wave shifts dynamics of Indiana House
Election Day brought 24 new members to the House of Representatives. That huge freshman wave, plus the return of 18 reps who were newly elected in 2010, means 42 percent of the House will begin the 2013 session with two years of experience or less.
Bosma set to pick House budget-writing team soon
The new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the GOP's top lieutenants on the panel will have the task of writing Indiana's next biennial budget during the 2013 session.
Republicans keep supermajority in Indiana Senate
Republicans held on to their supermajority in the Indiana Senate, maintaining a 37-13 edge after Tuesday's election.
House speaker Bosma says GOP clinched supermajority
The veteran Republican lawmaker tweeted early Wednesday that the GOP had gained nine seats in the Indiana House, giving the party a two-thirds supermajority of 69 seats.
Republicans retain control of Indiana Legislature
Republicans will keep control of both houses in the Indiana General Assembly although it wasn’t certain late Tuesday whether they’ll win the supermajority needed to thwart boycott threats from House Democrats.
Long lines, delays greet voters on election day
Indiana voters stood in line for up to three hours in some cases Tuesday to cast their ballots in a series of races for the White House on down that Republicans hoped to dominate.
Low enrollment clouds Healthy Indiana Plan
Many Indiana Republicans want to use the Healthy Indiana Plan to expand Medicaid coverage in Indiana to more low-income adults. But the program—which offers health insurance based on health savings accounts to uninsured adults—has managed to attract just one-third of the Hoosiers it was designed for and has cost about twice as much per enrollee as predicted.
Lawmakers: More time needed for Indiana stage rules
Indiana lawmakers want to give a state panel two more years to adopt permanent rules intended to prevent a repeat of last year's deadly State Fair stage collapse.
Container makers want to restore fizz to state’s recycling fund
The money, long ago diverted by Gov. Daniels to the state’s general fund, would help reduce landfill waste and lower manufacturing costs.
LEADING QUESTIONS: GOP pillar reflects on party, mentors and Legislature
How deep are the roots in J. Murray Clark's political family tree? What still stings from the former state GOP chairman's tenure? How does he view the party today? What about fundraising tips? Clark has answers.
Indiana House GOP looks for ‘supermajority’
Indiana Republicans hope to solidify their grip on the Statehouse in next month’s elections, but the GOP’s goal of winning enough House seats to essentially render Democrats irrelevant could prove an elusive target.
State Senate leader warns city about raiding CIB funds
Council Democrats want to take funds from the Capital Improvement Board’s $67 million cash reserve to help shore up the city’s budget. But State Sen. Luke Kenley lobbed a threat that might make them think twice about pursuing the proposal.
Indiana House GOP makes no guarantee on tax cuts
Tax cuts being pushed by gubernatorial candidates are hardly guaranteed a rubber stamp from lawmakers, Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said Thursday as he rolled out the 2013 agenda for his caucus.
Indiana House GOP makes no guarantees on tax cuts
Tax cuts being pushed by gubernatorial candidates are hardly guaranteed a rubber stamp from lawmakers, and a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage could win quick approval next year, Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said Thursday.
Lawmakers seek stage-safety rules that small events can handle
Indiana lawmakers pondering new rules governing the type of temporary outdoor stage rigging involved in the 2011 State Fair stage collapse say they want to make sure the state doesn't overwhelm smaller events like county fairs with regulations.
Lawmaker wants review of specialty plate proceeds
More oversight of Indiana’s specialty license plates is needed to ensure that the groups who benefit spend the money appropriately, according to the chairman of a legislative panel reviewing the plates.
Panel mulls making IPFW an independent university
State Sen. Dennis Kruse says Purdue's leaders concentrate on the West Lafayette campus and treat IPFW as an afterthought. He said the independent school might be called Fort Wayne University.
Daniels still waiting on lobbying decision
Questions remain whether Indiana’s governor will be covered by the state’s “revolving door” law when he becomes president of Purdue University. State ethics rules require a one year cool-down period for public officials after leaving office, preventing them from working as lobbyists.
Budget questions could easily eat at $2.2B reserve
With $2.2 billion in the bank, improving tax collections and extra tax refunds on their way to Hoosiers, it would be easy to assume Indiana’s leaders could coast for a while.