The Indiana Publisher

Prior to COVID-19, we'd shared the results of two public notice bills (H.B. 1003 and H.B. 1130) introduced in the 2020 Indiana General Assembly, Finally, here's the update on the other bills that HSPA worked on or flagged during that session that ended a lifetime ago or March depending upon your point of view. Public Notice H.B. 1348 was a bill on state and local government administration authored by Rep. Doug Gutwein, R-Francesville. It included a provision to limit what a newspaper could charge an indigent person who needed to publish a public notice to the same amount the state prescribes for state and local government. This was language HSPA worked out with the state's two legal services organizations that serve the poor. The language had also been signed off by the state courts administration. HSPA testified in favor of the language during its hearing in the House Select Committee on Government Reduction, chaired by Rep. Gutwein and the Senate Public Policy Committee chaired by Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette. Sen. Justin Busch, R-Fort Wayne, was the sponsor of H.B. 1348 during its Senate passage. The vote in the House was 91-0 and in the Senate, 45-0. Unfortunately, the bill died in conference committee at the end of the session due to other provisions in the bill. H.B. 1005 was a health care costs bill authored by Rep. D. Schaibley, R-Carmel. It contained language calling for notice, but not specifically a published notice. HSPA pointed out the lack of clarity in the language, but Rep. Schaibley said she was fine if the notice was conducted through an agency's website. HSPA also suggested Rep. Schaibley might at least want to include language requiring notice to the media concerning a proposed public hearing outlined in the bill. Schaibley said she would consider the idea, but the language was not added. The bill died when it failed to get a vote on the House floor due to other issues with the bill. S.B. 145, authored by Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Syracuse, would have established the office of outdoor recreation development within the Indiana Destination Development Corporation. HSPA pointed out a notice provision wasn't clear as to the type of notice required to Sen. Doriot, who responded he was satisfied with a website notification Publisher The Indiana Volume 85, Issue 6 • June 2020 Published on second Thursday monthly See Wrap, pages 10-14 Clintonian reborn under new Heartland Media Group ownership Session ends in March before COVID-19 concerns grip state The 2020 General Assembly ended at the Indiana Statehouse in March, just as the state and country began to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. HSPA lobbies public notice, public access bills in 2020 Staff The Clintonian Since 1936 the Carey family has been informing the citizens of Vermillion County with The Daily Clintonian. This tradition has continued throughout the decades. The long-time owners, George "Sonny" Carey and Diane Waugh, brother and sister, carried on that family tradition for the past several decades. They have decided the time has come to turn the reins over to another Hoosier journalist with deep roots in Indiana. "Since we were both old enough to deliver newspapers until today, we have worked at our best to deliver the best organized and complete newspaper to our customers. We feel we have given a great service to west-central Indiana, Clinton and all of Vermillion and Parke Counties," Carey said. Legislative Wrap Up See Clintonian, page 2 New owner, publisher of The Clintonian, Don Hurd, poses with former owners, sister and brother Diane Waugh and George "Sonny" Carey. Courtesy photo.

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