State Senator Ed Charbonneau is promoting steps Indiana is taking to ensure the state’s drinking water supply is kept safe for future generations.
State Sen. Charbonneau Touts Steps Taken to Protect Drinking Water
Pulaski Election Board Recognizes Straight Ticket Voting Changes
A bill signed by Indiana Governor Mike Pence will affect the way Hoosiers vote in November’s General Election.
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State Rep. Dermody Announces 2016 Retirement
A State Representative out of LaPorte will be leaving office at the end of his term.
Tom Dermody announced that he plans to retire from office in the 20th House District at the end of Election Day in 2016. His district includes portions of Starke and LaPorte counties.
New Laws Effective Wednesday
Legislation that allows Indiana residents to legally own a sawed-off shotgun takes effect, today.
Senate Bill 433 is one of several changes to Indiana law made by the General Assembly earlier this year. The bill repeals a prohibition on owning a sawed-off shotgun so long as the weapon is developed by a licensed manufacturer.
Legislators Prepare for Summer Study Sessions
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.
State Representative Appears in Knox To Discuss Legislation
An area elected representative is apologizing for an incident that gained national attention during the long-session of the Indiana General Assembly.
20th District State Representative Tom Dermody addressed members of the Starke County Chamber of Commerce on Friday to discuss legislation that has been considered since January. Portions of Starke County are included in the LaPorte Republican’s district.
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Senate Democrats Mark Halfway Point For Current Session
Indiana Senate Democrats say the halfway point of the long session in Indianapolis has been reached.
That mark was reached on Wednesday according to a release from the caucus this week.
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Elected Officials Look Ahead to New Session
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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More Funding for Roads and Bridges Coming to Starke County
The General Assembly chose to allocate a significant increase in funding for counties, cities and towns to more fully maintain and construct new road and bridge projects as the years go on. With the economy and greater usage of high fuel economy vehicles giving the state less of a chance to collect revenue with the gas tax, local road and bridge projects have been delayed to keep local budgets fiscally balanced.
All Unopposed Candidates Will Appear on Starke County May Primary Ballot
A law passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2011 was so unpopular that it was repealed in this session. The law that took effect July 1st of 2011 eliminated the names of candidates facing no opponents from the General Election ballots in 2011.
General Assembly Completes Productive Session
The General Assembly, which began with a month-long battle over right to work, ended with a flurry as legislators passed a smoking ban, abolished the inheritance tax and set aside more money for full day kindergarten and state fair stage collapse victims.
Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Long, of Ft. Wayne, boasts legislators again held the line on spending with taxpayers scheduled to receive a $40-$50 rebate as a result.
Governor Mitch Daniels issued a statement thanking legislators for an extraordinarily productive session.
Indiana General Assembly to End Session March 9th
The most recent session of the Indiana Legislature could be coming to an end sooner than it’s cut-off date, according to Democrat State Senator Jim Arnold, of LaPorte.
“We are required to be out of session by March 14th,” stated Senator Arnold. “The strong rumors and all indications are they are going to shoot to be out of here no later than March 9th which would be a week from Friday. There are still plenty of work to be done and a lot of issues to be discussed and voted on. I think it’s a real probability and most of us are hoping that’s the case.”
Senator Arnold was asked if the right to work measure was too time consuming and pushed back many important pieces of legislation.
Eastern Pulaski School Board Discusses Legislation Passed in General Assembly; Fall Registration
Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent, Dr. Robert Klitzman shared a few pieces of legislation that came out of the General Assembly with the School Board members at their recent meeting.
“Teacher evaluation is going to be more geared toward student data and how the students have improved in their actual achievement,” said Dr. Klitzman. “That’s going to be folded into the evaluation for teachers. Collective bargaining has been greatly restricted. Over the years, collective bargaining with our teachers has grown more and more and that’s through an agreement on both sides. It’s not a one sided thing. Our legislature passed a bill that limits what you can bargain so even if a school and a Teacher’s Association wants to go and bargain other things, legally they can not. This is what’s put in the statute.”
2011 General Assembly Required to End April 29th
Yesterday Ed Hasnerl talked with State Senator Ed Charbonneau to inquire about the deadline for ending the 2011 Indiana General Assembly.
“We’re required to end the session this Friday, April 29th,” said Senator Charbonneau. “Things are ratcheting up and there will a lot done between now and midnight Friday. The big issue is the budget. The other issue that still needs to be voted on are the redistricting maps. That seems to be moving very close to finalization.”
Later in the week, Senator Charbonneau will talk in detail about the boundary lines of his newly re-drawn district in which he will represent voters in only a portion of Starke County but all of Pulaski County.
State Representative Nancy Dembowski to Present Time Zone Bill
The Hoosier state going into one time zone! Well now that we have your attention, we might say the chances of that happening anytime soon are slim to none. Don’t think for a minute that Governor Mitch Daniels wants the legislature to spend any time on that issue again.
Because her District is split right down the middle, State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox) is going on a bill with Representative Hinkle of Indianapolis to bring up that proposal again.
State Legislature to Focus on Prison Sentences in this Year’s Session
Even though the State Legislature is overwhelmingly Republican, there still aren’t some issues that can by worked on in a bipartisan manner, according to 17th District State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox). One of those issues focuses on the state’s rapidly increasing prison population. Both Dembowski and State Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) have gone on record as saying this is an issue that needs attention.
Dembowski blamed the General Assembly for causing some of the problems.
