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By: Leslie Bonilla Muniz Hoosiers haven’t seen a pay increase for jury duty in at least two decades, but that could change — even double — under a bill advancing steadily through the Statehouse. But corresponding fee increases have sparked debate on how to fund the criminal justice system: as a public service, or through…

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team announced a win in the case against Tiger King’s Timothy Stark in the Court of Appeals of Indiana. The court affirmed Stark is personally liable for funds and assets misappropriated from his nonprofit corporation Wildlife In Need. Rokita said this case should serve as an example to…

By: Whitney Downard Indiana Republicans passed their $43.3 billion budget proposal without any Democrat support, with the minority party denouncing the millions earmarked to expand school vouchers. Nearly half of the budget, 48%, goes to K-12 education, which will get a boost of nearly $2 billion over its current appropriation – of which one-third will…

By: Casey Smith Top Indiana senators said they aren’t so sure about a House Republican budget plan that would more than double taxpayer spending on the state’s “school choice” voucher program. House lawmakers on Thursday approved their version of the budget, punting it over to the Senate. But pushback is already mounting against provisions that…

By: Leslie Bonilla Muniz House lawmakers filed 673 bills this year – but only about 178 survived key deadlines this week. Some of the bills that aren’t advancing have been woven into the budget instead, like a proposal eliminating public school textbook fees. But the language often looks a little different — the budget simply…

A team of Purdue University scientists led by Shihuan Kuang has received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to define the role of lipid droplets in muscle stem cell function, a study with implications in both humans and livestock. “Lipid droplets are important as a regulatory component of the stem cell.…

By: Whitney Downard A bill banning gender-affirming medical care for minors passed a Senate health committee easily on Wednesday, despite the nonstop chanting and outrage of opponents. Under the legislation, doctors could no longer provide any “gender transition procedures,” which includes surgery – which testimony showed isn’t happening in Indiana – as well as puberty…

By: Casey Smith Indiana school districts could be forced to make their underused buildings available to charter schools under a bill that advanced Wednesday to the full Senate. The state’s existing “$1 Law” already requires districts to sell or lease vacant or unused instructional buildings for a single dollar. Senate Bill 391, authored by Sen.…

By: Leslie Bonilla Muniz The Indiana House on Wednesday approved a bill banning courts from removing transgender children from their parents based only on parent refusal to seek gender-affirming care or otherwise support transitions. The legislation centers on one Hoosier family — and its estranged transgender daughter — whose case is still in court. “All’s…

Indiana’s Recycling Market Development board awarded three organizations with $3 million in funding to pilot waste diversion and reuse projects in Marion County. The funds will be administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Recipients and the amounts awarded include: Cascade Asset Management: $730,000 towards an innovative flat panel television recycling system that will…