Earlier in the week, the Interim Study Committee on Motor Vehicle Issues met and ended up with recommendations that BMV branches that provide photo IDs be open the day before and the day of an election and also recommendations with respect to notice and hearings concerning BMV branch closures.
Taking a look at the minutes of the October 12, 2005 meeting (PDF), there were some interesting discussions about whether Indiana should consider requiring the Governor’s appointees to be confirmed by the Senate. It didn’t amount to anything, and obviously the discussion is taking place in this particular committee because BMV head Joel Silverman has made people mad. The relevant part of the minutes:
The Chair summarized the Committee’s work and briefly discussed the concept of the separation of powers. The Chair then called for comments from Committee members. The Committee next engaged in a discussion on the confirmation of agency heads. This idea was brought to the Committee by Senator Rogers. She told the Committee that only Nevada and Indiana do not have some type of confirmation process for executive branch appointments.
Senator Rogers distributed Exhibit 1, addressing the confirmation process in surrounding states. Representative Brown inquired about including the House in the confirmation process. Representative Turner asked if this concept had been entertained in a Democrat administration. Senator Rogers replied that she was not aware of it.
Commenting further, Representative Turner wondered how this would work with Republican control of the Senate and a Democrat (sic) administration. He also questioned how this concept would work, given that Indiana has a part-time legislature if there were intervening vacancies and at the beginning of a new administration. Senator Craycraft commented that potential nominees could be appointed during the interim period of the General Assembly. Senator Dillon briefly discussed this issue. Senator Steele commented that it would lengthen legislative sessions and, therefore, cost more money. Representative Brown commented that in similar states, this concept takes up Senate time, which is a good thing.
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