The Indiana Senate lets the LBGT bill die while the House passes a Road Funding Plan

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LGBT BILL DEAD IN THE SENATE

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce president is warning that the state could be hurt by the Legislature’s failure to advance a bill extending anti-discrimination protections to include sexual orientation.

State chamber President Kevin Brinegar says he is frustrated the Indiana Senate wasn’t able to move forward on what he called a “critical issue.”

The debate over the gay-rights protection bill had split many state business leaders and religious conservatives who are among key Republican Party supporters.

Brinegar says the Legislature’s inaction on the issue leaves Indiana at a disadvantage in the recruitment, attraction and retention of talented people following last spring’s national backlash over the state’s religious objection law.

He says state leaders must work together to reach a solution.


 

ROAD FUNDING BILL PASSES HOUSE

Indiana residents would pay more for gasoline and cigarettes but less in state income taxes under a bill the House has approved.

The chamber’s roads funding plan passed on a 62-35 floor vote Tuesday.

House Speaker Brian Bosma has backed the bill, which Gov. Mike Pence and conservative groups criticize for raising Indiana’s taxes. Under the bill, the cigarette tax would increase by $1 per pack and the 18-cent-per-gallon gas tax would go up by 4 cents.

The bill calls for the state income tax to be cut by 5 percent over eight years.

Republican State Representative Mike Braun of Jasper, of District 63, co authored the bill.  He said  that af fter carefully examining  in committee all of the funding mechanisms , he believes a comprehensive plan has been created that will adequately fund Indiana’s roads and bridges, while also assisting local governments with their funding needs for years to come.

The bill now moves to the Senate, which also has its own plan backed by Pence that would earmark part of the state’s surplus for road improvements as a short-term solution to the state’s crumbling infrastructure.


 

ENVIRONMENTAL RULES

he Indiana House has approved a bill that would prevent state agencies from enacting environmental rules tougher than those imposed by the federal government.

The House voted 64-33 Tuesday to send the bill to the Senate for consideration.

Republican Rep. David Wolkins of Winona Lake says he’s hopeful his bill will get a hearing in that chamber this session. Similar bills Wolkins has sponsored in past years have never received Senate hearings.

More than 15 environmental, public health and other groups oppose the legislation, which the House Environmental Rules committee narrowly endorsed last week.

Hoosier Environmental Council staff attorney Kim Ferraro told that panel Indiana needs to hold onto its ability to adopt rules and standards tougher than their federal equivalents to protect its environment and the public health.