Latest news with #IndianaHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Delta-8 regulations clear House but headed into negotiations
Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, addresses a crowd on Dec. 18, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Contentious regulations for marijuana-like products advanced through the Indiana House of Representatives on Tuesday, but will have to survive closed-door negotiations before crossing Gov. Mike Braun's desk. 'I filed a dissent,' Sen. Travis Holdman, the measure's author, told the Capital Chronicle. 'We've got some clean-up to do,' the Markle Republican said. '… We'll be working on it.' Products with legally low concentrations of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol have proliferated in Indiana, alongside those containing delta-8 THC and other isomers. Attempts to regulate the nascent industry, which is booming on shaky legal footing, have failed repeatedly — but are nearing law, in the form of Senate Bill 478. Delta-8 regulatory qualms go unaddressed as Indiana House approves homelessness, DEI measures 'These products, being legal under federal law, but having no regulatory structure here in the state, means that technically, it's not illegal to sell these products to minors (or) to target youth with advertising or packaging, and that there's no testing requirements to protect consumers from potentially dangerous adulterants,' said Rep. Jake Teshka, the House sponsor, on the chamber's floor Tuesday. The measure sets out advertising, age-limit, licensing, packaging, testing and other requirements over the currently unregulated substances. It authorizes the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to oversee the industry, including approving up to 20,000 retail permits. Lawmakers have put it through a whopping seven rounds of edits. But critics — including Indiana's attorney general and anti-marijuana groups — still have objected, arguing the language would expand existing loopholes. 'With Senate Bill 478, I think we finally have an opportunity to rein in this market,' Teshka, R-North Liberty, said. 'We have the opportunity to provide real clarity to law enforcement, to protect Hoosier youth, to empower our farmers and to protect our consumers.' Members of Teshka's own caucus remained skeptical. 'I recognize that … the General Assembly should take action on the current state of this product,' said Rep. Tim Wesco, R-Osceola. '… (But) I don't feel like this is the appropriate action.' Instead, it's 'moving us further down a path of increasing — dramatically increasing — access to these products that are known to have adverse and negative effects,' Wesco continued. '… We're setting up a framework that we're likely not going to go back on, that is just going to expand from here.' Lawmakers from both parties crossed sides in the 60-37 vote. The bill next heads to conference committee for negotiations. Conferees will hammer out a compromise. If it survives that process, it'll head back to each chamber for a final vote before going to Braun. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: The Basic Contradiction Exposed In Indiana's Debate Over Charter School Funding
Political debates in education often boil down to which type of schools and education initiatives should receive public funding – and how much of it they should receive. These conversations sometimes expose a level of hypocrisy that is hard to ignore. For example, a bill was filed this year in the Indiana General Assembly that put forth a novel concept: allow local communities to raise property taxes via a referendum to pay for universal pre-kindergarten. These property tax funds would pay for pre-K programming in settings such as churches, community-based organizations, district schools, charter schools, and private schools. State Rep. Blake Johnson, an Indianapolis Democrat, authored the legislation. Voucher-like early childhood education programs that use public money to fund schools of all types – including private, religious schools – are widely popular with Democrats in states like Indiana and elsewhere. Ironically, the mechanisms in these programs would make the late conservative economist Milton Friedman smile. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter While HB 1622 did not receive a hearing this year in the GOP-controlled Indiana House of Representatives, it raises an interesting question. What if something like this was proposed for K-12 schools? Well, it turns out there's an answer to that. Another piece of legislation this session in Indiana calls for property taxes to be shared with public charter schools (not religious or private schools). That bill has garnered support from Republicans and is working its way through the legislative process. Democrats, in contrast to their support of similar efforts for pre-K, have assailed SB 518 as an attack on public education even though charters are public schools. They've called it reckless, a stalking horse, and an unprecedented destabilization. Related They have argued, often in hyperbolic terms, that property tax dollars shouldn't be shared with schools that lack elected boards, ignoring that if their argument was consistently applied they would be advocating for the abolition of publicly funded libraries, hospitals, and universities. They were so upset by the bill that every Democratic senator present for the floor debate voted for an amendment that would 'dissolve' and 'terminate' 70% of charter schools in Indiana, leading to the closure of dozens of public schools in largely Democratic Senate districts. That amendment failed on a party-line vote. The inconsistencies don't stop at K-12. There is bipartisan political support for the Federal Pell Grant program, which provides critical scholarships to undergraduate students from low-income backgrounds to attend public or private higher education institutions. Just last year, Congressional Democrats proposed doubling the size of this program, which is largely indistinguishable from a means-tested voucher program. Currently, Congressional Democrats are also pushing back on the Trump administration's efforts to cut National Institutes of Health funding, which disproportionately goes to private research universities to conduct important research. This raises the question: Why is it okay to use public funding for private or nonprofit early childhood and higher education providers, but it's suddenly the end of democracy when similar mechanisms are used in K-12? Ashley Berner, Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, eloquently makes the case that 'educational pluralism' is countercultural to the United States' K-12 education system. She argues that in America, even the term 'school choice' assumes that the traditional school district is the default education provider. She also points out that U.S. schools were standardized, in part, to uphold traditional Protestant beliefs in publicly funded 'nonsectarian' district schools even as the number of Catholics and immigrants continued to grow. I visited Sweden, certainly not a bastion of U.S.-style conservatism, several years ago to learn more about education systems in other countries. I was surprised to learn that the Swedish education system provides public funding to schools of all types. What we call a 'school district' in our country has no meaning in Sweden. There are municipal schools and independent schools, all of which receive public funding. In fact, once you study education globally, you quickly learn that the U.S. is an outlier when it comes to educational pluralism. Related There is also another, more straightforward, answer. Teachers' unions. In terms of political power, few advocacy initiatives hold a candle to teachers' unions. Where are these unions most powerful and active? K-12. Where are they less active and powerful? Early childhood and higher education. I've talked to elected officials who explained to me that the most important day of the year is when they learn how large the union's political donation will be. Many have told me privately that they support K-12 school choice, but they could never vote for it because it would lead to a union-funded primary opponent. In other words, voting for increased schooling options for children is political suicide. Interestingly, this reality doesn't exist at nearly the same level for local elected officials in Indianapolis, as the last two Democratic mayors and the majority of the Democratic-controlled City Council consistently support charter schools. Why the difference? Perhaps it's because the teachers' unions largely stay out of local races, allowing elected officials to vote with their conscience. To be clear, I'm not anti-union. I've seen the value of unions first-hand. Growing up, my father had a blue-collar union job that afforded my family a middle-class life. But kids aren't widgets and don't have an organized political force advocating for their interests. This dynamic is certainly not confined to Democrats. Both parties are attached to various special interest groups that make it politically difficult to prioritize sound policy over political expediency. All of this speaks to the need for much more robust local, state, and federal political advocacy strategies to move toward an educational system that values diverse schooling preferences. It also speaks to the power of entrenched customs and political interests in our country that ought to be questioned every once in a while in a nation as large and diverse as ours. The next time you see a politician advocating for publicly funded educational pluralism for 4-year-olds, ask them if they support a similar approach for 5-year-olds. Their answer will be telling. Disclosure: The Mind Trust provides financial support to The 74.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
An arrest warrant has been filed for Evansville's Fourth Ward city councilor
EVANSVILLE — An arrest warrant has been issued for Fourth Ward city councilor Tanisha Carothers, according to court records. The warrant issued out of Vanderburgh Superior Court is for one count of Level 6 felony fraud and Class A misdemeanor defacing, falsifying or destroying an election document. Carothers was selected in a Democratic Party caucus last year to finish the term of Alex Burton, who was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in the November election. The Democrat is currently facing a civil lawsuit filed by Angie Bullock and Shona Jarboe asking that she be removed from office, citing concerns about her qualifications. Bullock and some supporters have maintained that Carothers did not meet the residency and voting record requirements to hold the city council seat. Carothers, a local attorney, has maintained she indeed lives in the Fourth Ward. The crux of the lawsuit includes those claims, stating Carothers was not a registered voter in Evansville's Fourth Ward when she declared for the caucus and she did not live in the Fourth Ward at that time, either. This story will be updated. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Arrest warrant filed for Evansville's Fourth Ward city councilor
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana House approves bill tying state funding to immigration enforcement
The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday tying state funding for local governmental bodies to their cooperation in the enforcement of federal immigration law despite arguments from some Democrats who said they could not support the measure. House Bill 1531 passed the full chamber with a 64-26 vote after a brief discussion involving Union City Republican State Rep. J.D. Prescott, whose name is on the bill, and Democrats who sit on the House judiciary committee with him. The bill will now move to the Senate. The sweeping measure addresses the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local government, law enforcement and businesses. A section requiring schools to report information on undocumented students was removed before HB 1531 made its way to the House floor. Prescott worked with the attorney general's office to craft the 14-section bill. It does not impact legal immigration, he said. Prescott previously said the bill addresses "bad-actor" employers who engage in labor trafficking by hiring people unauthorized to work in the United States over Hoosiers and holds governmental agencies accountable if they restrict the enforcement of immigration orders. It also strengthens Attorney General Todd Rokita's ability to enforce existing Indiana law banning sanctuary cities. Dozens of people spoke out against the bill on Monday as the House's judiciary committee weighed the measure. Clergy, educators, nonprofit workers and others argued the bill encourages discrimination, racial profiling and contributes to an atmosphere of hostility toward immigrants. After that meeting, some expressed disappointment that the committee still voted to send the measure to the full House for a vote. More: Bill penalizing cities and law enforcement for not enforcing immigration laws advances There were no outward displays of approval or disapproval from people watching the House discussion from the hallway on Thursday. Neither the Indiana Chamber nor the Indiana Sheriffs' Association has taken a favorable position on the bill. Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend, told the full House she is concerned about how the bill was crafted and its impact on already-stretched law enforcement agencies. "The enforcement of federal immigration laws is intensive and costly," she said, noting the bill threatens essential funding of local governments for up to a year and even jeopardizes dedicated federal grants. More: Indianapolis police chief: Immigration sweeps 'not our role' Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend, questioned whether the bill actually penalized businesses for recruiting and hiring undocumented workers or if the civil enforcement mechanism in the bill gives them a slap on the wrist. "It doesn't go after the actual cause of most of the illegal immigration seen in the state of Indiana," he said. Both are members of the judiciary committee. Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers. told the full House she could not support the bill due to its potential unintended consequences. Garcia Wilburn, another judiciary committee member, said the bill threatens Hoosier hospitality and the idea of Indiana as a welcoming state. It needs more work, Garcia Wilburn said. "We need to proceed with caution, ladies and gentlemen," she said. "When our constituents are communicating to us 'they are against all immigration,' I'm worried about the message this body is sending." Contact IndyStar investigative reporter Alexandria Burris at aburris@ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana House passes immigration bill tying state money to enforcement
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana House passes bill to consider ‘adopting' Illinois counties that wish to secede
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTVO) — The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would study the possibility of adopting 33 Illinois counties that have expressed their desire to secede. The bill, or the 'Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission,' now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration. Illinois Rep. Brad Halbrook introduced a companion bill in Illinois, , which would supply Illinois representatives to a bi-state commission. It is currently held up in the Rules Committee of the Illinois House. To date, passed non-binding referendums calling for separation from Cook County and the state. Illinois voters who support the referendums argue that Chicago and Cook County voters hold an oversized sway in policies enacted by the state legislature, and do not align with the priorities of rural voters. But, the process to annex those counties into Indiana would have to go through both Illinois and Indiana statehouses and Washington D.C. Redrawing state borders would ultimately take an act of Congress. Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R), who authored HB1008, said the economy of downstate Illinois would flourish under his state's 'low taxes, low regulatory environment, a ton of economic development already taking place.' Legislators feel moving a state line may be more palatable than creating a separate state to the US Congress, which would have the final say. 'It's a stunt. It's not going to happen,' Pritzker said in January. 'I don't think that's attractive for anyone in Illinois, where wages are higher and the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need.' HB1500 passed with a vote of 69-25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
