End of Session Negotiations Continue on Key Bills

Legislative leaders met today with Governor Mitch Daniels to sort out negotiations over jobs bills in the General Assembly.  The governor met with House Speaker Pat Bauer, a democrat from South Bend, then later, Senate President Pro Tem David Long, a republican from Fort Wayne.  to discuss concerns over a jobs bill, school funding issues, and what to do with the state’s bankrupt unemployment insurance system.  Bauer, who requested the meeting with Governor Daniels, says he wanted to discuss his concerns about trouble working out deals on a jobs bill, school funding, a solution to unemployment insurance funding woes, and worker protections.

“That bill ought to go forward period and we should continue to try to work on the unemployment bill.  If we can get a compromise that would be good.  If we can’t then at least we solved two or three problems and not leave 2 or 3 on the table because someone’s upset about one not being solved, the unemployment bill.”

Senator Long says those different bills are all interconnected and all aim to protect jobs.  Lawmakers have until Sunday to finalize agreements on each of those pieces of legislation.

–Marianne Holland

Job creation bill dealt major blow

A bill aimed at job creation may have taken a crippling blow today, as members of the Indiana House and Senate began their conference committees.

Senate President Pro Temp David Long of Fort Wayne ruled several provisions not germane to the original topic of the bill: assessment of agricultural land.

Members of the house changed it into a job creation bill by adding several amendments including new employer tax credits, job creation tax credits and hiring provisions.

Representative Dale Grubb of Covington, the bills house sponsor, says agreement on the bill may depend on what bill author Senator Luke Kenley of Noblesville does with the house amendments.

“We’re going to have to wait and see. That’s pretty major. Basically I was told we can’t help create thirty or forty thousand jobs in this state. So we’re all in this together and I’m going to have to wait and see what Senator Kenley comes back with.”

Kenley says some of the amendments have merit and will attempt to put them on other bills, but others should be vetted by the public first.

Brian Caoimhghin Flood

Legislative Leaders Set Gambling Conflict For Special Session

With just days left until Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels submits his plan for the budget that will be negotiated during the special session, some legislative leaders are laying down a few of their stipulations for that budget. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

Statehouse Leaders Lay Out Plans for Special Session

Indiana General Assembly leaders announced today that efforts to write a new biennial state budget will begin Tuesday with an eye toward conducting a special session to approve a final budget agreement in mid-June. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

Republican Senate Leader, Harsh Words for Democrats on Jobless Fund

Senate Republican and President Pro Tem David Long of Fort Wayne said today, House Democrats failure to send a bill to fund Indiana’s unemployment insurance fund to his chamber could ultimately result in a special session. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

Indiana Senate Leaders Look at 2009 Session

The 2009 session of the Indiana General Assembly is underway and lawmakers chief responsibility will be writing the next two year state budget. But in a downturn economy, worsening daily, many say it will be the toughest budget in decades. Senate President Pro Tem David Long, a Republican from Fort Wayne, and Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, a Democrat from Elletsville, told Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland how they see budget negotiations playing out this session.

General Assembly Leaders Kick off Session

Today was the opening day of the 2009 legislative session. Chamber leaders from both the House and the Senate used the occasion to put forth what they say are the top priorities as they write the next two year state budget. In a rare speech on the chamber floor, House Speaker Pat Bauer of South Bend laid out his desire to see the state use reserve funds for creating jobs and providing assistance to Hoosiers out of work:

While Senate President Pro Tem David Long of Fort Wayne to reporters crowded at the back of Senate Chambers about his top funding priority:

The budget bill will begin, as required, in the House. Both chambers meet again tomorrow.

Senators Want Illegal Immigration Study Committee

State senator Tom Weatherwax of Logansport and Senate President Pro Tem David Long of Fort Wayne are calling for more research on how an illegal immigration law would affect Indiana taxpayers and government.  Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.