As lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the 2026 session, Gov. Mike Braun hails state police, feds for increased enforcement efforts. By Casey Smith-January 6, 2026 Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday touted what his administration called major public safety gains in its first year, pointing to large drug seizures, stepped-up traffic enforcement and a sharp…
by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle January 6, 2026 The number of nixed road and bridge plans is rising, the Indiana Department of Transportation told state lawmakers on Monday, citing “funding constraints.” “We’ve continued to cancel projects. They’ve continued to have to be postponed,” Legislative Director Aaron Wainscott said. INDOT reported hitting the brakes…
by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle January 2, 2026 Stricter cellphone bans, more focus on STEM and increased school “efficiency” are shaping up as some of the highest-priority education debates Indiana lawmakers will tackle during a fast 2026 legislative session that starts back up next week. The session will be shorter than usual — ending…
by Tom Davies, Indiana Capital ChronicleDecember 19, 2025 Lucas Oil founder Forrest Lucas was posthumously honored as the 2025 Sachem Award honoree by Gov. Mike Braun. The award is given out once a year to recognize Hoosiers honored for their work and virtue in shaping the state. Braun presented the award Thursday in the governor’s…
by Niki Kelly, Indiana Capital Chronicle December 19, 2025 Just like going to class, there is a lot to glean from watching state government in action. And 2025 was full of lessons. As we wrap up the year, here are the top five things I learned: DATA CENTERS Data centers aren’t going away — and…
by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital ChronicleDecember 16, 2025 Beginning Jan. 1, more than half a million low-income Indiana residents won’t be able to use government food assistance to buy sugary drinks or candy. And state officials are preparing retailers and participants for the changes. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is the nation’s…
by Jon Tronc, Indiana Capital ChronicleDecember 15, 2025 As a teacher, I can explain how to balance a chemical equation or calculate the speed of a satellite in orbit, but school finance is far less straightforward. What I do know is that Indiana schools rely on two main funds, the education fund and the operations…
by Tom Davies and Casey Smith, Indiana Capital ChronicleDecember 11, 2025 The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate spurned months of demands from President Donald Trump as it voted 31-19 on Thursday to reject a redrawing of the state’s congressional maps. The final outcome remained uncertain until 21 Republicans joined all 10 Democratic senators in blocking the redistricting…
by Casey Smith and Tom Davies, Indiana Capital ChronicleDecember 10, 2025 A congressional redistricting proposal that has split Indiana’s Senate Republicans advanced to its final stage Wednesday after lawmakers quickly dispatched three Democratic amendments and positioned the high-stakes bill for a decisive vote on Thursday. But it remains unclear whether the Senate GOP caucus has…
I have been reluctant to write about the redistricting debate in Indiana. After all, there is no original sin to gerrymandering and the economic effects are generally well into the future. But this Indiana General Assembly session offers a rich environment in which to judge the people involved. Originally, redistricting was supposed to have captured…
