The Indiana Publisher

In the last issue of The Indiana Publisher, we reviewed the ten public notice advertising bills that the Hoosier State Press Association worked during the 2019 Indiana General Assembly. We don't want you to think that's the only subject HSPA covers so here are the other 45 bills that had our close attention: Open Door Law H.E.A. 1116 – Rep. Mike Karickhoff, R-Kokomo, reached out to HSPA prior to the legislative session to see if we could agree to a change that would allow governing bodies to meet in executive sessions to discuss strategy concerning the sale or lease of publicly-owned property. HSPA was originally concerned that the concept would open the door for a secret meeting, followed by a public meeting where a local landmark or treasured park was sold before residents had a chance to voice their opposition. HSPA worked with Rep. Karickhoff and Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (AIM) to make sure that the process would afford public comment before any property could be sold or leased to another party. The agreed upon language preserves existing processes in Indiana Code that requires on open process before a government unit can sell or lease property it owns. The new language was inserted into Karickhoff's bill during its House Government and Regula- tory Reform Committee hearing, chaired by Rep. Kevin Mahan, R-Hartford City. The committee voted for the bill, 12-0. H.E.A 1116 was then passed by the House 98-0. Reps. Mahan and Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, became co-authors. The sponsor was Sen. John Ruckelshaus, R-Indianapolis. The bill was passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, with an 8-0 vote. The Senate then passed it 47-1. Karickhoff concurred with Senate changes to other parts of H.E.A. 116 and the House passed it again, 87-0. Co-sponsors were Sens. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill on May 1. H.B. 1325 – Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, hoped to eliminate state statutes that stigmatize Hoosiers who are HIV-positive. HSPA raised the concern with a provision that would seal criminal cases where someone is accused of trying to intentionally infect another person with a communi- cable disease through their bodily fluids. Rep. Clere agreed to work with HSPA on the issue. The bill was amended during its House Public Health Commit- tee hearing, chaired by Rep. Cindy Hirchhofer, R-Beech Grove. The change addressed access to case records, but still made court proceedings closed to the public. The committee approved H.B. Publisher The Indiana Volume 84, Issue 6 • June 2019 Published on second Thursday monthly Legislative Wrap Dozens of bills monitored by HSPA during 2019 session For a wrap up on public notice advertising bills from the 2019 session, see the May issue of the Indiana Publisher, http://bit.ly/2IUNRJj. Ball State University student Brooke Kemp wrote a feature story this summer about a woman fulfilling a life-long dream of opening a dance studio. It's her favorite story so far for her internship at the Herald Bulletin in Anderson. The woman left a message thanking her. The experience illustrated for Kemp the impact journalists have on their communities. "Now, I really know that right out of college, I want to go to a local paper," Kemp said. "I definitely want to find a nice little community to settle into and report on." Kemp is one of the students working at an Indiana newspaper this summer through the Eugene S. Pulliam Internship Program — named in honor of the late publisher of The Indianapolis Star and The Indianapolis News. Each year, dozens of students and newspapers apply and nine are matched up by HSPA for the 10-week, paid opportunity . Scott Underwood, the editor of the Herald Bulletin, works with Kemp. "The best interns are curious, engaging with the rest of Pulliam interns gaining news experience across Indiana See Interns, page 3 See Wrap, pages 9-12 "Now, I really know that right out of college, I want to go to a local paper." Brooke Kemp, Pulliam intern Top Riley Guerzini, The Herald (Jasper); Hannah Gunnell,The Shelbyville News; Brooke Kemp, The Herald Bulletin (Anderson). Middle Jayden Kennett, Daily Journal (Franklin); Gracie Phillips, The Reporter-Times (Martinsville); Lilly St. Angelo, Kokomo Tribune. Bottom Christine Stephenson, Times-Mail (Bedford); Ty Vinson, The Times (Munster); Alexandra Weliever, Herald Journal (Monticello).

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