House bill criticized as criminalizing homelessness will not advance
House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, told reporters that lawmakers had good discussions on the bill, but it ultimately didn’t have the support it needed.
Politics & Government
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Indiana House approves ‘vanilla’ state budget proposal, sends to Senate
Lawmakers have less to spend due to slowing growth in state tax revenue and ballooning Medicaid costs—both residual effects of the pandemic.
County prosecutors could get less discretion over local decisions under proposal
House Bill 1006—a Republican priority—creates a board to investigate prosecutors who “categorically refuse to prosecute” criminal laws.
Indy to receive funding for Nickel Plate, Monon pedestrian bridges
Indianapolis city leaders and elected officials have spotlighted the danger of the two intersections for years.
Trump backs idea to send some DOGE savings to American citizens
Trump said the potential for dividend payments would incentivize people to report wasteful spending.
Could Indianapolis get a casino? Lawmakers signal very early signs of support.
The Indiana Legislature would have to approve moving any existing gaming licenses or creating new ones.
Trump’s pro-union labor secretary pick highlights GOP tensions
While Trump loyalists have rallied behind Lori Chavez-DeRemer, she faces skepticism from some GOP senators whose support she may need.
Gov. Mike Braun threatens to veto property tax bill, call special session if more cuts aren’t added
Senate Bill 1, which previously carried Gov. Mike Braun’s ambitious property tax relief plan, was pared down significantly in committee following outcry from local government leaders.
County jails on the hook as state stops paying prisoner costs
County jails haven’t received payments in months, and there are still four months left in the July-to-June fiscal year.
DOGE says it’s saved $55B in federal spending; data show much less
Elon Musk, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office last week, said that some of the things he says “will be incorrect and should be corrected,” adding that DOGE would act quickly to fix errors.
Senate Republicans approve limiting health insurance program for Hoosiers
Senate Republicans unanimously greenlit a bill imposing certain provisions to the Healthy Indiana Plan, including adding a cap to the program—meaning hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers could lose coverage.
U.S. Senate confirms financier Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary
At his confirmation hearing last month, Lutnick dismissed as “nonsense” the idea that tariffs contribute to inflation.
U.S. reverses plan to shut down free COVID test program
Internal documents show that officials at HHS had been considering whether to continue the program or dispose of millions of tests.
Partisan school boards, payday lending bills move forward
With the committee deadline over, lawmakers are now working with fewer bills in the 2025 session.
Elon Musk advises Trump but doesn’t work for DOGE, White House says
The government’s representation comes in stark contrast to Musk’s public image as the power behind the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
Indiana panel advances AG-backed immigration crackdown
The bill would also ban employers from “knowingly or intentionally” recruiting, hiring or employing people not authorized to work in the U.S.
Trump casts psychiatric and weight-loss drugs as threats to children
President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to scrutinize the “threat” to children posed by antidepressants, stimulants and other common psychiatric drugs.
New neighbors? Bill to explore annexing Illinois counties moves out of House committee
House Bill 1008 would create a commission to discuss how Indiana could “embrace” counties in Illinois who want to secede from their state.
Public camping ban passes key legislative deadline despite law enforcement concerns
A lobbyist for the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association testified House Bill 1662 could put additional strain on already-crowded county jails.
Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal
The layoffs were part of a Department of Government Efficiency purge that targeted about 2,000 Department of Energy employees.