State disputes federal claims that IOSHA wrongly dropped fines related to Amazon worker’s death
Federal OSHA found that Amazon did not prove all of the criteria to establish employee misconduct occurred in this case, but the state agency disagrees.
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State contractor OptumServe not meeting test result requirement
Indiana State Health Commissioner Kris Box said during Friday’s press briefing that OptumServe, which is subsidiary of United Health Group, is not providing all test results within a 48-hour window, as the contract requires.
Holcomb allocates $50M in CARES Act funding for workforce programs
Most of the funding will be used to expand Workforce Ready Grants and Employer Training Grants. The state also plans to use some of the funding to scale up career coaching efforts and other workforce development outreach.
Indiana budget off by $1.2B for fiscal year with one month to go
Pandemic-related drops in sales and individual income taxes—the state’s top two revenue sources—continue to have the most significant impact on the state budget.
Holcomb encourages peaceful protests, but says violent riots slow progress
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s remarks were made during a press conference Monday afternoon—the first time he has spoken publicly since protests started in Indianapolis and other areas of the state on Friday.
Indiana’s Holcomb mum as other governors call up National Guard
The governors of at least 12 states have called up National Guard troops to help quell the protests that have ravaged many major American cities.
Secretary of state holds firm to absentee-ballot deadline, says county should have geared up faster
Marion County’s clerk had implored the Indiana Election Commission to extend the deadline, saying thousands of voters who planned to vote by mail in Tuesday’s election might not be able to do so.
Holcomb announces nearly $44M in new programs to help businesses
The biggest portion of the funds will go toward a $30 million grant program called the Small Business Restart Fund.
Union-connected PAC spends thousands to defeat candidate who represents non-union contractors
Believe in Indiana, a political action committee connected to the Indiana State Building & Construction Trades Council, has spent more than $51,000 to run TV commercials that criticize JR Gaylor, CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana and Kentucky, who is running against Scott Baldwin in the Senate District 20 primary.
Clerk warns that thousands of mail-in ballots might not be counted; voters can still go to polls
Marion County Clerk Myra Eldridge told state officials “it is not too late” to extend the deadline for receipt of mailed ballots. She implored the Indiana Election Commission to act.
Holcomb’s plan for $61M in coronavirus relief involves technology
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s application to the U.S. Department of Education provides a look at how he will spend federal education money that was set aside for state leaders to distribute how they choose.
State’s contractor faces big test as it ramps up contact tracing effort
Washington, D.C.-area-based Maximus is taking on a critical, massive assignment: helping health departments across Indiana contact people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to learn whom they might have exposed.
Extra jobless payments complicate effort to rehire workers
As restaurants, retailers and service providers are allowed to resume in-person operations, some employers are eager to get started. But employees are not as excited to return to work and give up their unemployment benefits.
State to cut spending 15%, sideline several projects to deal with budget shortfalls
Gov. Eric Holcomb said the budget agency is estimating that Indiana could take in $3 billion less than expected during the last two months of fiscal year 2020—which ends June 30—and fiscal year 2021.
Holcomb preparing to tweak reopening plan; details to come Wednesday
Stage 3 of the governor’s roadmap, scheduled to start Sunday, is set to increase the social gathering limit from 25 people to 100, allow retailers to go from operating at 50% capacity to 75% capacity, let fitness centers reopen and allow movie theaters to open at 50% capacity.
IBJ Podcast: Holcomb campaign faces peril of managing COVID crisis in public spotlight
On one hand, Holcomb has the opportunity to show voters how he can handle a dire crisis. On the other hand, if he miscalculates how quickly the state should reopen, it’ll be in front of millions of voters with a deep, vested interest.
Ex-Rep. Rokita might join race for Indiana attorney general
Former U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita said Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is “very badly wounded” because of the 30-day suspension of his law license.
Hill says he accepts ruling ‘with humility and respect,’ taps chief deputy to fill in
After the Indiana Supreme Court suspended his law license for 30 days, Attorney General Curtis Hill named his chief deputy to take over the office in his absence.
UPDATE: Indiana’s April revenue nearly $1B below budget projections
Budget officials predicted Indiana would collect nearly $2.2 billion in revenue in April, but it only received $1.23 billion, for a difference of $964 million.
Federal agency says state was wrong to drop Amazon fines in worker’s death
A federal investigation into how the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration reviewed an Amazon employee’s death in 2017 has found that the state agency should not have dismissed the safety violations.