Lawmakers seek to shield businesses from COVID lawsuits
Several state lawmakers have been drafting coronavirus immunity legislation over the past several months as efforts in Congress to pass federal legislation have stalled.
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State unemployment rate continued to improve in November
However, Indiana’s labor-force participation rate drooped from 63.1% in October to 62.9% in November. The rate indicates the percentage of all people of working age who are employed or are actively seeking work.
Holcomb’s agenda calls for increasing K-12 funding, continuing existing programs
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday morning announced his 2021 legislative agenda, which largely focuses on continuing projects and programs his administration has already been pursuing.
State makes plans for $650M in remaining CARES Act money as deadline nears
The state received $2.4 billion earlier this year from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was established in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act. The funding must be used for pandemic-related expenses incurred before Dec. 30.
State tax revenue outlook better than lawmakers expected, but cuts still possible
According to a revenue forecast presented to the State Budget Committee on Wednesday morning, tax receipts for the state’s general fund—essentially its main checking account—will total $34.95 billion for the next two-year budget, which will start in July.
Indy Chamber to push for higher state cigarette tax, expanded pre-K
The business-advocacy organization also said it re-elected board Chairman Dennis Murphy of IU Health and the rest of the board’s executive committee.
COVID puts Legislature in fiscal vise in upcoming budget session
Leaders promise K-12 education will be the top priority, but they also acknowledge that every line item in the spending plan is at risk of cuts.
Dinner at Governor’s Residence, $25M land purchase helped snag Elanco HQ
The state’s pitch to keep Elanco Animal Health Inc. in Indiana for the long term began with a dinner at the Governor’s Residence two years ago.
Top Indiana GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19
Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston has been experiencing mild symptoms and is quarantining at home, his office announced Thursday morning.
UPDATE: Holcomb directs state’s hospitals to delay non-emergency procedures
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he was directing hospitals across the state “to postpone or reschedule non-emergent procedures done in the in-patient hospital setting” from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3 to ensure they are not overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
INDOT awards $101M in local road funding grants
The funding is part of the Community Crossings grant program, which provides matching state dollars for local road and bridge construction projects. Interstate or state highway projects are not eligible for funding.
Attorney General Hill ordered to pay $19K in disciplinary costs
The amount is about one-third of the roughly $57,000 the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission had asked the court in September to order Curtis Hill pay toward expenses in the case.
Restaurants: Tighter rules would cause devastation
A surge in coronavirus cases has local restaurateurs fretting that public officials are on the cusp of imposing severe restrictions that they say will force hundreds of local eateries to close.
Holcomb names Notre Dame director as state’s first chief equity officer
Karrah Herring has worked at the University of Notre Dame since 2011 and has been the director of public affairs since 2018. She also served on the university’s human resource’s senior leadership team as director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX coordinator.
Groups say energy recommendations could slow Indiana’s transition away from coal
A state energy task force is considering a sweeping array of measures that seem to favor existing large-scale utilities, many of which still burn coal, over providers of renewable energy.
Governor in quarantine after some in security team test positive
Gov. Eric Holcomb and his wife are “considered close contacts” and will be tested later this week, his office said.
North Split construction, traffic closures to begin in December
The North Split project, which was first announced in 2017, will reconfigure the Interstate 65/Interstate 70 interchange on the northeast side of downtown.
Top GOP lawmakers signal support for coronavirus legal protections for businesses
During the chamber’s annual legislative preview event—which was held virtually this year as a safety precaution—the organization announced its top five priorities for the session that starts in January.
Republicans select former Marion County GOP chair to replace Merritt at Statehouse
Former state Sen. Jim Merritt, who had been in office since 1990, resigned from the position earlier this month. He still had two years left in his term.
To shut down or not to shut down? Officials must contend with backlash.
Cities and states are trying to avoid full-blown lockdowns by enacting almost every other kind of restriction: nighttime curfews, bar closures, stricter mask mandates, and 10-person gathering limits, for example.