The Bourbon Town Council recently approved 2-1 the Plan Commission / Zoning Contract with Chuck DeWitt for a period of six months. Vice President Les McFarland and Councilman Terry Clemens approved; President Ward Byers voted against. McFarland said that he thought the communication has improved, but he wanted to evaluate again in six months. Clemens echoed the improvement in communication and agreed with the six month reevaluation.
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A bill designed to make legal the Sunday sales of alcohol for carry-out in Indiana has failed a committee vote.
The Public Policy Committee – which was overseeing the legislation – voted down the bill on an 8-5 vote. The language was authored by State Representative Tom Dermody of LaPorte.
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The Indiana Farm Bureau has developed a few specifics for state legislators to consider in the 2016 session of the General Assembly.
Indiana’s Senate Democrats are gearing up for the 2015 summer study committees.
Among the topics is replacing ISTEP with a new state standardized educational assessment. Typically the summer study sessions indicate some of the top issues legislators may consider in the next legislative session.
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly is looking to provide additional mental healthcare services to members of the armed services.
During a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Donnelly said the “Care Package” legislation – which is part of the broader National Defense Authorization Act – aims to increase access to healthcare services provided through the Department of Defense and community healthcare providers.
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U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly is urging additional support to combat what he says is a nationwide opioid and heroin epidemic.
Indiana’s Democratic Senator wrote a letter to the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, and several subcommittees with the goal of combating the problem in the 2016 fiscal year budget.
A new law in Indiana is considered the right step by an area state Senator.
Ed Charbonneau sponsored the “Right to Try” bill that allows terminally ill medical patients to bypass the FDA’s compassionate use application process. It was signed into law on Tuesday by Governor Mike Pence after convincing approval in the General Assembly.
State Senator Ed Charbonneau is touting two bills that received unanimous approval in the Indiana Senate.
Both bills attempt to analyze and secure the Hoosier State’s water resources. Senate Bill 473 requires the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to monitor water resources and provides an avenue for volunteers to conduct the work. It would focus on areas where water withdrawals could exceed the natural replenishing rate.
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The American Lung Association says the state of Indiana needs to do more to enact tobacco control policies.
The “State of Tobacco Control 2015” report evaluates tobacco control policies at the state and federal level. It says Indiana failed to enact any policies that the American Lung Association believes will save lives. That led the state to receive a failing grade in tobacco prevention, taxes, and access to tobacco cessation services.
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Starke County Townships could be affected if another attempt to transfer their duties to the county level is successful.
House Bill 1309 was recently filed and looks to dissolve township governments. The transition would take place by 2019. Starke County has nine townships with hundreds more in the state of Indiana.
Two bills are being pushed by the AARP in Indiana during this session of the General Assembly and they look to help two different issues.
About half of Americans aged 50-years and older have less than 25-thousand dollars in retirement savings. To help solve this problem, the AARP is proposing the Hoosier Employee Retirement Option, otherwise known as the “HERO Plan.”
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Legislators are now in Indianapolis for the long-session of the General Assembly.
5th District State Senator Ed Charbonneau offered comment on the issue of reversion reform which could result from projected revenue increases over the next two years. Reversions allow the Governor to withhold spending in the instance of an economic downturn or other revenue shortfall.
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Revenue projections for the state of Indiana have area representatives thinking about items to tackle during the upcoming session of the General Assembly.
The state budget committee reviewed revenue forecasts in December, showing a 2.3-percent uptick in 2015 and a 2.4-percentage point increase the following year.
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