The Indiana Publisher

October IP 2021

Hoosier State Press Association - The Indiana Publisher

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Publisher The Indiana Volume 86, Issue 10 • October 2021 Published monthly Legislation in play could help support Indiana newspapers The HSPA Offices have moved to the Lockerbie Square neighbor- hood on the east edge of downtown Indianapolis. Phone numbers and emails remain the same. The new address is: Hoosier State Press Association 429 E. Vermont St. #206 Indianapolis, Indiana 46202 HSPA office moved to new location Key Points HSPA Staff reports KPC Media Group INDIANAPOLIS — Fremont Community Schools violated Indiana's Open Door Law by holding a closed-door meeting Aug. 19 to discuss COVID-19 policy, Indiana's public access counselor deter- mined in a legal opinion issued Sept. 29. The opinion from Public Access Counselor Luke Britt was issued following a formal complaint filed by KPC Media Group after reporters from The Herald Republican newspaper in Angola were shut out of a meeting district administration had previously invited them to attend. The advisory opinion carries no penalties and compels no action, but serves as a interpre- tation of the state's Open Door Law for disputes regarding pub- lic access. The formal complaint stemmed from a meeting held by Fremont administrators and Steve Key Hoosier State Press Association While there may be bipar- tisan support for the federal Local Journalism Sustainability Act (LJSA) .in Congress, it's chances for passage remains a question. The LJSA currently is a piece of President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill that contains a multitude of his legis- lative goals. Senate Republicans who might support assistance for local journalism are cur- rently unified in their opposi- tion to the president's bill. And concerns raised by Democrats, such as Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia may require cuts up to $1.5 trillion to collect all 50 votes by Senate Democrats to pass the bill. Even if the LJSA remains a part of the huge bill, it appears it will be a slimmer pro- posal that origi- nally designed. Provisions for tax credits for newspaper subscribers and advertising clients appears to be dead in the reconciliation bill. What remains would be a five-year tax credit for journal- ists employed by newspapers or broadcast entities. According to the Poynter Institute for Media See Key Points, page 2 Key Superintendent apologizes for holding closed-door meeting on COVID policy Public Access Counselor: Fremont schools violated state's Open Door Law See Open Door, page 8 To the editor: To Fremont Community Schools families, Fremont Community Schools facul- ty and staff and the Indiana Public Access Counselor: I am truly sorry and very embarrassed about violat- ing the Open Door Law. On Thursday, Aug. 19, I planned an emergency session with the school board to discuss COVID-19 and the rapid number of positive cases. This meeting was deemed a violation of the Open Door Law by the Open Access Council. As Superintendent of Fremont Community Schools I take full respon- sibility for this oversight. I will accept any and all con- sequences associated with this violation. I humbly ask your for- giveness. I am reminded of a quote "Sorry seems to be the hardest word for us humans to say to each other!" I am truly sorry and I want to assure you that this won't happen again, Dr. William Stitt Ed.D. Superintendent/CFO Fremont Community Schools

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