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Opioid Abuse
February 9, 2018
Last fall, with great fanfare, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a "public health emergency." Just last month, in his annual State of the State address, Governor Eric Holcomb identified the fight against opioid abuse as a top priority for this year's legislative session. Sadly, most Hoosiers didn't need any such formal pronouncements to recognize or appreciate the severity of the problem. They've seen firsthand the terrible toll that opioid addiction has taken on their communities and, far too often, on their own families. It's claimed thousands of lives, stretched public-health resources to the breaking point, and dealt a multibillion-dollar blow to the economy. Those battling the epidemic have employed a wide variety of weapons, including public-awareness campaigns more stringent guidelines for prescribers, tighter controls on wholesale drug distributors and, for users, increased access to both overdose intervention and long-term treatment. On this edition of Indiana Lawmakers Host Jon Schwantes sits down with Senator Jim Merritt of Indianapolis, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and Larry Landis of the Indiana Public Defender Council.
Hate Crime Laws
February 2, 2018
Indiana is one of just five states without a hate-crime law. So how does Indiana law define hate-crime, or bias crime, as it is also known? Join host Jon Schwantes and panelists Senator John Ruckelshaus, R - Indianapolis; Senator Greg Taylor, D - Indianapolis; Aliya Amin, Executive Director of the Muslim Alliance; and Curt Smith, President of the Indiana Family Institute, as they discuss a topic that impacts so many Hoosiers.
Sunday Alcohol Sales
January 27, 2018
Alcohol sales on Sundays? Host Jon Schwantes, Jay Ricker, of Ricker's retail chain, Bev Gard, of the Alcohol Code Revision Commission, Rep. Terri Austin - D, Anderson, and Grant Monahan, President of the Indiana Retail Council discuss the issue.
Workforce Development
January 19, 2018
Workforce development ... how will those words affect you? The Indiana General Assembly and Hoosiers across the state are trying to figure that out. Join Jon Schwantes for an in-depth discussion on this important issue for our state's economy. Senator Doug Eckerty R - Yorktown, Representative Todd Huston R - Fishers, Teresa Lubbers from the Commission on Higher Education, and Stephanie Wells from the Indiana Manufacturers Association will discuss how Indiana workers can be in the right place, at the right time, and with the right skills.
Governor Eric Holcomb
January 12, 2018
From the opioid epidemic to training students for the jobs of the future, Governor Eric Holcomb believes the big issues of concern to Hoosiers can be handled with transparency and a focus on Indiana's citizens. The governor joins Indiana Lawmakers host Jon Schwantes this week in a traditional one-on-one interview at a time when the legislative session is short and important topics are on the table. The governor speaks frankly about the budget and leadership for the embattled Department of Child Services, the future of Sunday alcohol sales, the legalization of marijuana and more.
Caucus Leadership
January 5, 2018
Indiana's legislators have just ten weeks to manage some important issues facing Hoosiers until next year's budget session. Caucus leaders join host Jon Schwantes to talk about everything from the state's addiction crisis to cold beer sales to funding concerns at the Department of Child Services. Our guests are Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma, R - Indianapolis; Representative Terry Goodin, D - Austin; Senator David Long, R - Fort Wayne; and Senator Tim Lanane, D - Anderson. Will medical marijuana and CBD laws see a change this session? Where to redistricting efforts stand? These questions and more are on the table as we kick off Season 37 of Indiana Lawmakers - from the Statehouse to your house.
2017 Legislative Wrap
April 28, 2017
Jon Schwantes looks back on this session with the journalists who covered it. Niki Kelly of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, Eric Berman of WIBC, Hayleigh Colombo of the Indianapolis Business Journal and Kaitlin Lange of the Evansville Courier and Press.
Legislative Session's Big Issues
April 21, 2017
This week on Indiana Lawmakers, Jon sits down with the caucus leaders to assess the big issues from this year's General Assembly session.
Mid-Session State Budget
April 14, 2017
This week on Indiana Lawmakers, Jon sits down with the fiscal leaders from the state legislature to discuss the state budget.
Cold Beer Here?
April 7, 2017
Are cold beer sales a moral issue or a market issue? Host Jon Schwantes is joined by Rep. Matt Lehman, Rep. Terri Austin, Grant Monahan of the Indiana Retail Council and Matt Bell of the Catalyst Public Affairs Group for a lively debate
Prayer in School
March 31, 2017
Prayer in school. This week Jon Schwantes is joined by Rep. Terry Goodin, Sen. Mark Stoops, Dr. J.T. Coopman of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents; and David Sklar of the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council.
Solar Energy Net Metering
March 24, 2017
This week Jon Schwantes and his panel shine the proverbial light on solar power. He is joined by Sen. Brandt Hershman, Rep. Matt Pierce, Mark Maassel, of the Indiana Energy Association; and Jesse Kharbanda of the Hoosier Environmental Council.
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