The Marion County billboard fight is back at the Statehouse
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A fight between the city of Indianapolis and billboard companies has ended up at the Statehouse.
Driving the news: Senate Bill 167 would override a city ordinance that prevents new billboards from being erected within the I-465 loop, but allows billboards to be moved within the same parcel.
Catch up quick: The ordinance was adopted last year as a compromise between the city, which wants to prevent billboard construction in historic neighborhoods, and the industry.
- Billboard owners, though, were unhappy with the compromise and went to state lawmakers.
- The bill, authored by Sen. Blake Doriot (a Republican from Goshen, nearly three hours from Indianapolis), would allow existing Marion County billboards to be relocated to any industrial or commercial parcels within the county.
What they're saying: Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis) criticized the industry for taking the issue to the Statehouse when it didn't like the deal it struck with the city. She argued it should be a local issue.
- "This isn't how we do business," she said.
The latest: The bill passed the Senate 28-17 and will be heard in the House Roads and Transportation Committee at 10:30am Monday.
Here are the other bills we're watching this week:
A revamped version of Senate Bill 76, dealing with enforcement of immigration laws, was held at the end of last week because of the number of amendments filed — 29 so far.
- House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said it was held because of the time it would take to debate and a significant number of members were absent Thursday, not because of specific issues with the legislation.
- It could be heard for floor amendments as early as Monday.
Catch up quick: Lawmakers made significant changes to the bill in committee last week.
- It would mandate cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and prohibit local governments and public universities from adopting policies that limit cooperation with ICE or other law enforcement agencies enacting immigration laws.
- It would also allow the state's attorney general to seek penalties of $10,000 per violation.
- Attorney General Todd Rokita applauded the changes.
House Bill 1343, which would (among other things) create a military police force in the Indiana National Guard, will be heard in the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee at 9am Tuesday.
- The controversial measure would create a paramilitary police force that the governor could send into communities without local leaders' consent.
House Bill 1025, dealing with the residency of public defenders, will be heard in the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee at 9am Tuesday.
- Marion County public defenders support the measure, saying that residency requirements have hurt recruitment of an already stretched workforce.