The State of the State is unsurprising
This was a speech with no surprises, apart from some ad-libs. It was a recitation of his kitchen-table-issue campaign agenda, steering clear of most of the divisive culture wars of our time, apart from a brief mention of his rebuke of DEI. (Read his full speech with our annotations here, and our takeaways here.)
Because of that last point, most of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (all but two: Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, and Rep. Alex Burton, D-Evansville) skipped his speech and held a "Unity Rally" on the fourth floor instead.
-Kayla
Forwarded this newsletter from a friend? Sign up for Checks and Balances here.
THE MAIN EVENT: Immigration takes center stage
First came President Donald Trump's executive orders out the gate, then this week came a symbolic one from Gov. Mike Braun ― essentially pledging Indiana law enforcement will do what state law already compels them to do.
But there are also a flurry of bills impacting those state laws. At least 15 bills were filed in the legislature this year, by our count, doing everything from increasing information sharing with the feds to increasing penalties on local agencies that don't comply with the feds' requests.
Tensions are high. Brittany and our colleague Noe Padilla examined the unprecedented number of bills.
UNDER THE DOME: Digging into DEI
Since this was the reason why the Black caucus boycotted the State of the State for the first time in at least decades, it's worth exploring the nuances of the DEI debate.
The reasons behind the DEI purge are strikingly similar to that of the Critical Race Theory panic of yesteryear: A reaction to "woke ideology" and notions of white guilt or privilege. But the target this year, and the impacts to schools, workplaces and society writ-large, are far, far broader.
We even almost had another "neutral on Nazism" moment. Read Kayla's deep dive.
IN SCHOOLS: What the IPS dissolution bill is really about
There's been a lot of noise made so far this year about a bill to dissolve Indianapolis Public Schools. But that's relatively unlikely - the House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, hasn't even scheduled the controversial bill for a hearing. So what is this really about? Sharing tax revenue between traditional districts and charter schools. We have more here.
UNDER THE DOME: Other bills we're watching
We're drinking from a firehose over here. (Us right now). Here's a few other bills of note that advanced this week:
📱House Bill 1432, which would legalize gambling on your phone, passed out of the House Public Policy committee by a 9-2 vote.
💵 Senate Bill 451, which would decrease the income tax, unanimously passed out of the Senate.
👪 Senate Bill 143, which prohibits government units from denying parents information about their children, passed out of the Senate by a 44-5 vote.
Every Monday morning we also post a recap of where significant bills stand at IndyStar.com.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
What's going on with that Illinois secession talk?
On Tuesday, a Illinois Republican Rep. Brad Halbrook filed a companion bill in his legislature. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston said our House Bill 1008 will get a hearing soon.
Asked whether he had anything to do with setting that in motion in Illinois, Huston smirked and demurred.
"I think they just thought it was a good idea," he said. "You'll have to ask them."
TLDR
Allen County Democratic Party Chair Derek Camp officially joined the race for state party chair on Monday. He joins former state Sen. Karen Tallian , former attorney general candidate Destiny Wells and former gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick .
officially joined the race for state party chair on Monday. He joins former state Sen. , former attorney general candidate and former gubernatorial candidate . Among the platter of tools state lawmakers want to give local governments to tackle road funding (rather than allocating more state dollars)? A tax on DoorDash-like deliveries.
President Donald Trump criticized former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg during a press briefing on the deadly plane crash, saying the former South Bend mayor, "was a disaster as a mayor."
TAKE OF THE WEEK
Not everyone is unhappy with Braun's DEI orders. Ball State University business professor Mike Hicks praised Braun for eliminating DEI programs because, Hicks argued, they are unconstitutional.
WHAT WE'RE READING
Indiana Capital Chronicle: A bill to move a casino license from Rising Sun in the southeast to New Haven in the northeast pitted neighbor against neighbor at an intense hearing Wednesday. A committee chair killed the bill ― for now.
TICKER
Sen. Todd Young questioned Tulsi Gabbard during her confirmation hearing for national intelligence director Thursday about some of her past pro-Edward Snowden statements. | Buttigieg is exploring a U.S. Senate run in Michigan in 2026. | An IndyStar investigation from 2023 spurred a bill this session to empower the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission to shut down problem bars quickly. | A bill bringing back A-F letter grades passed out of the House Committee on Education this week. | The House unanimously passed a bill requiring the expungement of certain red flag law records if the person is deemed no longer dangerous.
SEEN ON SOCIAL
Social media proof that bipartisan friendships and praise remain in these divisive times:
-SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK-
Checks and Balances is compiled and written by Brittany Carloni, Hayleigh Colombo, Kayla Dwyer and Kaitlin Lange on the IndyStar politics and government team. Send us tips or let us know what you think of the newsletter by emailing IndyStarPolitics@gannett.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Ex-New Mexico state candidate gets 80 years for shootings at Dems' homes
Solomon Peña, an unsuccessful New Mexico state House candidate, was sentenced to 80 years in prison Wednesday "for orchestrating a politically motivated shooting spree and plotting to murder witnesses to obstruct justice," the Justice Department announced. The big picture: A federal jury in March found the 42-year-old guilty of of all charges related to the drive-by shootings targeting the homes and offices of elected state state Democratic officials in N.M. in December 2022 and January 2023. Peña, who ran for the House District 14 seat in the 2022 midterms, was convicted of 13 charges. These included conspiracy, firearms charges, four counts of intimidation and interference with federally protected activities, per a Department of Justice statement Wednesday. Driving the news: "After his electoral defeat, Peña falsely claimed the election was rigged and began pressuring members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners not to certify the results," per the statement. He recruited accomplices Jose Trujillo and Demetrio Trujillo to carry out the shootings after the commissioners refused his demands, the DOJ said. "One of the shootings involved a fully automatic machine gun. Multiple rounds struck areas of the homes where children had recently been or were sleeping," the statement noted. "Following his arrest, Peña attempted to have Jose and Demetrio Trujillo murdered to prevent them from testifying, offering fellow inmates money and a vehicle in exchange for their deaths." Zoom in: Jose Trujillo previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities and other charges including firearms offenses and was sentenced to 37 months in prison, according to the DOJ. Demetrio Trujillo pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to 180 months in prison. For the record: The court in Albuquerque ordered Peña to pay restitution and a $250,000 fine. "Upon his release from prison, Peña will be subject to three years of supervised release," the DOJ said.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signs new law requiring stricter checks for police hires
Illinois State Sen. Doris Turner said the act will determine "necessary guardrails to ensure we have good officers on our streets." SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed new legislation requiring law enforcement agencies in the state to perform more comprehensive reviews of prospective officers, prompted by the 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was shot in the face while in her home by a sheriff's deputy. Top provisions of the bill, according to Illinois State Sen. Doris Turner, include making sure that hiring agencies have a candidate's full employment history, creating merit boards for hiring sheriff's deputies in significantly smaller jurisdictions, and ensuring more comprehensive employment vetting rules apply to all law enforcement agencies, from township police to park police. Pritzker signed the legislation, called the Sonya Massey Act, on Aug. 12. Turner, who represents the 48th district that encompasses an area from Springfield to Decatur, told USA TODAY that writing and introducing the bill was the "most important" work of her 25-year legislative career. "I really believe that with this legislation, had it been there before, Sonya may still be alive," said Turner, who sponsored the bill. "We can't mandate who people hire but we can make sure they have all the info about their applicants that's available." What happened to Sonya Massey? Massey, 36, a mother of two children, was killed inside her Springfield home on July 6, 2024, when Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean P. Grayson shot her while responding to Massey's call about a possible intruder. Gruesome video of the encounter shows the deputy firing on an unarmed Massey as she apologized and ducked for cover. Her death sparked national outcry and widespread protests over police brutality, later prompting a Justice Department investigation. State and local officials also called for a review of the sheriff's office's hiring practices after it was revealed that Grayson had a history of complaints involving women. The sheriff who hired Grayson later resigned amid vociferous criticism. Grayson was fired from his position after he was indicted on multiple charges, including murder. He is scheduled to stand trial in Peoria County on Oct. 20. Did law enforcement help craft the bill? Following Massey's death, former law enforcement officers and experts told USA TODAY that loose vetting requirements created the conditions for questionable candidates to get hired. Turner said the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriffs' Association helped develop the bill with legislators to prevent something similar from happening. Illinois Chiefs of Police Association Executive Director Kenny Winslow said the association believes there should be minimum background standards for individuals seeking to protect and serve communities. "We are one step closer to ensuring that background checks will be more thorough and only those candidates of the highest moral character will be among the police force," Winslow said. Illinois legislators believe the bill is the first of its kind to put such stringent employment vetting requirements for law enforcement agencies. Massey's family watched the governor sign the bill Pritzker signed the bill under the watchful eye of Donna Massey, the mother of Sonya Massey. Sonya Massey's father, James Wilburn of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and her two children, Malachi and Summer, both of Springfield, were also in attendance, as was civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represented the Massey family in a $10 million civil settlement against Sangamon County. Pritzker, who met with the Massey family last summer after the shooting, said Sonya Massey was in his thoughts. "She loved and she was loved and was taken from us far too soon," Pritzker said before the signing. "What we do today should serve as an example across the nation for other states and other jurisdictions." What's in the bill? The measure, according to Pritzker, helps to prevent similar tragedies and better equips law enforcement to "keep our communities safe, and to continue working to build a justice system that protects all of our citizens." Officers with histories of serious disciplinary issues "should not be serving in those capacities in our communities, and those histories should not come to light only after disaster happens," Pritzker added. Turner said she was especially proud to collaborate with the Illinois Sheriffs' Association and the Illinois Chiefs of Police "to determine necessary guardrails to ensure we have good officers on our street protecting and serving our communities.' The measure, known as Senate Bill 1953, ensures an officer's fitness for duty as a police officer before an employment offer is made. The law expands the creation of sheriff's merit boards and sheriff's merit commissions for counties with a population of at least 75,000. The Illinois House and Illinois Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill with bipartisan support. What to know about Sean P. Grayson Hired by the department in May 2023 and paid just over $56,000 annually, Grayson arrived in Sangamon County with a litany of missteps to his name, including two DUIs, a discharge from the U.S. Army for "serious misconduct," and complaints against him from the people he policed as well as from law enforcement officers. He'd also had five law enforcement jobs since 2020, some of them part-time and overlapping with each other. The Sangamon Sheriff's Department's hiring interview warned that Grayson "needs to slow down to make good decisions." They hired him anyway. A USA TODAY review of public records also found he had been the subject of several complaints alleging belligerent behavior toward women. Family 'cautiously optimistic' Turner, a longtime friend of several generations of the Massey family, said she spoke to Massey about a week before the fatal shooting. Massey "was not just a constituent or someone I casually knew," Turner said, adding she's known several generations of Masseys. Massey's cousin, Sontae Massey, said he was elated about the signing, but "cautiously optimistic." "We will savor the small victories, but we understand that this is the beginning of an arduous journey for justice and equity," he told The State Journal-Register, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sen. Eric Barlow announces run for Wyoming governor
CHEYENNE — State Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, announced his bid for governor of Wyoming on Tuesday in Wright. Barlow served in the Wyoming House of Representatives for five consecutive terms from 2013 to 2022 before he began his first Senate term in 2023. He was Speaker of the House in 2021 and 2022, and currently chairs the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee and the Mental Health and Vulnerable Adults Task Force, as well as serving on the Select Committee on Tribal Relations. Unlike some other candidates, his candidacy is not rooted in specific priorities or policies, he said. Rather, he would serve as a voice responding to his constituents' needs, whether that be Wyoming energy independence, rural health access or water infrastructure. 'I love Wyoming. I love her honest, hardworking people whose grit and independent spirit make our beloved state so great,' Barlow said in a prepared statement. 'Kelly and I have been blessed to raise our children, Kate and Graham, here. I want the next generations to have even greater opportunities and a future here in Wyoming.' According to his campaign website, Barlow's approach to public service is to 'show up, listen and get the job done.' 'My approach has always been to listen, learn and do the work,' Barlow said in the statement. 'Wyoming deserves leaders who show up, who do the work, and who get results. That's what I've done — and that's exactly the kind of governor I will be.' Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette (2025) Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette He is a fourth-generation Wyomingite who was born and raised in Campbell County on his family's ranch. After graduating from Campbell County High School in 1984, Barlow joined the U.S. military and served in the Marine Corps. Following his military service, he went to school in Colorado and earned his Ph.D. in veterinary medicine. While he and his wife were both in school, their two children were born. The family moved to Newcastle, where Barlow practiced as a veterinarian before ending up in Gillette two years later. His practice primarily focuses on caring for cattle, sheep and bison. When Barlow's father passed away, he and Kelly took charge of the family ranch in Campbell County, where they raised their two children, with Kelly primarily homeschooling them. Eric Barlow was appointed to the Wyoming Livestock Board in 2006 and served for six years before seeking election to the Wyoming House of Representatives. Together, they now raise cattle, sheep and yak on the family ranch. As an elected official, Barlow said he has supported energy independence, property tax reductions, access to health care and private property rights. 'I am a leader who stands firmly on sound, conservative principles and who will fiercely defend your rights, including the Second Amendment and sanctity of life. As your next governor, I will protect your private property rights, safeguard our public lands, and keep Washington, D.C., out of Wyoming's business,' he said in the statement. The 2026 race for Wyoming governor is still relatively uncrowded. So far, only two other candidates have announced a bid for the state's top elected seat: Brent Bien, a Republican from Cody who ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 GOP primary, and Joseph Kibler, a Republican from Cheyenne who runs a web development and marketing company. Former U.S. Senate candidate Reid Rasner, who lost by a wide margin in the 2024 Republican primaries to Sen. John Barrasso and who has ambitions to purchase TikTok, has filed a campaign finance account for governor but has yet to announce his candidacy. The other key players at the moment are the incumbent, Gov. Mark Gordon, who would have to challenge existing term limits to seek a third consecutive term; first-term Secretary of State Chuck Gray, who also is a former state legislator; and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, who was elected to a second two-year term last November. None have made formal announcements of their intentions. In 2013, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that term limits on the top elected positions in the state were unconstitutional, but omitted the governor's terms from the ruling. This means Gordon could seek to amend the Constitution in a court challenge if he wanted to seek a third term. It is unclear whether that challenge would be successful, and he had not indicated any intention to do so at the time of publication. In July, Gray released an internal poll of how he would fare if he sought election to the seat of governor or the state's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Though he has not announced if or which seat he would seek, he indicated it is likely dependent on what Hageman does. Hageman has not yet indicated whether she will seek reelection to a third term in the U.S. House next year or make a run for governor.
