Wuhoo! We’re getting a State Poet Laureate! Senate Bill 0433 is on its way to the Governor. The position pays a cool $2,500 per year honorarium plus per diem for days the Poet Laureate makes official appearances and travel expenses. Sweet.

The bill’s language is kind of opaque. It specifies that “the person honored by HR 73-2002 as poet laureate is the initial poet laureate.” So, I went to that resolution, and they’re talking about a person by the name of Joyce Brinkman, former Indiana State Treasurer.

According to her bio Ms. Brinkman’s professional experience is in politics. However, after retiring from elected office due to medical concerns,

Joyce began searching the Bible for God’s guidance on the art of writing. She developed a workshop called Writing Faithfully. Bible study and prayer led to the Twelve Ways to Write Faithfully.

(Another note, according to the bio, she’s married to Judge Carl Van Dorn, who is quite the gentleman and formerly a judge in Kokomo (I seem to recall). He is now acting as a Senior Judge with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working on one or two occasions in Tippecanoe County.)

Senate Bill 0433 Creates the position of State Poet Laureate and a selection process. The position pays $2,500 per year and per diem for each day the poet makes an appearance.

Aww, come on. We’ve got a budget crisis going on here. Passed 46-2. Thanks for fighting the good fight Senators Kruse and Zakas.