New Estimate Shows Health Care Reform Cost for Indiana

Robert Damler of Milliman, Inc., Indiana Actuary

New estimates from Indiana’s actuary, Milliman Incorporated, show federally approved health care reform could cost the state as much as six hundred million dollars more a year once more Hoosiers become eligible for Medicaid in 2014.  Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland has more. Hear the Story

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

Budget Committee Plans FSSA/IBM Contract Review

The Indiana State Budget Committee is planning to review how well the IBM Corporation is doing with a plan to fix problems with Indiana’s privatized welfare system. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

New State Revenue Forecast Released

A new revenue forecast presented to the state budget committee today shows a more than one billion dollar shortfall from previous forecasts in the money the Indiana legislature has to come up with the state’s next budget during a special session to be called next month. 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.

Permanent Property Tax Caps Pass First Hurdle

A constitutional amendment to make property tax caps permanent cleared its first hurdle of this year’s legislative session today, when the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee voted along party lines to approve it. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

State Budget Committee Approves Daniels’ Budget Plan

The State Budget Committee today approved a two year, twenty eight billion dollar budget from Governor Mitch Daniels. The vote sends the proposal to the next step in becoming a bill, which makes it eligible for consideration by the state legislature. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.