Riverboats and lottery get new overseers Maybe I’m just biased in favor of judges, but at first glance, this seems like a good appointment. Daniels is appointing Clay County judge Ernest Yelton to head the Indiana Gaming Commission.
HB 1004 – Tax Amnesty Bill passed on 1/11/05
House Bill 1004 the Tax Amnesty Bill (or Cheater’s Rights Bill) allowing payment of overdue taxes without penalties or interest passed the House 61-36. on January 11, 2005.
Indianapolis businessman becomes Daniels Adviser
Local businessman becomes Daniels’ adviser:
An Indianapolis businessman who has pushed for school efficiency and accountability has been appointed Gov. Mitch Daniels’ senior adviser on education and employment issues. David Shane, president and chief operating officer of LDI Ltd., will take a leave of absence to join Daniels’ team.
All I can say is that it’s about time Mitch got some input from Indianapolis businessmen.
SB 163 – Furniture produced by inmates
Introduced Version, Senate Bill 0163 This bill, as mentioned earlier, provided that furniture manufactured by inmates can only be sold to government entities. Other items can be sold on the open market. It went to committee and was amended to refer only to wooden furniture and to allow sale to institutions of higher education. Good to know that Purdue can buy wooden prison furniture.
SB 279 – Environmental permit applications
Introduced Version, Senate Bill 0279 I’d love to know the backstory on this bill. According to the LSA digest:
Environmental permit applications. Eliminates: (1) the good character requirements for applications for permits for solid waste and hazardous waste facilities; and (2) the local or regional need demonstration requirement for applications for permits for solid waste facilities.
Seems like good character in our solid & hazardous waste operators and having a local or regional need for such facilities is a good idea. We wouldn’t want to become the dumping ground of the country, particularly if such dumping grounds are being run by crooks. But, quite likely, I’m missing the point. This is up for hearing before the Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee on January 18, 2005 upon recess of the Senate in Room 233.
HB 1029 (as printed 1/11/05) – In God We Trust License Plate
House Bill 1029: HB 1029 creating an “In God We Trust” license plate cleared second reading. We’re up to at least 30 statutory license plates. I think there are some plates created by BMV rule, but I could be wrong about that. Current plates:
1. Standard plates;
2. prisoner of war license plates;
3. disabled veteran license plates;
4. Purple Heart license plates;
5. Indiana Guard Reserve license plates;
6. license plates for persons with disabilities;
7. amateur radio operator license plates;
8. civic event license plates;
9. environmental license plates;
10. kids first trust license plates;
11. education license plates;
12. drug free Indiana trust license plates;
13. Indiana FFA trust license plates;
14. Indiana firefighter license plates;
15. Indiana food bank trust license plates;
16. Indiana girl scouts trust license plates;
17. Indiana boy scouts trust license plates;
18. Indiana retired armed forces member license plates;
19. Indiana antique car museum trust license plates;
20. D.A.R.E. Indiana trust license plates;
21. Indiana arts trust license plates;
22. Indiana health trust license plates;
23. Indiana mental health trust license plates;
24. Indiana Native American trust license plates;
25. Pearl Harbor survivor license plates;
26. Indiana state educational institution trust license plates;
27. Lewis and Clark bicentennial license plates;
28. Riley Children’s Foundation license plates;
29. special group recognition license plates;
30. Indiana National Guard license plates;
31. In God We Trust License Plates.
Sooner or later, each Hoosier will just have to design their own individual plate.
Daniels administration may withhold 2% of Medicaid payments to providers
Daniels head of FSSA, Mitch Roob says that to manage the budget shortfall, the state government might withhold 2% of Medicaid payments owed to medical providers. Guess that’s one way to balance a budget. I wish I could just unilaterally lop off 2% from what I owe my creditors.
Floods are coming
The Journal & Courier has an article on flooding in today’s edition. The Wabash is expected to crest at 25 feet in the area on Friday which is apparently a couple of feet higher than the floods of July ’03 which were pretty bad. Flood stage is 11 feet. Here is a pic of a submerged car off of State Road 28 near Clark’s Hill: 
Medicaid on the chopping block
Daniels will seek cuts in Medicaid
Daniels’ top human services aide, Mitch Roob, said Indiana Medicaid, which will care for an estimated 847,126 people this year, is front and center on the chopping block. Roob said state officials need to dramatically restructure the $4.65 billion state-federal program to avoid spending a total of $715.8 million more during the next two years. . . . Roob said, state officials will look into the $380 million cost of caring for 5,267 people with developmental disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and mental retardation in their own homes. Nearly 13,000 people are waiting for these services. Roob indicated the Daniels administration also will seek changes in the law to help them narrow eligibility for Medicaid and, possibly, cut services the state offers but is not legally required to provide. . . . . Roob, who used to run Wishard Memorial Hospital, a county-run hospital in Indianapolis, acknowledged that cutting Medicaid payments could limit access to pregnant women and children, people with physical and mental disabilities and seniors who rely on the state-federal program.
Medicaid sure is the largest target in the state budget. Not a very attractive option. But, maybe there are no attractive options. But, as a guy who collects medical bills as part of my living, I’ve seen first hand that most of these folks need the services and can’t pay for ’em. (Though there are a few number of dead beats who are playing the system.) What I’m afraid of is burdening the hospitals with ER patients who they still feel an obligation to serve but who will not pay. The result being that the hospital provides ER care which is likely more expensive than the treatment that would’ve been provided had Medicaid been available. Then, they pass the costs along to us. It’s probably the worst possible system. Unless we’re willing to let people go untreated and die, we’re going to pay for it one way or the other. Might as well organize it to be as cheap as possible.
HB 1100 – Controlling the Sun
As previously reported,in these pages, the House has before it Introduced Version, House Bill 1100 – Like Old King Canute who ordered the tide not to come in, tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., the House Committee on Public Policy and Veterans Affairs will deliberate on whether to use their awesome powers to command the setting sun to rise. Or at least strike the statutory description of a setting sun on the state seal and insert a rising sun description.
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