You can make a difference
Work to elect great candidates in November:
Help re-elect Congressman Frank Mrvan
100 Day Volunteer Kick Off Rally
Saturday August 6 at 1PM
USW Local 1010
7047 Grand Ave., Hammond, IN 46323
Rally for the Region August 27
Come out to help great candidates win election!
11am-2pm : Volunteers will knock on doors with candidates who are participating in the event. We would LOVE to get 40 volunteers. We have many candidates that will be participating in this event, including Thomas McDermott, Congressman Frank Mrvan, Senator Rodney Pol Jr, Representative Chuck Moseley, David Reynolds for Porter County Sheriff, Toni Downing for PC Auditor, Valeri Waseman for PC Assessor, Julie Giorgi for PC Commissioner, and more. We are calling this a canvassing blitz and hope to have many volunteers that come out to knock on doors for these amazing candidates.
3pm : Come gather and talk to the candidates of Indiana, Porter County, and Laporte County at our Rally for the Region Cookout/ BBQ being held at Emerson House- 3634 N 700 W Laporte, IN 46350
We will have pulled pork, sweet corn, and drinks (2 kegs local beer, soda, water) Please bring a dish to share, and BYOB if you want anything particular.
Check out other campaigning events here.
Join us for our next Indivisible NWI public meeting on Thursday, August 18, at the Merrillville Library as we talk about gun violence. Among the speakers will be a founding member of Moms Demand Action NW Indiana. Details are coming soon.
The indiana legislature has been in special session since since last week. The Senate has already passed its abortion bill, which has been referred to the House. Lawmakers have until Sunday, August 14, to pass a bill. ACLU Indiana will have a presence at the Statehouse for the entirety of the special session, but they need us to step up.
You can sign up to stay involved throughout the special session by sharing your availability with them. Once you sign up, they will reach out to you with more information on opportunities to rally and take action. Sign up here.
Continue contacting the governor and your state and federal reps and senators. Flood their mailboxes, email inboxes and phone lines:
Email & call your state senator and representative.
Contact Governor Holcomb: https://www.in.gov/gov/ask-eric/
Contact your Congressional Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Contact Senator Todd Young: https://www.young.senate.gov/contact By phone: 202-224-5623
Contact Senator Mike Braun: https://www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike By phone: 202-224-4814
Enacted, signed into law by the President
H.R. 8351: Formula Act
S. 144: Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center Access Improvement Act
Congress
Passed the House and Senate, President next
CHIPS and Science Act
$52.7 billion for chip manufacturing, research and production, including $2 billion for legacy chip production — those essential to the auto industry and the military.
- a 25% tax credit for investments in semiconductor manufacturing, worth about $24 billion.
- $1.5 billion for the development of open-architecture, software-based wireless technologies, known as ORAN, that’s meant to reduce reliance on foreign telecommunications equipment.
The bill also authorizes roughly $200 billion for scientific research, but doesn’t actually appropriate the funds, so the spending will require further action from Congress. The authorizations include:
- $81 billion for the National Science Foundation, to be used in part for a Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships meant to expand NSF to also fund applied research and commercialization efforts.
- The NSF authorization is also meant to help bolster the STEM workforce, including establishing an artificial intelligence scholarship-for-service program.
- Separately, the bill authorizes $50 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. (Axios)
“The Senate voted 64-33 Wednesday to approve a $280 billion package meant to spur U.S. chip manufacturing, a major victory for the Biden administration and chip-makers…The bill aims to reverse a long-term decline in domestic manufacturing of the computer chips that go into cars, computers, appliances and a range of other everyday items, after the pandemic exposed the fragility of the international supply chain.” (Axios)
The House of Representatives voted 243-187 Thursday to pass a $280 billion package for the domestic chip-making industry and scientific research, sending the long-awaited legislation to President Biden’s desk. It received republican votes, including from Indiana reps Baird amd Hollingworth (and democratic reps Mrvan and Carson) despite objections from republican leadership in retaliation over the proposed democratic reconciliation bill, Inflation Reduction Act. (Axios)
H.R. 3359: Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act of 2021
H.R. 7352: PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act of 2022
H.R. 7334: COVID–19 EIDL Fraud Statute of Limitations Act of 2022
H.R. 4346: Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022
S. 3451: A bill to include certain computer-related projects in the Federal permitting program under title XLI of the FAST Act, and for other purposes.
Senate
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Wednesday he planned to support a deficit reduction package that addressed both climate change and prescription drug reform, a stark reversal for the one senator who has been blocking key planks of President Biden’s agenda.
Why it matters: The declaration from Manchin marks yet another about-face in a year-long negotiation over the size and scope of a Democrat-only reconciliation package.
By the numbers: The nascent deal would generate $313 billion in new revenue over 10 years by increasing the corporate minimum tax to 15%, according to a one-page summary distributed by Manchin’s office.
- It would bring in an additional $124 billion from enhanced Internal Revenue Service enforcement.
- And in a major blow to the private equity industry, the agreement calls for another $14 billion by treating so-called “carried interest” as regular income and taxing it at a higher rate.
For the climate provisions, the proposed package would spend $369 billion, while providing another $64 billion to shore up the Affordable Care Act for three years.
- That would leave an additional $300 billion for deficit reduction.
- The reversal came just hours after the Senate passed a $280 billion package to support U.S. domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had previously threatened to hold the CHIPS Act hostage if Democrats continued negotiating with Manchin, but that threat evaporated after Manchin opposed new climate spending earlier this month. (Axios)
H.R. 3967 PACT Act
The PACT Act, which the House passed earlier this month, would enable additional healthcare coverage for more than three million veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits and Vietnam-era veterans exposed to the deadly herbicide Agent Orange… The House passed the PACT Act by a 342-88 vote on July 13, about a month after the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 84-14. The Senate had to retake the bill up on Wednesday because the House passed some minor changes in its version.
The legislation adds 23 toxic and burn pit exposure conditions to the Department of Veterans Affairs database, while expanding care for post-9/11 veterans who were exposed to the burn pits.
The burn pits were used for the combustion of medical waste, human waste and other waste needed for disposal. Exposures to those toxins can lead to asthma, rhinitis and cancer. (The Hill)
The bill had passed previously in the Senate and was given a minor constitutional revision by the House over rural coverage and sent back to the Senate. But this time the bill was blocked by republicans angry over the proposed democratic reconciliation bill.
“Jon Stewart on Thursday delivered another fiery speech slamming lawmakers’ treatment of veterans, this time after Senate Republicans blocked a bill to expand healthcare coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits. The bill, the PACT Act, previously passed in the House, but a procedural vote to advance the latest version of it failed in the Senate on Wednesday. “I’m used to the lies,” Stewart said in Washington, D.C. “I’m used to the hypocrisy. … I’m used to all of it. But I am not used to the cruelty.” (The Week)
Passed Senate, House next
S. 3895: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 202
Passed with amendment by Unanimous Consent
S. 3743: Recycling and Composting Accountability Act
Passed by Unanimous Consent
S. 3742: Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2022
Passed by Unanimous Consent
H.R. 7776: Water Resources Development Act of 2022
Passed 93-1 with changes so it goes back to the House. Senator Braun was the lone nay.
Passed the House, Senate next
H.R. 8404 Respect for Marriage Act
Causes: ”This bill would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act and establish through a statute that a marriage is legitimate under federal law if it was valid in the state where it was performed.” The vote was 267-157; Indiana reps Mrvan and Carson voted yea. All other Indiana reps voted nay.
H.R. 1808: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022
GovTrack.us: “To regulate assault weapons, to ensure that the right to keep and bear arms is not unlimited, and for other purposes.”
The vote was 217-213 with Indiana reps Mrvan and Carson voting yea and all others voting nay. View the vote.
H.R. 5118: Continental Divide Trail Completion Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill addresses the completion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which extends from the Montana-Canada border to the New Mexico-Mexico border.
Not later than November 10, 2028, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior shall ensure the completion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail as a contiguous route.” The vote was 218-199 with Indiana reps Mrvan and Carson voting yea and all others voting nay. View the vote.
H.R. 263: Big Cat Public Safety Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill revises requirements governing the trade of big cats (i.e., species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species). Specifically, it revises restrictions on the possession and exhibition of big cats, including to restrict direct contact between the public and big cats.” The vote was 278-134 with Indiana reps Mrvan and Carson voting yea and all others voting nay. View the vote.
H.R. 6929: Susan Muffley Act of 2022
GovTrack.us: “This bill restores the full vested monthly benefits for eligible participants of certain pension plans that were sponsored by Delphi Corporation and terminated as a result of General Motors’ bankruptcy in 2009.”
The vote was 254-175 with Indiana reps Mrvan, Carson, Spartz, Pence and Baird voting yea; all others voted nay. View the vote.
H.R. 3771: South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2022
GovTrack.us: “This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to establish programs that support heart-disease research and awareness among communities disproportionately affected by heart disease, including the South Asian population of the United States.”
The vote was 237-92 with Indiana reps Mrvan, Carson and Hollingsworth voting aye; all other reps voted nay. View the vote.
H.R. 8294: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023GovTrack.us: “This bill provides FY2023 appropriations to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and several related agencies.”
Passed 220-207 with no republican votes. View the vote.
H.R. 4040: Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID–19 Act of 2021
Passed 416-12 with all Indiana reps voting aye.
H.R. 6552: Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022
Passed 401-20. View the vote.
H.R. 7289: Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to complete various studies and reports related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.” The vote was 359-62 with all Indiana reps voting yea except Banks who voted nay and Hollingsworth who did not vote. View the vote.
H.R. 3588: Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take certain actions to increase mathematical and statistical modeling education in public elementary and secondary schools.
H.R. 7180: Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID–19 Cognitive Research Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to eligible entities, including through the RAPID funding mechanism, to support interdisciplinary research on the disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with both short-term and long-term COVID-19 infections, including with respect to children and adolescents..”
The vote was 350-89 with all Indiana reps voting yea except Pence and Banks who voted nay and Hollingsworth who did not vote. View the vote.
H.R. 8454: Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act
GovTrack.us: “This bill establishes a new, separate registration process to facilitate research on marijuana.
The vote was 325-95 with all Indiana reps voting except Bamks, Buschon and Pence who voted nay and Hollingsworth who did not vote.
H.R. 7734: Timely Delivery of Bank Secrecy Act Reports Act
GovTrack.us: “To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the timely production of reports to Congress under the Bank Secrecy Act, and for other purposes.”
The vote was 349-50 with all Indiana reps voting yea except Pence who voted nay and Hollingsworth who did not vote. View the vote.
Many other non controversial bills passed in the House. Click to link to details of each.
H.R. 1286: Southern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage Corridor Act of 2021
H.R. 2024: Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Act
H.R. 3222: Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act
H.R. 6337: Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act
H.R. 4404: Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act
H.R. 7693: National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022
H.R. 623: Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0
H.R. 3952: NOAA Chief Scientist Act
H.R. 3962: Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2022
H.R. 6933: Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022
H.R. 7132: Safe Connections Act of 2022
H.R. 7361: National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act
H.R. 7569: Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2022
HR. 7624: Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022
H.R. 7733: CDFI Bond Guarantee Program Improvement Act of 2022
H.R. 7981: Public and Federally Assisted Housing Fire Safety Act of 2022
Passed by voice vote
H.R. 6845: Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022
H.R. 4586: Risk-Based Credit Examination Act
H.R. 5128: Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act
H.R. 6528: Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2022
H.R. 4590: Promoting New and Diverse Depository Institutions Act
H.R. 4227: Developing and Empowering our Aspiring Leaders Act of 2021
H.R. 4990: ITS Codification Act
To find and contact your Members of Congress: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
In other news
“Andrew Yang announced his Forward Party is merging with a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents in an effort to form an alternative to the two major parties…Yang says the new party, called Forward, is now the third-biggest political party based on resources. Founding members hope it will serve to bridge the stark divide in U.S. politics. The new party will be co-chaired by Yang and Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican governor of New Jersey. Its founding base consists of members of the Renew America Movement (RAM), the Serve America Movement (SAM) and Yang’s Forward Party…” (Axios)
President Joe Biden tested positive again Saturday morning for COVID-19 as part of a virus “rebound” that patients treated with the antiviral medication Paxlovid sometimes experience, his doctor said. Biden has no reemergence of symptoms, Kevin O’Connor, physician to the president, said in a letter, and as a result, his doctors will not restart medical treatment. Still, Biden said he’s returned to isolation. (USA Today)
Climate crises
“As fires raged across the West, the U.S. House on Friday approved wide-ranging legislation aimed at helping communities in the region cope with increasingly severe wildfires and drought — fueled by climate change — that have caused billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses in recent years. The legislative measure approved by federal lawmakers Friday combines 49 separate bills and would increase firefighter pay and benefits; boost resiliency and mitigation projects for communities affected by climate change; protect watersheds; and make it easier for wildfire victims to get federal assistance.” (Associated Press)
The economy
“The US economy shrank again in the second quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Thursday. Gross domestic product, a wide-ranging measure of economic activity, fell by 0.9% on an annualized basis from April through June. That decline marks a key symbolic threshold for the most commonly used — albeit unofficial — definition of a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth…Although Thursday’s initial estimate marked a sharp drop from the 6.7% expansion the economy underwent in the second quarter of 2021, the White House has been adamant that the world’s largest economy, despite being buffeted by decades-high inflation and a cascade of supply shocks, remains fundamentally sound.” (CNN)
“Growth appears to be sputtering, home sales are tumbling and economists warn of a potential recession ahead. But consumers are still spending, businesses keep posting profits and the economy keeps adding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month. In the midst of it all, prices have accelerated to four-decade highs, and the Federal Reserve is desperately trying to douse the inflationary flames with higher interest rates. That’s making borrowing more expensive for households and businesses.” (Associated Press)
January 6
Former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller told the House select committee investigating the Capitol Hill insurrection that former President Donald Trump never gave him a formal order to have 10,000 troops ready to be deployed to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, according to new video of Miller’s deposition released by the committee… Trump has previously said that he requested National Guard troops be ready for January 6. He released a statement on June 9 that he “suggested & offered” up to 20,000 National Guard troops be deployed to Washington, DC, ahead of January 6 claiming it was because he felt “that the crowd was going to be very large.” (CNN)
“The House select committee investigating the Capitol Hill insurrection concluded its series of eight hearings this week with a presentation intended to be the final piece of its narrative puzzle that painted former President Donald Trump as responsible for the violent attack on the US Capitol — and more broadly, American democracy — on January 6, 2021.” (CNN)
“Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, was convicted on Friday of contempt charges for defying a congressional subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.” (NWI Times)
Monkeypox
In San Francisco and New York City, officials declared a state of emergency as the number of monkeypox cases in the city continue to rise. (The Week)
Right to read
“Book-banning attempts have grown in the U.S. over the past few years from relatively isolated battles to a broader effort aimed at works about sexual and racial identity…It’s hard to disentangle the banning surge from other conservative efforts to use the government to limit expression, including what critics call Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Those are all movements that have overlapped and spurred book-banning debates.” (NYT The Morning)
Indiana
Special session
Senate Bill 1 Abortion.
- Makes abortion a Level 5 felony unless: (1) the abortion is necessary to prevent a substantial permanent impairment of the life of the mother; or (2) the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest and the fetus has a specified postfertilization age. Specifies other requirements for performing a lawful abortion. Grants the attorney general concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute crimes in a county if the county prosecutor is categorically refusing to prosecute these crimes.
- Requires reporting to the state department of health the termination of a pregnancy where the fetus is incapable of sustained life outside the womb.
- Prohibits an abortion clinic from performing a surgical abortion.
- Defines “abortion”, “pregnancy”, “rape or incest”, and “fetus”.
- Provides a defense for a pregnant mother charged with a criminal offense for terminating or seeking the termination of her pregnancy.
- Specifies that a person who terminates the pregnancy of a pregnant woman upon her request may only be charged with certain crimes.
- Exempts from the crime of feticide: (1) the pregnant mother; (2) a person who provides medical treatment in good faith to a pregnant woman that results in the accidental or unintentional termination of the pregnancy; and (3) a physician who performs a medical procedure to terminate the pregnancy upon request of the pregnant woman.
- Provides that the statute requiring consent of a parent or legal guardian for a minor’s abortion does not apply to a minor who is less than 18 years of age who: (1) is pregnant as a result of rape or incest by a parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the unemancipated minor; and (2) provides the physician with an affidavit, signed under the penalties of perjury, attesting to the rape or incest.
- Requires the maternal mortality review committee to study how changes in the state’s abortion laws affect maternal mortality in Indiana. Repeals obsolete provisions and makes conforming amendments.
Passed 26-20. View the vote.
“Under Senate rules a measure on final vote must have at least 26 votes to pass, regardless of how many lawmakers are in the chamber.
The legislation bans abortion, with exemptions for the life of the mother and rape and incest. However there are restrictions on the rape and incest exemptions, with limits on the first 12 weeks for a girl under 16 and eight weeks for women who are older, in either instance they must sign an affadavit and there are criminal penalties for health care providers who perform abortions. The legislation now heads to the House for consideration.” (Indy Politics)
Read the bill in its entirety here.
Several amendments were proposed and defeated, including amendment 18, which would have explicitly made an exception for ectopic pregnancies and placental abruptions and amendment 58 to eliminate the exception for incest and rape. View the vote for amendment 18 here and amendment 58 here. Our local democratic senators introduced many of these and other amendments; several were from Senator Pol. All the amendments are listed here. Please note how your senator voted. Not sure who that is? Check here.
House Bill 1001 Various family and children matters.
- Provides for an additional automatic taxpayer refund for the 2021 taxable year in the amount of $225 to taxpayers who are eligible for an automatic taxpayer refund under current law.
- Allows an Indiana resident who is not eligible for an additional automatic taxpayer refund because the individual was not required to file a tax return to file an affidavit with the department of state revenue (department) to claim an automatic taxpayer refund in the same amount of $225. Requires the department to verify each affidavit submitted as to its accuracy.
- Provides a sales tax exemption for children’s diapers.
- Increases the exemption amount subtracted from an individual’s adjusted gross income for a dependent child. Allows an individual to claim an increased exemption amount for a dependent child in the first year in which the exemption amount may be claimed for the child.
- Adds an additional exemption for an adopted child. Increases the amount of the tax credit to which an individual who is eligible to claim the federal adoption credit is entitled.
- After October 1, 2022, requires each license branch to post a notice concerning adoption, foster care, and pregnancy.
- Provides that the postpartum period determined by the office of the secretary of family and social services during which Medicaid coverage is available to a woman must not be less than 12 months beginning on the last day of the pregnancy. Adds: (1) donated breast milk; (2) noninvasive prenatal and routine carrier screening for all pregnant women at any time during pregnancy; and (3) costs of labor and delivery; to the list of supplies and services provided by Medicaid and the healthy Indiana plan.
- Establishes the doula reimbursement advisory board.
- Requires the office of the secretary of the family and social services administration to: (1) seek any necessary approval from the United States Department of Health and Human Services; and (2) adopt any written policies, procedures, or regulations determined necessary; to provide reimbursement for long-acting reversible contraception.
- Allows a local health department, health care provider, or other human services provider to request a grant from the safety PIN (protecting Indiana’s newborns) grant fund to be used to assist individuals seeking contraceptives.
- Authorizes a local health department, a health care provider, or a human services provider to seek grants to provide instruction on the use of fertility awareness-based family planning methods.
- Prohibits the state department of health from awarding grants for the distribution of contraceptives through school run programs or to a minor without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian. Appropriates money for various purposes related to children and families
Passed 93-2. View the vote. Referred to the Senate. Read more about the bill, including criticisms about the affidavit requirements and short filing period for those who don’t make enough to file income tax: WFYI.
Senate Bill 2 Fiscal matters.
- Establishes the Hoosier Families First Fund (fund) to be administered by the budget agency. Appropriates $45,000,000 from the state general fund to the fund for state fiscal year 2023.
- Authorizes the budget agency to allot money from the fund to the department of child services, the family and social services administration, the Indiana department of health, and the Indiana department of homeland security to provide additional funding for existing programs and new programs for certain specified purposes.
- Requires the budget committee to review the allotments from the fund at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the budget committee following the release of the funds.
- Increases the amount of the adjusted gross income tax credit to which an individual who is eligible to claim the federal adoption tax credit is entitled.
- Before December 1, 2022, requires the office of Medicaid policy and planning (office) to research and compile, Medicaid reimbursement rates, by Medicaid provider type, in states bordering Indiana for certain prenatal, pregnancy, postnatal, and pediatric wellness services. Requires the office to prepare a report of the office’s findings and submit the report to the general assembly before December 31, 2022.
Passed 46-1. View the vote.
More about both fiscal bills: “Senators have approved their plan for spending a billion dollars of Indiana’s record $6 billion in reserves. The bill would save the average household about $130 by suspending the gas tax and the sales tax on utilities. It sets aside $600 million to further reduce unfunded pension liabilities, and absorb cost overruns due to inflation on state construction projects. The plan puts the Senate at odds with the House, which adopted Governor Holcomb’s proposed $225-per-taxpayer rebate on Friday. Markle Senator Travis Holdman (R) says the Senate plan keeps the state on track to pay its bills. And he says the tax relief portion is more efficient than the tax rebate, since people will receive it automatically at the pump and on their utility bills. He notes the rebate will create costs to print checks and to process rebate requests from people who don’t file tax returns, Six Democrats joined Republican senators to approve the plan. The House and Senate will take up each other’s bills next week.” (WIBC)
In other news
More than 20 Republican attorneys general, including Indiana’s Todd Rokita, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over a Department of Agriculture school meal program that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. (WANE-TV)
Tne day after leadership for the Indiana Senate Republicans unveiled the language for a proposed bill banning abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life is in danger, ACLU of Indiana released a letter signed by 200-plus businesses opposing abortion restrictions. (Indy Star)
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds strong support for abortion rights in Indiana, with 71% of Hoosiers. (Indy Politics)
“Our country is not your church.” It’s a popular argument that has been heard and seen at pro-abortion protests—a reaction to anti-abortion advocates citing Christianity in particular but religion in general as motive to “protect the sanctity of life.” (The Statehouse File)
A group of faculty, staff members and students from Indiana’s colleges and universities are calling on Indiana lawmakers to reject the abortion restrictions they are meeting in special session to consider – decrying what the group says is “a clear example of systemic racism. (Indy Star)
Indianapolis doctor involved in 10-year-old Ohio rape victim’s abortion says Attorney General Todd Rokita hasn’t backed off an investigation. CNN report here.
An Indiana law aimed at prohibiting abortions based on gender, race or disability is going into effect after a federal judge lifted an order first issued six years ago blocking its enforcement. (WANE-TV)
An Indiana judge on Tuesday ruled that a 10-year-old transgender girl can continue playing on her school’s softball team while legislation over the state’s new transgender sports ban continues. (Fox 59)
More than 20 Republican attorneys general, including Indiana’s Todd Rokita, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over a Department of Agriculture school meal program that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. (WANE-TV)
Barring any significant disruptions, GasBuddy believes both the Indiana and nationwide average for gas will be $3.99 or lower by mid-August. (WIBC)
Indiana’s sales tax on gasoline will actually rise slightly starting Aug. 1, even though pump prices have dropped more than 11% from a month ago. (IBJ)
A new Indiana law strengthens previous bans on schools offering gifts or perks to parents in exchange for enrolling their students. But so far, officials don’t appear to be enforcing the stricter provision at schools that receive public money. (Chalkbeat Indiana)
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a decision that protects the freedom of religious schools to choose leaders who uphold their core religious teachings. (Fox 59)
“The LaPorte County Commissioners want answers to their concerns about the environmental clean-up of the NIPSCO coal-fired generating station in Michigan City after it closes.
Commission President Sheila Matias said she’s heard from environmentalists about potential health hazards of any buried coal ash allowed to remain at the site.” (NWI Times)
