Pence gubernatorial campaign raises record amount
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence raised a record $3.3 million in campaign funds last year, including nearly $2.1 million over the second half of the year, his campaign announced Friday.
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Education officials’ plan for school money differs from Pence’s
Indiana Department of Education officials presented their two-year budget proposal to the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday. It includes large increases to the Non-English Speakers Fund, textbook relief funding, and tuition support.
Key lawmaker introduces bill to allow live dealers at racinos
Two of the state’s largest casinos and horse track betting facilities, Hoosier Park in Anderson and Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, stand to benefit most if the proposed legislation becomes law.
Bill seeks to limit referendums to general elections
Lawmakers raised questions and community leaders testified against a bill that would require that referendums for school and government construction projects occur only during general elections every other year.
Proposal would overhaul state ethics laws after scandals
Indiana legislators would face more financial disclosure requirements and elected officials would be expressly prohibited from using state resources for political purposes under a proposed overhaul of ethics laws introduced Thursday.
FEIGENBAUM: Pence’s speech kept things simple, but expect detours
The governor took on the federal government for overreaching on health care and environmental regulations, and he reiterates his priorities on education.
Senate bill would increase access to adoption records
Senate Bill 352 would allow those adopted from 1941 through 1993 to access their records unless their birth parents sign a form prohibiting it.
Pence traveling to Detroit for meetings at auto show
The governor has meetings planned with General Motors CEO Mary Barra and executives of other companies, including Honda, Subaru, Fiat Chrysler, and Toyota.
Details being worked out on Pence’s balanced budget proposal
Republican legislative leaders are backing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's proposal to add a balanced budget amendment to the state constitution, even as details of how it would work are still being sorted out.
Governor eyes cell tower leases to fund bicentennial projects
The state is looking to raise as much as $50 million from long-term cell tower leases in order to help finance Indiana’s 2016 bicentennial plans.
Inmates could get trades training under Senate bill
Senate Bill 173, authored by Sen. R. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, requires the Indiana Department of Correction to establish a specialized vocational program to train minimum-security inmates in trades.
Pence doesn’t push to expand preschool program
The governor said this will be an "education session" and said his priorities will include changes to the school funding formula and more money for school choice.
Bill would let state education board select its own chair
Democrats called the legislation a political attack that would let Gov. Mike Pence replace Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, a Democrat, with his own leader.
Pence pitches balanced budget amendment in address
In his third State of the State address, Gov. Mike Pence called for a balanced budget amendment that he says will protect Indiana from a possible economic downturn and will show Hoosiers their tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Indiana Senate panel endorses farmland tax relief bill
The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 6-0 on Monday for a bill that would require property assessors to use 2011 soil-quality figures in this year's land-value determinations.
Blight-elimination bill targets tax-sale investors
Sen. Jim Merritt hopes that his bill would make tax sales a less attractive haven for investors, who he said lack incentives to maintain abandoned and vacant property.
Presidential talk may bring more eyes to Pence address
The content and structure of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s State of the State address on Tuesday evening is likely to be similar to years’ past. The audience may not be.
Democrats push for hiring of more child welfare workers
The Indiana Senate's top Democrat on Monday faulted Republican Gov. Mike Pence for not seeking more money in his proposed budget so that the Department of Child Services could hire enough case managers to meet their workload levels.
Panel postpones action on bill to limit local livestock rules
Senate Bill 249, if passed into law, would ban communities from adopting an ordinance preventing the construction of livestock facilities.
Republicans nix separate charter school, voucher funding
Republicans have rejected Democrats' calls to specify in Indiana's state budget how much money is going toward traditional public schools, charter schools and the private school voucher program.