Jeff Smulyan delivered the line almost as a throwaway, but it had a sting. Speaking at an Economic Club Luncheon in Indianapolis, Smulyan, the founder and CEO of Emmis Corp., referred to the Indiana General Assembly’s obsession with punishing a small minority of Hoosiers. Smulyan said he didn’t think the 6.5 million people living in […]
Category Archives: Todays news
Emotions stir the House before committee’s approval of bill banning gender-affirming care
Above: Protests outside the House Chamber’s doors on Tuesday. Photo by Xain Ballenger, TheStatehouseFile.com. Voices erupted outside the House Chamber as a physician called gender transition procedures “bad medicine.” A tearful parent said these procedures are the reason for her son’s only recent “moments of pure happiness.” A man who transitioned just years ago cried […]
Controversial absentee voter bill hears more discussion, is passed by committee
Above: Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Osceola, presents his HB 1334 before the Senate Elections Committee. Absentee voters would need to send in additional means of identification to be verified under the amended House Bill 1334, which was passed by a Senate committee Monday and now goes to the Senate Chamber. This bill would require that absentee voters […]
‘Perfect’ for St. Patrick’s Day: Bust of former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan unveiled at Statehouse
Above: A bust of former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan unveiled at the Statehouse on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle) By Casey Smith Indiana Capital Chronicle March 18, 2023 It was a St. Patrick’s Day suited “just right” for Indiana’s former Gov. Joe Kernan. In the Statehouse Rotunda Friday morning, state officials – […]
Indiana’s part-time legislature is full-time work for some
By Whitney Downard and Leslie Bonilla Muniz Indiana Capital Chronicle March 13, 2023 Indiana has a part-time citizen legislature but roughly two dozen lawmakers indicated on the latest statement of economic interest forms filed in January that the legislature is their sole employer and reported no outside work. Sen. Jean Breaux (above), D-Indianapolis, said she applied […]
Numerous Indiana lawmakers do private consulting. But who are they working for?
By Casey Smith Indiana Capital Chronicle March 13, 2023 A little more than a month after Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston’s high-profile departure last year from a six-figure role at the College Board, the Republican leader quietly started his own private consulting firm, according to new financial disclosure records. Huston’s latest statement of economic interest (SEI), which […]
Common Cause Indiana discusses election bills at the halfway point of session
Common Cause Indiana held a webinar Thursday night to discuss legislation at the halfway point of the Indiana General Assembly’s 2023 session, focusing on bills that could affect the voting rights of Hoosiers. The panel included speakers from Common Cause Indiana, the League of Women Voters of Indiana, and Indiana Vote by Mail. The webinar […]
Rokita questions ‘sterilizations’ at gender-affirming clinics
Above: Screenshot of Rokita video By Whitney Downard Indiana Capital Chronicle March 8, 2023 Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita on Tuesday inserted himself into the debate over gender-affirming care for minors – though recent testimony documented that surgeries on children don’t occur in Indiana. He said there have been “a series of disturbing reports” nationally alleging […]
Lee Hamilton commentary: Being a good citizen is a lot harder than it used to be
Wednesday, March 08, 2023 A couple of decades ago, I wrote a book in which I talked about what it takes to be a good citizen in a representative democracy like ours. I thought the principles I laid out were timeless, but I recently reread them and boy, they seem a lot less clear-cut now. […]
Senate Elections Committee hears House’s controversial voting bill
Above: Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Osceola, testifies on House Bill 1334 before the Senate Elections Committee. A controversial absentee voter bill heard testimony without a vote in the Senate Elections Committee on Tuesday. House Bill 1334 seeks to tighten the restraints on absentee voter ballots. Currently, voters have the option to put the last four digits of their […]