Local road-funding legislation nabs Senate vote but likely going to conference committee
A package of funding options for local transportation infrastructure — sparked by an impending fiscal cliff — passed Indiana's Senate on Tuesday. But it will likely be finalized in a conference committee, per a key lawmaker.
'We've coordinated closely with the city of Indianapolis and other major units (of government) to try to get more funding on the landscape to more effectively handle our road needs,' said Sen. Mike Crider, the measure's sponsor.
He cited increasing fuel efficiency, inflation, electric vehicles, alternative fuel and more as complicating the financial future for local roads and bridges.
Lawmakers seek road-funding changes, hope to avoid fiscal cliff
House Bill 1461 would change up the popular Community Crossings Matching Grant Program, raise the speed limit on Interstate 465 and let local governments tap into excess township funds, among numerous other provisions.
Crider read aloud a message from the Indiana Township Association that said its members didn't want to be included in the legislation, but that it was 'inevitable' and that the organization is comfortable with the language.
'I think this bill is going to conference committee, and I'm happy to work with them,' Crider added. 'I have not heard anything further today from them, and so, based on that, I'm assuming we're okay. But I can assure the members of the chamber that both (author) Rep. (Jim) Pressel and myself were in constant communication with all the players in this discussion.'
He also noted opinions diverge on language allowing the Indiana Department of Transportation to submit a request to the Federal Highway Administration for a waiver to toll lanes on interstate highways.
'There's (been) a lot of concerns expressed, particularly around the tolling aspect,' he told his colleagues. 'I would remind you that the language related to tolling is all based on the state applying for and receiving a waiver from the federal government, which may never happen.'
Even if that does occur, he noted the State Budget Committee would have to approve any plans before implementation.
The Senate advanced House Bill 1461 on a 38-10 vote.
When legislation goes to conference committee, lawmakers typically hammer out a compromise behind closed doors. If a measure survives that process, it'll head back to each chamber for a final vote before going to Gov. Mike Braun.
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25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Legislative committees advance CA redistricting legislation
(The Center Square) — Legislators, taxpayers and others debated passionately Tuesday for several hours as Democratic-led election committees in the California Assembly and Senate advanced congressional redistricting legislation. The bills making up the Election Rigging Response Act received support from the Democratic majorities in the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee and the Assembly Elections Committee. Ultimately they're expected to land on the floors of the Assembly and Senate on Thursday. They're backed by the Democratic supermajorities in both houses, as well as by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. With their passage certain, the legislation will mean voters on a Nov. 4 special election will decide whether to revise boundaries for congressional districts in response to redistricting in Republican-led states such as Texas. But the Republican minority in the Legislature scored what they called an early victory Monday night by delaying Thursday's floor votes. "The bill was stalled until after 7 p.m., meaning the earliest it can be legally voted on is Thursday evening. That leaves only hours before the special election deadline for passage and Newsom's signature," Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, posted on X. Democrats and Republicans agree democracy is at stake and that California has a gold standard with its independent, nonpartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission. Republican lawmakers argued the will of voters, who approved a constitutional amendment creating the commission, was being disregarded. But Democratic legislators stressed voters can see the proposed map, which is posted at They also noted that unlike people in Texas, Californian voters will have the final say on whether congressional districts are changed and that the independent commission can resume its work after the 2030 census. "We are not asking California to rubber stamp maps behind closed doors," Assembly Elections Committee Chair Gail Pellerin, a Democrat, told the committee. "As a former election official, I would never stand for that. This is about defending democracy itself, making sure checks and balances our kids learned in government class are alive and well after the 2026 election." Other Democrats on the committee voiced their support. 'Who should have the control of the vast power of the federal government?' asked Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Ventura. 'Our founding fathers agreed hundreds of years ago on a special form of democracy, designed to protect our democracy from power grabs.' If people in power try to change the rules to seize power undemocratically, then democracy advocates must also change their rules in response, Bennett argued. But Assemblymember David J. Tangipa, R-Clovis, who sits on the committee with Bennett, told the committee that Republicans weren't given enough time to review the legislation in advance of Tuesday's hearing. He also noted the proposed congressional map changed at 8 p.m. Monday. Pellerin countered that she understood the map was posted at 8 a.m. Monday. Pellerin and Tangipa clashed during the hearing as the latter asked extensive questions of Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, who spoke on behalf of one of the three bills making up the Election Rigging Response Act. Pellerin said she was trying to keep the meeting moving, and Tangipa stressed the importance of his questions on topics such as funding. A large number of residents throughout California, union representatives and representatives of organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the California Teachers Association, spoke in favor of redistricting at the Assembly committee meeting. But what appeared to be an even bigger number of taxpayers from throughout the state, as well as representatives of Republican organizations, spoke against the legislation. Comments on the two sides echoed those made by the Democratic and Republican legislators. The Assembly committee rejected a motion by its ranking Republican, Vice Chair Alexandra Macedo of Tulare, that the committee recess until its members could read all 16,000 comments that voters have made in a portal on the Assembly website. "Democratic power bosses want to take the power away from the people," Macedo said. She called the Election Rigging Response Act a coordinated effort to tear down the independent commission and gerrymander districts for political gain at a time California faces severe budget shortfalls. The Assembly Republican Caucus has said the Nov. 4 election will cost voters more than $235 million. Democrats have countered the Trump administration has cost the state much more than that by cutting or withholding funding.
an hour ago
California Republicans targeted by redistricting slam effort as ‘naked politics'
California Republicans whose congressional districts would become more favorable to Democrats if proposed new district maps are approved by voters are condemning the effort as political and harmful to voters. Democrats such as Gov. Gavin Newsom had said they would target five GOP seats, launching an intranational tit-for-tat to counter new congressional maps proposed in Texas that could net the GOP five more seats in the Lone Star State. According to an analysis by The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia published on Monday, the state's 1st Congressional District, represented by Rep. Doug LaMalfa, would become far more Democratic leaning, swinging from -24.9 points for Harris in 2024 to what would be +12.3 points for Harris if the 2024 vote was repeated with the new map. The same would happen for the 48th District, held by 12-term incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa, whose district would go from Harris -15.3 points to Harris +3.4 points. And the 3rd District held by Rep. Kevin Kiley would become a Harris +10 seat, the Center for Politics found, a flip from Trump +4. The Center also found that the 41st District represented by 17-term incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert would be "essentially eliminated" geographically, and that the 22nd District, held by Rep. David Valadao, would become more competitive. The Cook Political Report rates Kiley's current district as Likely Republican in the 2026 midterms, and rates Calvert's and Valadao's as Leaning Republican in its list of competitive races. "I'm committed to defeating Newsom's power grab in this special election," Calvert said in a statement to ABC News. "Voters decided to give redistricting powers to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and take it away from politicians drawing their own districts. The gerrymandered maps are exactly why voters don't trust Sacramento politicians. I will fight to keep redistricting power with our citizens." LaMalfa, meanwhile, slammed the proposed maps for tying together geographic locations that seem to have no connection to each other. "If you want to know what's wrong with these maps -- just take a look at them. How on earth does Modoc County on the Nevada and Oregon Border have any common interest with Marin County and the Golden Gate Bridge?" LaMalfa said in a statement. "Voters took this power from Sacramento for just this reason. This is naked politics at its worst. LaMalfa also criticized how California's move, he said, could spark redistricting efforts in other states -- referencing GOP-run states such as Florida and Indiana. "Mid-Decade redistricting is wrong, no matter where it's being done," he wrote. A spokesperson for Issa, Jonathan Wilcox, similarly called the effort "a pure political power grab that shouldn't pass the test of voters who already decided to keep politicians like Newsom out of reapportionment. Congressman Issa supported the initiative to create the independent commission, he believes it is the best arrangement for California, and that the state constitution is being trashed for partisan advantage." Kiley has introduced legislation in Congress that would ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide. "Make no mistake, I will win reelection to the House regardless of the proposed changes to my district. But I fully expect that the beautiful 3rd District will remain exactly as it is," Kiley noted. "We will defeat Newsom's sham initiative and vindicate the will of California voters."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
California's in a nationwide redistricting civil war. Who's favored to win?
California is a crucial battlefront in a coast-to-coast political civil war over congressional redistricting, a war that Republicans nationally appear better positioned to win. 'If all these Republican processes go through, even if California goes through, Republicans are probably going to end up winning this redistricting war,' said Matthew Klein, U.S. House and governors' race analyst at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. It's easier for Republicans in states they dominate to redraw the maps, he explained, and the GOP is aggressively weighing whether to do so in Indiana, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. At the same time, there are potential roadblocks to mid-decade redistricting, a strategy almost unheard of. 'Right now it seems there's a political posturing to this where everybody is all taking a swing at this,' said Lee Miringoff, polling director at the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York. 'Whether they actually connect is probably going to be in court cases.' President Donald Trump and his allies are aggressively trying to get congressional maps redrawn in Republican-friendly states. Democrats are seeking ways to fight back in California, New York, Illinois and elsewhere. In Washington, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, who could be redrawn into a new, tougher-to-win district, is gaining support for legislation that would bar mid-term redistricting. And congressional leaders are using their muscle to create momentum for and against any plans to hurt their parties' chances of controlling Congress Controlling the U.S. House Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the 2026 election to regain control of the House for the first time since January 2023. History is on their side, as the party holding the White House traditionally loses a lot of seats in the middle of their term. Trump's Republicans lost a net 40 seats in 2018 and Democrats regained control of the House. Republicans won back control in the middle of President Joe Biden's term in 2022, as they gained nine seats. While it's still early to predict any outcomes, polling shows Trump's popularity sliding and Republican issues less popular. Inside Elections, a nonpartisan group that analyzes political races, says races for eight GOP House incumbents are toss-ups. Democrats have three in that category, including Reps. Adam Gray, D-Merced, and Derek Tran, D-Garden Grove. An August 9-11 Economist/YouGov poll had Trump's approval rating at 42% while 54% disapproved. A Democrat-controlled House would create political havoc for Trump. Democrats would not only set the chamber's agenda, but could launch investigations of the administration. The Republican offensive Trump and his allies have been unusually bold in trying new strategies to maintain control, according to media reports and conversations with analysts around the country. Texas ignited the fire with its efforts to redraw its maps with the hope of gaining at least five more seats. California and Gov. Gavin Newsom struck back, creating their own new map aimed at winning five new Democratic seats. Now Republicans are eyeing a host of GOP-friendly seats. In Indiana, Vice President JD Vance met with state officials last week, and state Republicans are weighing whether to act. In Florida, House Speaker Daniel Perez sent a memo to lawmakers last week saying he was creating a new committee on congressional redistricting. The Miami Herald reported that whether it can act in time for the 2026 election is unclear. Officials are also weighing whether to redistrict in Indiana and Ohio, NPR has reported. Both states have huge legislative Republican majorities, big enough to overcome Democratic opposition. In Missouri, Republicans are reportedly considering breaking up the Kansas City-based district of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., but also faces strict laws making mid-decade change difficult, NPR Kansas City reported. Democrats fight back Democrats vigorously dispute the notion that Republicans have an advantage in the redistricting wars. 'Republicans are running scared. They know they can't win on the issues, so they are resorting to rigging the system in a desperate scheme to save their miniscule majority,' said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She vowed 'Democrats everywhere are prepared to fight back, using every tool at our disposal.' Democrats, though, appear to have fewer opportunities to change the maps in this cycle. 'It's much more complicated for Democratic states,' said Darrell West, senior fellow at Washington's Brookings Institution. 'They tend to have independent redistricting commissions.' Many of the Republican states in play don't. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is said to be sympathetic to having new lines, but state law makes that nearly impossible until the 2028 election, Spectrum News reported. In Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker has warmed to the idea, though it's unclear where he could draw new lines favorable to Democrats. There's also talk in heavily Democratic Maryland of redrawing the state's only GOP district, but that would be geographically tough because of how much of that district is east of the Chesapeake Bay. Even in California, nothing is assured. The redistricting effort has to survive the Legislature, court challenges and voters in November. 'That fight is going to be long and ugly,' said Klein of California. Congress weighs in In Washington, there's action on two fronts. Speaker Mike Johnson made it clear this week that he'll do all he can to stop California's bid. Redistricting, he said, is not only a bad idea, but a vanity mission for Newsom. 'Gavin Newsom's latest attempt to disenfranchise millions of California voters was written in the dark of night' by party officials, Johnson said. 'This is a slap in the face to Californians who overwhelmingly support the California Citizens Redistricting Commission,' the Louisiana Republican said. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has vowed to fight Republican efforts across the country. Asked on ABC News last week if the Democrats were starting a redistricting arms race, the New York Democrat said that has already begun. 'Certainly, under these circumstances, one cannot unilaterally disarm. The Republicans are counting on that as part of their scheme to try to steal the midterm elections and gerrymander these congressional maps with impunity across the country,' he said. 'We're not going to stand for it.' But will members of Congress support Kiley's legislation, which would bar mid-term line-drawing? Passage of his legislation would cool all these efforts. Congress doesn't return to Washington until Sept. 2, but there appears to be sentiment from members of both parties for legislation to stop the mid-term redistricting. 'Both parties have engaged in gerrymandering,' Kiley said. 'The entire justification for redrawing district lines is absent. The entire process is motivated by partisanship through and through.'
