« Ind. Decisions - More on the webcasting of COA oral arguments | Main | Courts - No Citizens United v. FEC from the SCOTUS this week »

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Ind. Law - Some legislation of interest moving

CAFOs within 2 miles of state parks, reservoirs - From the Richmond Palladium Item, this story dated Jan. 20, 2010, beginning:

A bill that would prohibit starting a confined feeding operation or the spreading of manure within two miles of state parks and reservoirs was approved Tuesday by the Indiana House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, Chairman Phil Pflum said.

State Rep. Tom Knollman, R-Liberty, was the only Republican who voted for the bill, which was approved on a 7-5 vote, Pflum said.

Representatives of the Indiana Farm Bureau and Indiana Pork Producers spoke against the bill.

The bill is HB 1161.

Open records law fines. See this editorial today in the Evansville Courier & Press. A quote:

[O]n Tuesday, a bill, which would allow fines against government workers who knowingly and intentionally violate the law, unanimously passed the House and was sent to Senate.

The House bill was authored by a member of the Evansville-area delegation, Rep. Russ Stilwell, D-Boonville, the House Majority Leader.

We note also that signing on as co-author was House Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, perhaps the state's most powerful lawmaker.

Constitutional amendment on tax caps. Niki Kelly's report today in the FWJG on HJR 1 begins:
Hoosiers will get the final say on a measure placing property tax caps into the state’s constitution after the Indiana Senate voted 35-15 in favor of the effort.

It was the final legislative hurdle for the tax caps, which now will be voted on by all Hoosiers in the Nov. 2 election.

Excessive traffic court fines. Ogden on Politics has a good report here. The bill is SB 399. Here is a comprehensive ILB entry on this issue from Dec. 8, 2009.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 20, 2010 09:06 AM
Posted to Indiana Law