Indiana Senate panel backs redistricting ‘baby step’
The bill would set criteria for redrawing electoral districts, but the measure falls far short of a comprehensive redistricting overhaul that good government groups have sought for years.
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Indy Chamber joins group advocating for alternative north-split design
The chamber and other coalition members favor options for the interstate project that would be more neighborhood-friendly.
Bill to strengthen school-district oversight draws criticism
Some Indiana school officials say a bill that would create a system to monitor school districts' financial health and punish struggling schools goes too far
Hogsett says Amazon bid focuses more on quality of life than sites, incentives
The mayor also told IBJ that the city is “prepared to look at anything and everything” that would help it secure Amazon’s planned second U.S. headquarters—as long as any action is fiscally prudent.
Top lawmakers say cold beer bill on ice this year, but predict issue will return
The top two Republicans in the Indiana Legislature said Thursday that legislation that would overturn an unusual law and allow more stores to sell cold beer is dead this legislative session.
Bosma says Legislature might move on Amazon incentives this session
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said lawmakers could move an incentives bill “expeditiously” to attract Amazon’s proposed second headquarters, if necessary, but he wouldn’t be in favor of doing what Wisconsin did to lure Foxconn.
Future of CBD sales still unclear after hours of testimony
The future for cannabidiol, or CBD, oil in Indiana remains unclear after an Indiana senator declined to call for a vote on two bills that would legalize the sale of the substance if certain specifications are met.
Women rally at Statehouse for legislation against gender pay discrimination
Rep. Linda Lawson and Sen. Jean Breaux are working together this session to pass legislation that would hold employers accountable for permitting a wage gap between male and female workers.
North-split construction critics want more neighborhood-friendly plan
As INDOT moves forward with plans for a major I-65/I-70 construction project, a coalition of residents with concerns about the impact on surrounding neighborhoods is also gaining steam.
UPDATE: Indiana Senate panel votes against expanded cold beer sales
Indiana will likely remain the only state that restricts who can sell cold beer after a Senate panel voted Wednesday to uphold a closely guarded law that protects the interests of liquor stores.
Bill to regulate autonomous vehicle use moves forward
House Bill 1341 allows people to operate automated vehicles on public highways but only under certain conditions. Critics, including auto manufacturers, said the bill would stifle innovation.
Indiana House panel backs lifting Sunday alcohol sales ban
A Senate committee is scheduled to consider another bill Wednesday afternoon that would allow convenience and grocery stores and pharmacies to sell cold beer.
Ex-Indiana child services director hired by attorney general
Former Indiana Department of Child Services Director Mary Beth Bonaventura plans to join the Indiana Attorney General’s Office as special counsel Monday, a move that comes about a month after she resigned from her DCS post.
Bill proposes $2-per-pack cigarette tax, raising smoking age to 21
New legislation introduced by longtime Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, would drastically increase taxes on cigarettes as well as raise the legal age at which Hoosiers can buy tobacco products.
Panel advances bill to exempt some software from sales tax
Advocates say removing Indiana’s sales tax on many service-based software transactions would be a step in the right direction for the state’s growing tech industry.
Indiana to launch coding program for women’s prison inmates
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office says Indiana will be the second state to adopt The Last Mile coding program, which seeks to give inmates in-demand job skills and keep them out of the corrections system.
Supreme Court to hear sales tax collection case
The Supreme Court agreed Friday to wade into the issue of sales tax collection on internet purchases in a case that could force consumers to pay more for certain purchases and allow states to recoup what they say is billions in lost revenue annually.
Carmel works to balance short-term rental rights, concerns
The Indianapolis suburb has adopted rules on short-term home rental services like Airbnb as state lawmakers are again considering whether to ban such local regulations.
New tribal casino ramping up Indiana gambling competition
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is set to open the Four Winds Casino South Bend to the public on Tuesday, joining three other casinos the tribe already operates nearby in southwestern Michigan.
Indiana lawmakers not governed by sexual harassment policy
As state legislatures across the county take steps toward updating their sexual harassment policies, Republican lawmakers who dominate the Indiana General Assembly appear to be adopting a wait-and-see approach.