Indiana House eyes another $5M for state fair victims
Indiana's House Ways and Means chairman is pushing for $5 million more for victims of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse and $80 million to pay for full-day kindergarten.
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State employers add 12,000 jobs, but jobless rate stays flat
Indiana added 12,000 private-sector jobs in December, but the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 9 percent as a huge wave of Hoosiers entered the labor force.
Indiana Senate backs bill on right to resist police
The Indiana Senate on Monday approved by a wide margin a proposal that gives residents limited rights to resist police officers trying to enter their homes.
House Dems lose right-to-work referendum vote
Indiana House Democrats walked off the floor Monday after losing an effort to put a right-to-work measure aimed at unions before voters, possibly resuming an off-and-on boycott strategy aimed at derailing the measure for the second straight year.
State Senate backs bill on officeholder limits
People who work for cities, towns or counties would no longer be allowed to hold political offices in those government units under a bill approved by the Indiana Senate.
Indiana House Dems return after right-to-work boycott
Indiana House Democrats have returned to work at the statehouse after a boycott over divisive right-to-work legislation by moving to strike down the measure.
‘Parent trigger’ would let parents convert schools
A measure being pushed in the Indiana House of Representatives would let parents vote to turn public schools over to charter school operators.
Indiana House Democrats might end boycott Monday
The Indiana House's Democratic leader said Friday his boycotting members are willing to return at "high noon" Monday to begin debating a contentious right-to-work bill, although the ongoing dispute over whether a statewide referendum on the issue is constitutional could prevent legislative action.
Mass transit plan faces likely defeat, bill sponsor says
Chairman Jeff Espich said the central Indiana mass-transit plan faces almost certain defeat in the House Ways and Means Committee, and he is still mulling whether or not to bring it to a vote.
Tensions flare between state leaders as boycott continues
The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Indiana House had a tense 10-minute exchange on the House floor Friday morning over whether Democratic leaders will end their boycott over the right-to-work bill.
Tougher law on watching dog fights advances
The bill makes attending animal fights a felony punishable by six months to three years in prison. Under current law, a first offense is a misdemeanor with a second offense considered a felony.
Judge delays fines for boycotting Indiana Democrats
Indiana House Democrats got a boost Thursday when a judge temporarily blocked the collection of $1,000-a-day fines imposed on them for their legislative boycott over the contentious right-to-work bill, and their leader said they might return to the House chamber Friday to vote.
Daniels’ chief of staff purchased parcel from Bales
The chief of staff to Gov. Mitch Daniels, Earl A. Goode, bought a residential lot from the real estate broker John M. Bales about two years after an agency led by Goode awarded Bales a contract to handle state leasing.
Hoosier Environmental Council monitoring three bills in General Assembly
The state’s largest green group is seeking changes to measures it says could strip funding and oversight for environmental protection.
Bill aims to lift upside for 21st Century fund
Republican State Sen. Brent Waltz has filed a bill that would require the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and businesses seeking awards from the 21st Century fund to match the state’s money with outside capital at a four-to-one ratio.
Officials steered lease deal to Bales
State officials in 2005 vowed to run a competitive process to select a private firm to handle real estate leasing for public agencies, but a 20-page request for services to more than 400 potential bidders was a sham, according to three people with knowledge of the process.
House bill would cut barber licensing requirement
Besides no longer requiring barbers and cosmetologists to be licensed, the bill also exempts dieticians, hearing aid dealers, private investigators and security guards.
Indiana Democrats continue right-to-work boycott
Indiana House Democrats kept up their legislative boycott over the right-to-work bill Thursday morning, a day after majority Republicans voted to start imposing $1,000-a-day fines.
Indiana Senate to consider changing tax-refund plan
An Indiana Senate committee is advancing a plan to put more money into state savings accounts before automatic tax refunds go out to taxpayers.
Pence dominating money race for Indiana governor
Campaign finance numbers released Wednesday show Indiana Rep. Mike Pence raised $5 million last year and has $3.7 million in the bank. Former Indiana House Speaker John Gregg has raised $1.7 million so far and banked $1.2 million.