Gov. Eric Holcomb is telling Hoosiers to “hunker down” and stay at home for the next two weeks, except for what’s deemed “essential” business and activity. The order raises a bunch of questions about how it will work and what’s allowed. Here are some answers to those questions.
His decision—announced in a Statehouse address streamed online—follows in the footsteps of a handful of other governors across the country, including three of Indiana’s neighboring states: Michigan, Illinois and Ohio.
The governor also signed legislation that will eventually put more money into the state’s unemployment trust fund, a move that comes as the coronavirus outbreak has led to a jump in unemployment claims.
The governor said the decision will be up to Secretary of State Connie Lawson, a Republican who oversees the Indiana Election Division.
A former Senate budget writer said the hit to the state budget could be bigger than during the Great Recession, when state revenue dropped 15% over two years.
Candidate Woody Myers on Tuesday issued his own plan for dealing with the outbreak, which includes spending some of the state’s surplus revenue and bringing state lawmakers back for a special session.
The order will be in effect for at least seven days. Hogsett plans to seek permission from the Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night to extend the order to April 5.
Two weeks ago, Italy had 1,700 cases of coronavirus and had reported 34 deaths. Now, Italy is reporting an estimated 25,000 cases and more than 1,800 deaths.
More than 200 of Indiana’s nearly 300 districts have closed after consultations with local health officials. But, in at least 21 states, officials have ordered closures to try to stop spread of COVID-19.
It was a fortuitous decision by legislative leaders heading into January to seek adjournment sine die by March 11 or 12.
Trump also told reporters at a White House briefing that he had his temperature taken before stepping into the room and it was “totally normal.”
Holcomb signed an executive order meant to speed up deliveries to retailers, which are running short of supplies, by lifting regulations on the number of hours that commercial drivers can work.
Agreement calls for spending tens of billions of dollars on sick leave, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other measures to address the unfolding COVID-19 crisis.
The party leaders did not suggest any delay in the May 5 primary itself.
Investors have been clamoring for strong action from the U.S. government to combat the economic impact of the virus outbreak.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in Indiana, the primary election season may look different than normal as candidates cancel in-person events and organizers of public forums and debates opt for no audiences.
The provision emerged at the Statehouse last month as a last-minute attempt to block the Indianapolis City-County Council from implementing two ordinances designed to protect tenants from predatory landlords.
Joe Biden’s victory in Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, as well as in Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho, dealt a serious blow to Bernie Sanders and substantially widened Biden’s path to the nomination.
It will add to a mix of new businesses in the town center. Also this week: Dave & Buster’s, VetIQ, Jiffy Lube, Ross Dress for Less, Sears Outlet and more.
Just in the past month or so, lawmakers have debated proposals to prohibit cities from regulating landlord-tenant relations, allow the attorney general to step in when a local prosecutor decides not to pursue a case, and cut funding to IndyGo—which might stop construction of future bus rapid-transit lines.
