Proposed Senate Bill May Force Replacement of Starke County’s Voting Machines

Plans to upgrade Starke County’s voting machines may be put on hold, pending the outcome of a bill in the Indiana Senate. Senate Bill 570 proposes a number of new requirements related to election cyber security. Notably, any electronic voting systems would have to have a “voter verifiable paper audit trail,”starting in 2022.

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Sunday Carryout Bill to Come Before Full Senate For Second Reading Today

Hoosiers looking for the opportunity to buy alcohol 7 days a week will have to wait for a few more legislative steps to be taken before anything is finalized. According to the Indiana General Assembly Senate Calendar, the bill regarding Sunday alcohol carryout sales for will come before the full Senate on second reading today.

Senate Bill 1, authored by Republican State Senator Ron Alting, would allow package liquor, grocery, convenience and drug stores to sell alcoholic beverages for carryout on Sunday from noon until 8 p.m. It would also permit restaurants that satisfy the carryout requirements to sell alcoholic beverages on Sunday. Continue reading

Professor Questions Constitutionality of Ag-Gag Bill

  
 
The so-called Ag-Gag bill moving through the Indiana House won’t pass constitutional muster, according to an Indiana University law professor. Supporters say it will protect farmers from exploitation by activist groups. Senate Bill 373 cleared the House last week with an amendment that makes it a Class A misdemeanor to photograph at a farm or business without the owner’s written permission. IU law professor Seth Lahn believes the bill violates the First Amendment.

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Senate Approves Arnold Measure to Increase Protections for Law Enforcement Officers

Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Jim Arnold
The Indiana Senate recently passed yet another measure sponsored by State Senator Jim Arnold of LaPorte – this one aiming at improving safety of and ensuring protection for police officers in Indiana. Arnold said the bill gives communities the tools to become more informed during incidents involving police officers, and by keeping the public informed, locals can pull together to help protect those who serve their cities and towns.

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Lawmaker Questions Constitutionality of Welfare Drug Testing Bill

 The full state Senate could vote next week on a bill to require drug testing for some welfare recipients. The Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services approved the measure by a vote of 9-3. Democrat Senator Jean Breaux of Indianapolis says many people don’t realize recipients of Temporary Aid for Needy Families benefits are already required to be looking for or have a job.

“A large portion of them are working,” Breaux says. “They are simply the working poor. This bill presumes that just because you receive some sort of state assistance you are either a drug abuser or someone who sits around and waits to get state money so you can go out and buy drugs.”

Breaux says the proposal is an unfair characterization of a hardworking population that needs assistance. She adds that the constitutionality of similar bills in other states has been challenged. Additionally, Breaux says the return on the state’s investment in the drug testing is too miniscule to make it worthwhile.

Cellphone Trafficking Bill Passes the Senate

Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Jim Arnold
A bill sponsored by State Senator Jim Arnold passed out of the Senate Thursday.

House Bill 1256 focuses on deterring the trafficking of cellphones into the state’s prisons. If a suspect is caught, the action would be classified as a Class C felony. The individual would also be fined up to $10,000 while inmates found possessing cellphones would be charged with a Class A misdemeanor and fined up to $5,000.

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Arnold Sponsors Proposal to Expand Officer Training for Alzheimer’s Patients

Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Jim Arnold
A House measure sponsored by State Senator Jim Arnold of LaPorte seeking to improve public safety training for police officers recently passed through the Indiana Senate. Arnold said this bill would complement the training officers receive for various situations by creating better guidelines for how they respond to people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, allowing law enforcement to safely interact with those suffering from the conditions.

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Railroad Crossing Sight-line Bill Passes Senate

Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Jim Arnold
A bill has passed the Senate sponsored by Democrat State Senator Jim Arnold of LaPorte.

The bill clarifies requirements for railroad crossing sight-lines. House Bill 1037 would require the Indiana Department of Transportation to create new methods for measuring and determining minimum distance requirements for crossings. Current law mandates that sight-line crossings occur at 1,500 feet where trains are also required to sound the horn.

House Bill 1037 unanimously passed out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs and the full Senate by a vote of 44-0. The bill how goes to the House of Representatives where the bill’s author will have a chance to consider changes made in the Senate.

Senator Arnold Pushing Bills Regarding Property Tax Deductions

Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Jim Arnold
State Senator Jim Arnold is backing a number of bills that are now advancing through the Senate, including legislation regarding property tax deductions and safer railroad crossings.

House Bill 1261 would allow homeowners in LaPorte County to receive deductions in delayed property taxes for a current assessment date, authorizing the Department of Local Government Finance to delay payments for the March 1, 2011 or Jan. 15, 2013 assessment dates. A number of property tax policies would also apply to delayed property taxes, including payment via credit or debit card, sales tax exemptions for one year, and a two-percent discount for payments made within 30 days.

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Charbonneau Discusses State Budget, Passed Through House

State Senator Ed Charbonneau
State Senator Ed Charbonneau
The state’s budget has passed through the state House of Representatives, and now it goes through the same process in the state Senate. Republican Senator Ed Charbonneau of Valparaiso told WKVI that while the state is in an enviable position with the sizeable surplus currently blessing its coffers, but he said there are still some very important issues that need to be addressed.

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