Longtime CEO of state casino lobbying group stepping down
Mike Smith plans to resign as president and CEO of the Casino Association of Indiana after more than a dozen years in the position, the group announced Monday.
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Ethics legislation gets closer to becoming law
The Indiana Senate passed ethics legislation Wednesday that would require lawmakers to be more transparent about their finances and strengthen laws designed to keep legislators from taking advantage of state resources for political gain.
Angie’s List CEO: Controversial bill ‘sends a clear message’
Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle, a Republican who gave at least $150,000 to help elect Gov. Mike Pence, on Saturday explained why Pence and Republican state lawmakers left him no choice but to call off his company's $40 million Indianapolis headquarters expansion.
Secretive ‘bill mill’ gets local foothold
An offshoot of the American Legislative Exchange Council that aims to influence local government is making inroads in Indiana. The American City County Exchange, which launched about a year ago, has 22 members from eight Indiana counties, including Marion and Hamilton.
Debate on common wage repeal lingers during contractor event
A proposal to repeal the state law that sets wages for public construction projects requires further study instead of a quick vote, opponents of the measure said Monday at the Indiana Statehouse.
Free-market policy group to convene in Indy
The conservative-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council, which drafts model legislation for state legislatures, will host its annual meeting in Indianapolis in 2016.
2015 Forty Under 40: Andrew Cullen
Andrew Cullen, 39, vice president of public policy for United Way of Central Indiana, is a lobbyist who looks out for Indiana’s kids.
Nursing home construction moratorium fight fuels lobbying, donations
The two sides duking it out over a construction ban on nursing homes spent more than $475,000 over six months to win lawmakers to their sides—a spike of 37 percent over previous years. And that kind of high-stakes fight is about to happen again.
Legislators need stricter disclosure rules, advocate tells panel
Indiana legislators need to be more transparent about conflicts of interest and should never lobby for issues that could impact their finances, an open-government advocate said Monday.
State energy trade association replaces longtime leader
The Indiana Energy Association has appointed former Northern Indiana Public Service Co. President Mark Maassel as president, succeeding longtime leader Ed Simcox, the organization announced Thursday.
Bosma removes Turner from leadership post-scandal
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma has removed Rep. Eric Turner from his leadership team amid concerns over Turner's lobbying against a nursing home construction ban that would have impacted his family's business.
Ethics panel set to review Turner lobbying situation
The Indiana House Ethics Committee on Wednesday will review the actions of a senior lawmaker who worked in private to block legislation that would have cost his family's company millions of dollars.
Lawmaker Turner worked to nix nursing home ban
A powerful House Republican secretly lobbied colleagues in the final hours of the 2014 session last week to kill a measure that would have been disastrous for his family's nursing home business.
IBJ rolls out politics website
The central Indiana business news authority has elevated the idea behind its popular Forefront section and created a website similarly focused on commentary about politics, policy and government.
Gay marriage debate draws in higher education
DePauw University and Wabash College have joined Freedom Indiana, a newly formed organization opposed to Indiana’s proposed same-sex marriage amendment.
Pence aide leaving post, had role in grade scandal
Gov. Mike Pence’s chief lobbyist, Heather Neal, who was chief of staff to former Indiana schools Superintendent Tony Bennett last year, will join Limestone Strategies as president of its public affairs practice.
More making jump to lobbying without cooling-off period
It's hardly uncommon to go from being employed by Indiana's government to lobbying it, but an increasing number are making the jump without sitting out the customary one-year "cooling-off" period.
State legislator defends supporting daughter’s client
A powerful Indiana House Republican on Monday defended his decision to support a Utah company his daughter represents as a Statehouse lobbyist, one week after Gov. Mike Pence placed a hold on state aid to a company run by the lawmaker's son.
Senate budget expected to boost road funding
Local governments and road builders are optimistic that the Indiana Senate’s version of the state budget, set to debut Thursday, will mirror the House’s $500 million increase for road building.
Purdue moving to trim its federal lobbying costs
Purdue University is planning to trim its federal lobbying costs and downsize its Washington, D.C., office by cutting ties with an outside lobbying firm.