Indiana News Update

Welfare application process gets streamlined
The state human services agency is streamlining the eligibility process for food stamps and other welfare benefits, making applications shorter and easier and eliminating nearly 400,000 follow-up interviews per year. The changes that will take effect Jan. 1 are designed to save the time and effort needed to get benefits for Indiana’s approximately 1.1 million welfare clients, which is about one in six residents. They’re also intended to make things easier for the Family and Social Services Administration and an IBM Corp.-led team of vendors that is automating welfare intake.

Chaperone, no phones in teen driver measure
Some teen drivers would have to wait until they are 17 to get a driver’s license, and anyone younger than 18 would be banned from using a cell phone while driving if a bill unveiled Monday passes in the 2009 legislative session. “We’re not trying to penalize teens with this we’re simply trying to keep them alive,” said Sherry Deane, public affairs specialist for AAA Hoosier Motor Club at a Statehouse news conference Monday.

Smoking ban merits more study
State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, is pushing Indiana to jump on the anti-smoking bandwagon. Brown, chairman of the House Public Health Committee, is proposing a statewide smoking ban, saying it would protect Hoosier workers. His legislation includes almost all enclosed public places in Indiana, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and casinos. The idea will have plenty of support from the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air, a group that includes the American Cancer Society, American Heart Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and about 30 other organizations. Fiercely opposing the legislation will be the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association, among others.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Smoking ban
As Vanderburgh County prepares to debate whether to allow smoking to continue in bars and restaurants, news comes that the state of Indiana may have a smoking debate of its own in the offing.
According to The Associated Press, Democratic Rep. Charlie Brown of Gary is planning to champion a bill in the upcoming legislative session that would ban smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants. Of course, as just about anyone who smokes or who regularly visits bars and restaurants in Vanderburgh County knows, a decision awaits on whether the county will allow smoking to continue in bars and restaurants come 2009.

Becker gives families a voice
State Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, was honored Wednesday with a 2008 Advocacy Award in recognition of her dedication to improving the lives of families and children. The presentation of the award by Lampion Center, in cooperation with the Alliance for Children and Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, preceded celebration of National Family Week, planned for Sunday through Nov. 29. “Sen. Becker has been a champion for kids and families through her many years of service in the state Legislature,” said Lynn Kyle, Lampion Center executive director. “This year, we have chosen her for this honor because she has provided even extra efforts working with Lampion Center and other nonprofits to help vulnerable families have a strong voice in state government.”

Lawmakers push for recall law
Local lawmakers are promising to push legislation empowering voters to remove officials from office in the middle of their terms. State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said he’s responding to constituents, who want a way to force Gary Mayor Rudy Clay out of office. “I have received a great many calls and e-mails from people in my district on this issue,” Brown said. “For me, personally, this isn’t about Mayor Clay. I’m just responding to people in my district.” Brown said voters are upset Clay has temporarily laid off 13 firefighters and 10 police officers in the face of a $13 million city budget shortfall.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Legislators ready for tough session
It was a jovial beginning to a new legislative session Tuesday as 150 lawmakers – 23 of them new to the House or Senate – met for the ceremonial kickoff called Organization Day. But amid the shaking of hands and posing for photographs, legislators recognized the tough times they have ahead, mostly in crafting a new two-year state budget.

Local auto workers rally in support of bailout
Local United Auto Workers union leaders and members are rallying in support of the proposed federal bailout. The Senate auto bailout bill notes that 355,000 U.S. workers are directly employed by the auto industry, and an additional 4.5 million work in related industries. That doesn’t count the one million retirees, spouses and dependents who rely on the firms for retirement and health care benefits.

Little chance for casino
Though local businessmen say they are creating a company called “Summit City Grand Resort and Casino Holdings,” don’t expect a casino to open in Fort Wayne anytime soon – if ever. Hoosiers and their elected lawmakers should be wary of any attempt to further expand gambling. Additional gambling opportunities should not be relied upon for government revenue because they will largely siphon business from existing casinos.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Indiana faces tight budget next year
Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels spent a few hours basking in his victory on Election Night, but it was back to business the next day. He called members of his cabinet into his office and let reporters in to ask a few questions. Then they went to work in private. “I’ll just say our principal subject today will be the state’s fiscal situation, which is on one hand much stronger than most other states, but on the other hand there is a lot of hard work to preserve,” Daniels said.

Sunday alcohol sales split Hoosiers
Hoosiers are evenly split on whether grocery and liquor stores should be allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays as bars and restaurants do, a statewide poll indicates. An Indianapolis Star/WTHR poll found that 46 percent of residents support changing current law to allow Sunday sales, while 45 percent favor keeping the law the way it is. Nine percent were undecided.

No consensus on immigration
When it comes to the issue of illegal immigration in Indiana, it seems the only consensus is yes, it’s an issue. How extensive it is, how best to address it and even whether addressing it should be a priority are far from clear. Leaving a solution to federal lawmakers remains the best course.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Daniels, Lawmakers Look At Tight Budget
Drafting a two-year, balanced state budget during the Indiana legislative session that begins in earnest in January is likely to be a tough task. Gov. Mitch Daniels said state revenues for the first four months of this fiscal year are flat and he said the economy is “likely to get worse rather than better.” Unlike many states, Indiana’s budget is balanced and its reserves are at a level generally considered to be prudent for weathering an economic downturn.

Lawmaker to pursue state smoking restrictions
Smoking would be snuffed out in almost all enclosed public places in Indiana, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and casinos, under a bill a powerful state lawmaker plans to push in the upcoming legislative session. “It is a public health issue,” said Democratic state Rep. Charlie Brown of Gary, chairman of the House Public Health Committee. He said his primary aim is protecting the health of nonsmokers who work in places where smoking is allowed.

Ethanol industry facing falling prices
Midwest ethanol producers are facing falling prices, a tight credit market and possible overbuilding — which raises questions about whether the industry is in a temporary slump or a severe downturn. The Indianapolis Star reports that problems have caused some ethanol producers to see shrinking profits and falling stock prices. Other companies have scrapped projects. Mark Walters is the director of biofuels programs for the Indiana Corn Marketing Council. He says there’s a little bit of a shakeout going on, but that’s to be expected. He says the industry is just maturing.

 Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Reske wins in reversal
The ads turned negative. The governor got involved. Even the police were called in. The messy campaign for the District 37 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives concluded Wednesday afternoon with Scott Reske holding onto the office. The 11,723 uncounted absentee votes spirited Reske to a 13,840-12,060 win over challenger Kelly Gaskill. Independent candidate “Roofer” Robert Jozwiak received 1,197 votes.

Dems hold onto slim edgein Legislature
Indiana House Democrats who went to sleep after Election Day thinking they may have lost control of the chamber found out Wednesday that they would keep the gavel by at least a 52-48 advantage. Late tallies of absentee ballots in two races ensured that Democrats would retain control of the chamber. Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels and House Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, each said they hoped to work together in what is expected to be a very difficult budget-writing year in 2009 given the tanking economy.

Attorney general race goes to GOPl
The vote was too close Tuesday evening for either candidate in the Indiana attorney general race to declare victory or concede defeat. By midnight Tuesday night, however, Republican candidate Greg Zoeller had eked out a slim lead over Democrat Linda Pence, making Zoeller the state’s next attorney general come January.  Zoeller will succeed his boss, Republican incumbent Attorney General Steve Carter, who did not seek re-election.

Daniels coasts to victory
Gov. Mitch Daniels coasted to an easy re-election Tuesday night over persistent challenger Jill Long Thompson, who conceded defeat at about 9 p.m. Daniels wasn’t shy about advancing his call for change into a second term as he celebrated his victory with supporters at Conseco Fieldhouse about 9:30 p.m. “The movement for change is moving ahead,” he declared. “This is less an endorsement than an instruction, this is less a victory than an assignment,” Daniels said. “And what the people of Indiana have said is that they want us to press forward with change and improvement and reform to make education better, taxpayers better protected and make this the great state it can be.”

Michael knocks off Thomas in District 44
Clay County voters made their voices heard Tuesday evening at the state and national level. In a hotly-contested race for State Representative District 44, Democrat Nancy Michael defeated incumbent, Republican Amos Thomas in both Clay and Putnam counties. In Clay County, Michael tallied 3,729 votes (50.8 percent), while Thomas finished with 3,412 votes (46.49 percent). Libertarian Darrell Goldman finished with 199 votes (2.71 percent). In Putnam County, Michael had 7,158 votes (50.14 percent), while Thomas finished with 6,646 votes (46.55 percent).

Stilwell retains District 74 post; Dems cling to Statehouse majority

 

State Rep. Russ Stilwell prevailed in his bid for re-election to a seventh term Tuesday night. Stilwell’s high-profile role as majority leader of the Indiana House, his significant campaign fundraising and his heavily Democratic district proved to be too much for his Republican opponent, Tell City physician Dr. William Marcrum.  Preliminary vote totals in House District 74 had Stilwell, the Democratic incumbent, capturing 67.9 percent of the vote, compared to 32.1 percent for Marcrum. Only partial precinct totals were available at press time, however. The district includes parts of Warrick, Spencer, Perry and Dubois counties.

Pflum defeats Libertarian with about 79 percent of Wayne, Henry Co. vote
Incumbent Democrat Phillip C. Pflum of Milton claimed the District 56 State Representative seat for the fourth time Tuesday. Pflum defeated Libertarian Jon Bell of New Castle in Wayne and Henry counties with about 79 percent of the votes. Pflum watched Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s acceptance speech before learning the results of his own election. “It feels really good to have it done. It’s never over until it’s over,” Pflum said. “I’m obviously very pleased. The people have said, ‘Yes,’ again.”

 Sam Turpin – Indiana Government Affairs