A Citizen's Guide to Indiana

Rep. Jackie Walorski failed in her attampt to repeal Indiana Code 20-19-5. It was an amendment she tried to stick into SB 566. The code provision she was trying to repeal requires the department of education, the department of correction, and the division of mental health and addiction to coordinate a children’s social, emotional, and behavior health plan that provides recommendations concerning mental health services, early intervention, and treatment services for children under 22 months of age. Basically, it tries to set up a plan to get social, emotional, and mental health services to infants who need them.

I’m just a little perplexed why this particular bit of bureaucracy was targeted for elimination. The Walorski amendment failed 38 to 60. She also failed by a vote of 34 to 64 in her attempt to amend SB 504 to get rid of the bit that provides that an individual who has been convicted of a felony involving a controlled substance, that does not include an element of distribution or manufacturing of controlled substances, and has completed or is participating in certain substance abuse treatment programs or mental health programs may receive assistance under TANF for up to 12 months. So, not a highly successful day for Ms. Walorski, I guess.

I’m awake as we attempt to re-train my daughter to sleep in her bed (read: let her scream it out at 4:30 in the morning), so I figured I’d troll the Internet to see what kind of political stories are out there at the moment. The pickings are pretty slim this early in the morning:

Lawmakers facing tough negotiations — Bryan Corbin, writing for the Evansville Courier Press runs down the upcoming negotiations in the General Assembly: I-69, the budget, gambling, funding health coverage, increasing the minimum wage, the HPV vaccine, and fireworks.

Also in the Courier Press, by Thomas Langhorne, an article on Brad Ellsworth’s 2008 re-election chances.

The Terre Haute TribStar has the results of a poll of residents of West Central Indiana on their opinions of Gov. Daniels. They like the idea of increasing cigarette taxes to pay for health care, and the option of full-day kindergarten. They don’t like outsourcing major government functions or privatizing the lottery. Wait, never mind, the article refers to a web-based poll on Sen. Tim Skinner’s website where nobody even knows how many respondents there were. Nice piece of journalism.

Good round up from yesterday in the Indy Star by Mary Beth Schneider and Theodore Kim on where the General Assembly stands as we head into the end game. (Oddly, years after the Indiana Law Blog debunked the notion that the General Assembly is actually mandated to pass a budget, references like these are still common: “The only thing that can force lawmakers to meet beyond the April 29 session deadline is failure to pass a state budget.” It’s definitely a good idea, and there would be hell to pay if they didn’t do it, but it doesn’t actually seem to be required by the state Constitution.)

Also in yesterday’s Indy Star is an article discussing Gov. Daniels disappearing act. He’s normally been quite chatty with the press. But since mid-February, he hasn’t been talking that much. The speculation in the article is that, after shooting himself in the foot by lipping off about what he called a “whopping big tax increase” sponsored by the Democrats, the Dems slashed the Governor’s proposed cigarette increase, dealing a serious blow to the Governor’s health care initiative. Daniels said, “I’ve learned in the last couple of years that while the General Assembly’s meeting, I need to be careful. You know, let ’em work and not do too much color commentary, because even when you don’t intend to, your words can sometimes have consequences or can be misunderstood.”

Lesley Stedman Weidenbener has an article on the Senate’s budget plans in an article for the Louisville Courier Journal entitled Senate GOP budget plan outlined. The Senate will hear the budget bill (HB 1001) today in the Senate Appropriations committee. Committee Chairman Bob Meeks didn’t release the plan but outlined its contents to Ms. Weidenbener. It provides money for full day kindergarten, but does not mandate that it be provided. Also, the plan would reportedly:

Boost overall spending about 4 percent annually, the level that Gov. Mitch Daniels recommended after the state’s most recent revenue forecast. It would leave the state with more than $1.1 billion in its main checking account and reserves.

Increase spending on public schools by 3.4 percent in 2008 and 2009. That’s less than the House version of the budget, which raised spending about 4 percent each year, but more than schools have received in recent budget cycles.

Give universities overall spending increases of 3.4 percent in 2008 and 4.5 percent in 2009. The budget includes more money for research and provides tens of millions of dollars in bonding authority for university construction projects. A list of those projects will be available today.

Increased funding for Medicaid and prisons at the levels requested by the Daniels administration. The House plan kept funding for both at current levels.

Provides funding for 200 additional child-welfare caseworkers, about half the number Daniels requested.

After the budget passes the Senate, the House & Senate will have to hammer out a compromise for final passage.

[tags]HB1001-2007, budget[/tags]