Right to Work Bill Passes Indiana House

Posted on Author WKVI
Indiana Statehouse

The right to work bill passed the Indiana House yesterday.

The final vote was 54-44. The bill gives workers the freedom to choose whether or not to financially support a union. It states that an employee cannot be forced to join to financially support a union in order to get or keep a job.

House Bill 1001 was heard on third reading yesterday after the majority of the Democrat Caucus boycotted the first few weeks of session by failing to show up to work. Members of the House Republicans attempted to address right to work last session, however the Democrats denied the House a quorum by fleeing to Illinois for five weeks. The issue was tabled and further studied in the Interim Study Committee on Employment this summer.

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Starke County Commissioners Approve New Boundaries for State Senate, House

Posted on Author WKVI
Proposed Senate Redistricting map
Proposed Indiana House redistricting map

The Starke County Election Board appeared before the County Commissioners last week to get approval of the new boundaries for the State Senate Districts and the State House Districts as a result of the State’s redistricting process. County Clerk, Evelyn Skronski, said that two districts will represent Starke County for the House.

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Indiana Lawmakers Discuss Lowering the State’s Corporate Income Tax

Posted on Author WKVI
Indiana Statehouse

State lawmakers are trying to decide whether to make Indiana more attractive to industry by lowering the state’s corporate income tax rate from 8.5% to 6.5%. The proposal has already passed the Senate and is awaiting committee hearings in the House.

All agree it would make the state more appealing to companies wanting to expand or relocate to Indiana, but it would also mean $76.3 million dollars less coming into the state from corporate taxes.

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Representative Robert Behning Weighs in on Democrat Walk-Out

Posted on Author WKVI
Representative Robert Behning

“The future of the Democratic process is at stake.” Those words were pronounced by Indiana’s House Majority Leader, Brian Bosma, last week in reference to the continued walk-out of 39 Democrats from their state legislative seats.

The Democrats have managed to shut down the House for a month and win concessions from Republicans on labor and education bills. As long as they hang together, the legislature is at an impasse.

Ted Hayes talked with Representative Robert Behning (R-District 91) to find out the attitude of a ranking Republican on the walkout. Behning is the Republican steering the education bill through the House. Ted asked him his general view of the walk-out.

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