Pence signs Indiana ban on powdered alcohol into law
Indiana residents will be barred from purchasing, selling or using a powdered form of alcohol under a bill Gov. Mike Pence has signed into law.
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Deal allows inland moves for Indiana’s riverboat casinos
Lawmakers have approved a deal to allow Indiana's riverboat casinos to build on-land facilities, but live dealers won't be working table games anytime soon at the state's two horse track casinos.
Lawmakers pass bill that will let Ritz stay chair of education board
A bill passed Wednesday gives the State Board of Education more authority to oversee Indiana’s ISTEP program and a new grant program that gives more money to charter schools, while keeping Superintendent Glenda Ritz as chair until the next election.
Indy Eleven stadium bill dies as session nears close
A bill that would have funneled state money into a new or substantially renovated soccer stadium for the Indy Eleven has died in the legislative session's final hours.
Lawmakers reconsidering search fee for public records
House members have approved a proposal that would allow government agencies to charge a searching fee for record requests that take over two hours. After that time, they could charge up to $20 an hour.
Gambling, education, criminal justice bills still unresolved
Indiana lawmakers were still working late Tuesday to make deals on key bills about gambling, education and local criminal justice programs with just one day left in the 2015 legislative session.
Budget bans state archives building on Central Canal
The Pence administration would be banned from constructing a new, $25 million state archives building along the Central Canal in downtown Indianapolis under the budget bill lawmakers plan to approve Wednesday.
Budget deal means more for schools, less for roads
Most charter schools would get additional money, teachers would get a $100 tax credit and the governor’s regional cities initiative would be funded under a budget compromise the Indiana House and Senate reached Tuesday.
Indiana lawmakers send tougher ethics bill to Pence
Indiana legislators gave final approval Monday to a state ethics law overhaul that requires greater financial disclosure by lawmakers and expressly prohibits elected officials from using state resources for political purposes.
Proposed change to education bill would allow Ritz to keep chair
Senate Republicans unveiled a proposal Monday to allow the Indiana State Board of Education to choose its own leader, but not until Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, a Democrat, completes her first term in office.
Indiana lawmakers enter final 3 days with unsettled issues
Indiana lawmakers are entering the final three days of this year’s legislative session with final decisions looming on the new state budget and some other difficult issues.
Pence picks longtime aide Lloyd to be communications chief
Matt Lloyd served as communications director on Mike Pence’s congressional staff for 10 years and as a senior advisor to his gubernatorial campaign.
Deal calls for special study of ISTEP exam’s future
Some senators had pushed a bill calling for replacement of the exam with an "off-the-shelf" test in hopes of saving millions of dollars. But House members favored keeping ISTEP in place while undertaking a special review of a possible overhaul.
Republicans eye more rules on Ritz, education board dealings
Indiana legislative leaders are considering steps to broaden the Republican-backed proposal aimed at allowing the state Board of Education to replace the state superintendent of public instruction—currently Democrat Glenda Ritz—as its leader.
Indiana lawmakers facing decisions on budget, casino changes
Indiana lawmakers were grappling Wednesday over where to make cuts in the new state budget with little more than a week remaining in the legislative session while also debating what steps should be taken to help struggling casinos.
Indiana Senate backs bill loosening rules on wine sales
Indiana residents will have an easier time having wine shipped to their homes under a bill approved by state lawmakers.
Lawmaker seeks to drop welfare drug-testing measure
An Indiana lawmaker says he no longer supports his proposal that would require certain welfare recipients to take drug tests and instead wants more study on the issue.
Lawmakers still unsettled over more live casino dealers
The question of whether the two horse track casinos in central Indiana will be allowed to add live dealers for their current electronic table games remained unsettled Monday with little more than a week left in this year's legislative session.
Lawmaker renews efforts to require schools to teach cursive
A longtime supporter of requiring Indiana schools to teach cursive writing is making her fifth attempt to restore the skill to Indiana's curriculum.
Angst over ISTEP continues in Statehouse, school districts
Lawmakers are at odds over a proposal to scrap the ISTEP+ standardized test for an off-the-shelf model. Meanwhile, schools are preparing to take the online portion of the high-stakes test, which has been glitchy in the past.