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The Indiana Citizen
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The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, non-profit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed, engaged Hoosier citizens. Your voice matters.

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The Indiana Citizen @indianacitizen.org · Feb 18
Hoosier Christian nationalists have a champion in the Statehouse who is literally one heartbeat away from becoming governor of Indiana.

But what are they planning to do with their newfound influence?

That’s the question The Indiana Citizen hopes to answer.

indianacitizen.org/christian-na...
One Heartbeat Away - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
Do Christian nationalists Have an Agenda for Indiana? Featured Piece A Note from the Publisher of the Indiana Citizen Hoosier Christian nationalists have a champion in the Statehouse who is literally ...
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indianacitizen.org
Indiana legislators are considering a bill to eliminate college degrees that don’t exist.

Senate Bill 199 would force public colleges to cut any major where graduates earn less than high school grads — except there are no such majors...

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#hoosiersky #sb199 #edchat
Hicks Commentary: Indiana General Assembly using Copy-and-Paste Legislation from Out of State - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published on the Ball State University Center for Business and Economic Research Weekly Commentary blog. By Michael J. Hicks February 8, 2026 Indiana legislators are…
indianacitizen.org
February 10, 2026 at 5:07 PM
indianacitizen.org
During the Indiana Senate’s session on Monday, the newest member of the legislative chamber took the oath of office.

Nick McKinley, R-Marion, was sworn in by Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush and will serve the remainder of Sen. Andy Zay’s term...

indianacitizen.org/new-state-se...

#hoosiersky
NEW STATE SENATOR: GOP’s McKinley sworn in for District 17 seat, replacing Zay - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen February 10, 2026 During the Indiana Senate’s session on Monday, the newest member of the legislative chamber took the oath of office. Nick McKinley, R-Marion,…
indianacitizen.org
February 10, 2026 at 11:40 AM
indianacitizen.org
Former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Indiana, once told me a story.

It happened when I was working on a documentary about the now deceased former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana. I had asked Hamilton about his...

indianacitizen.org/krull-commen...

#hoosiersky #indianahistory #leehamilton
Krull Commentary: Lee Hamilton’s lesson for us - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By John Krull TheStatehouseFile.com February 6, 2026 Former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Indiana, once told me a story. It happened when I…
indianacitizen.org
February 9, 2026 at 5:06 PM
indianacitizen.org
A provision in Senate Bill 291, preventing the disclosure of personal information about state judges and justices, drew a second look from some legislators during a House committee hearing on Wednesday and is causing one First...

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#hoosiersky #transparency #sb291
PRIVATE OR PUBLIC? Court security bill scrutinized over banned info, including campaign aid reports - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen February 6, 2026 A provision in Senate Bill 291, preventing the disclosure of personal information about state judges and justices, drew a second look from…
indianacitizen.org
February 9, 2026 at 11:13 AM
indianacitizen.org
A key piece of affordability legislation passed the Indiana Senate on Jan 27. Senate Bill 197 addresses the aftermath of high utility costs, medical bills, and other debts, preventing debt collectors from taking so much out of a paycheck or...

indianacitizen.org/macey-commen...

#hoosiersky #sb197
Macey Commentary: Raising garnishment floor will help Hoosiers during affordability crisis - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Erin Macey Indiana Poverty Community Action Institute February 6, 2026 A key piece of affordability legislation passed the Indiana Senate on Jan 27. Senate Bill 197 addresses the aftermath of high…
indianacitizen.org
February 8, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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The first time I worked with Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, was in 2016 when I was director of the Indiana High School Press Association. He offered to sponsor a student press bill in the Indiana General Assembly. Another...

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#hoosiersky #indianahistory #edclere
Hadley Commentary: A lesson from state Rep. Ed Clere - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By Diana Hadley special to TheStatehouseFile.com February 4, 2026 The first time I worked with Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, was in 2016…
indianacitizen.org
February 7, 2026 at 5:03 PM
indianacitizen.org
At Goodwill Horizon House in Indianapolis on Jan. 28, it was 13 degrees outside, and dozens of volunteers were bundled up in layer upon layer, preparing to head off at dusk.

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#hoosiersky #marioncounty #homelessness
In Marion County, different attitudes and approaches to the issue of homelessness - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By Savannah Shotwell TheStatehouseFile.com February 5, 2026 At Goodwill Horizon House in Indianapolis on Jan. 28, it was 13 degrees…
indianacitizen.org
February 6, 2026 at 6:12 PM
indianacitizen.org
Recently, Michael Hicks of Ball State University published in this outlet 1,114 words to crucify Christian nationalists. It was a worthy act. But he stopped short of decrying the explicit public support for all “religious”...

indianacitizen.org/marcus-comme...

#hoosiersky #propertytaxes
Marcus Commentary: Religious organizations reaping financial windfall from tax code - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Morton J. Marcus February 3, 2026 Recently, Michael Hicks of Ball State University published in this outlet 1,114 words to crucify Christian nationalists. It was a worthy act. But he stopped short…
indianacitizen.org
February 5, 2026 at 5:06 PM
indianacitizen.org
At the base of all policy disputes is a foundational question: What is government for? What sort of decisions are properly within the remit of the state, and which must be left to individuals exercising their...

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#hoosiersky #christiannationalism #sb88 #edchat
Kennedy Commentary: Christian nationalists are at it again - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published by Sheila Kennedy on her blog, “A Jaundiced Look at the World We Live In.” By Sheila Kennedy January 31, 2026 At the base of all policy disputes is a foundational…
indianacitizen.org
February 3, 2026 at 5:03 PM
indianacitizen.org
After several failed attempts in recent legislative sessions, a bill that opponents say will criminalize homelessness passed the Indiana Senate on last week, increasing the stake in another fight over whether the best way...

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#hoosiersky #homelessness #sb285
FIGHT OVER HOMELESSNESS: New effort to ban street camping gains traction in Statehouse - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen February 3, 2026 After several failed attempts in recent legislative sessions, a bill that opponents say will criminalize homelessness passed the Indiana…
indianacitizen.org
February 3, 2026 at 11:56 AM
indianacitizen.org
The value of the U.S. dollar dropped against most foreign currencies in late January, while dollar-denominated gold and silver prices rose by record rates. In normal times, this would dominate every news...

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#nationalpolitics #economy #econchat #debt #usdollar
Hicks Commentary: It’s Sell Off America Time Around the World - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published on the Ball State University Center for Business and Economic Research Weekly Commentary blog. By Michael J. Hicks February 1, 2026 The value of the U.S. dollar…
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February 2, 2026 at 5:04 PM
indianacitizen.org
The religious right sure knows how to bite the hand that feeds it.

The usual suspects here in Indiana—the Indiana Family Institute, etc.—managed to push a bill through the Indiana House of Representatives that...

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#hoosiersky #tencommandments #firstamendment
Krull Commentary: Your faith is and should be your concern - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By John Krull TheStatehouseFile.com January 28, 2026 The religious right sure knows how to bite the hand that feeds it. The usual…
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January 30, 2026 at 5:04 PM
indianacitizen.org
Lawmakers hope to broaden Indiana’s already near-total ban on abortion - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By Chloe White TheStatehouseFile.com January 29, 2026 As winter weather slowed activity at the Statehouse this week, debate over abortion…
indianacitizen.org
January 30, 2026 at 2:16 PM
indianacitizen.org
According to results of a poll released this week, young, voting-age Hoosiers have a bleak outlook and do not believe change can come through the ballot box.

The poll, conducted in late October 2025 by Bellwether Research and Hart...

indianacitizen.org/want-their-v...

#hoosiersky #election2026
‘WANT THEIR VOICES HEARD’: ReCenter poll sheds light on why young Hoosiers aren’t voting - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen January 29, 2026 According to results of a poll released this week, young, voting-age Hoosiers have a bleak outlook and do not believe change can come through…
indianacitizen.org
January 30, 2026 at 11:43 AM
indianacitizen.org
In response to the Braun administration’s effort to install a Ten Commandments monument on Statehouse grounds, the ACLU of Indiana is asserting not only is the state too late in asking but also placing the statue on public...

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#hoosiersky #aclu #tencommandments
‘LAW HAS NOT CHANGED’: ACLU of Indiana argues putting Ten Commandments statue on Statehouse lawn is still unconstitutional - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen January 29, 2026 In response to the Braun administration’s effort to install a Ten Commandments monument on Statehouse grounds, the ACLU of Indiana is…
indianacitizen.org
January 29, 2026 at 1:26 PM
indianacitizen.org
Once again, the lies, distortions and mistruths flowed forth almost before the sound of the last gunshot had quieted.

indianacitizen.org/krull-commen...

#nationalpolitics #minnesota #donaldtrump #ice
Krull Commentary: Another Minnesota shooting, another flood of lies - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By John Krull TheStatehouseFile.com January 26, 2026 Once again, the lies, distortions and mistruths flowed forth almost before the…
indianacitizen.org
January 28, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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At Interchurch Food Pantry of Johnson County, birthday cake is possible because of an intricate system the pantry calls “food rescue.” Rescuing food allows Executive Director Carol Phipps and her team not only to keep Central Indiana...

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#hoosiersky #foodpantry
With creativity and resourcefulness, food pantries weather hard times once again - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By Anna Cecil, Annika Hauer, Elizah Rendorio and Florian Knowles The Statehouse Reporting Project January 27, 2026 Outside the small,…
indianacitizen.org
January 28, 2026 at 1:25 PM
indianacitizen.org
The U.S. has entered a quiet constitutional crisis unlike anything we’ve faced. The most recent symptom is President Donald Trump’s aggression toward Greenland.

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#nationalpolitics #greenland #donaldtrump
Hicks Commentary: Another sign of constitutional crisis in disastrous week - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published on the Ball State University Center for Business and Economic Research Weekly Commentary blog. By Michael J. Hicks January 25, 2026 The U.S. has entered a quiet…
indianacitizen.org
January 27, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by The Indiana Citizen
sydbyerly.bsky.social
However, a former top Beckwith aide told @indianacitizen.org on Wednesday she is standing by her assertion that she saw two of the Republican lieutenant governor’s aides view a digitally altered topless video of a state representative’s wife while in Beckwith’s Statehouse offices.
January 22, 2026 at 3:02 AM
Reposted by The Indiana Citizen
sydbyerly.bsky.social
IN Lt. Gov. Beckwith posted his top priorities for this legislative session, including eliminating property taxes, requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in schools, allowing the death penalty to be carried out by firing squads & more.
@indianacitizen.org
#politics #HoosierSky #stategovernment
Beckwith’s 2026 agenda: Property tax elimination, firing squads, the Ten Commandments – and opposing election changes - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Sydney Byerly The Indiana Citizen January 22, 2026 Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is staking out his top priorities for this year’s Indiana legislative session, including urging lawmakers to eliminate pro...
indianacitizen.org
January 22, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by The Indiana Citizen
sydbyerly.bsky.social
On Wednesday, the Indiana state Senate Education Committee voted to advance a bill that would require public schools to teach students to wait until marriage to have children.
#politics #INnews #stategovernment
Read more @indianacitizen.org
Senate panel approves bill that would require schools to teach marriage before children - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Sydney Byerly The Indiana Citizen January 22, 2026 Indiana Senate Republicans are advancing a measure that would require public schools to teach students to wait until marriage to have children and...
indianacitizen.org
January 22, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Reposted by The Indiana Citizen
sydbyerly.bsky.social
A group of IN lawmakers are trying again this year to shift the state away from straight-ticket voting – but say they are running into familiar roadblocks that are likely to stymie their hopes of changing how Hoosiers cast their ballots.
#politics #HoosierSky #news
@indianacitizen.org
STRAIGHT TICKET STUMBLES: Bipartisan push to reform voting is meeting familiar resistance - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Sydney Byerly The Indiana Citizen January 22, 2026 A bipartisan group of Indiana lawmakers are trying again this year to shift the state away from straight-ticket voting – but say they are running ...
indianacitizen.org
January 23, 2026 at 12:15 AM
indianacitizen.org
President Donald Trump declared victory the other day in his senseless fight with Denmark and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries over Greenland.

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#nationalpolitics #greenland #donaldtrump
Krull Commentary: ‘Winning,’ Trump style - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
This column was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com. By John Krull TheStatehouseFile.com January 23, 2026 President Donald Trump declared victory the other day in his senseless fight with…
indianacitizen.org
January 26, 2026 at 5:04 PM
indianacitizen.org
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is staking out his top priorities for this year’s Indiana legislative session, including urging lawmakers to eliminate property taxes, expand cooperation with the federal government’s deportation efforts...

indianacitizen.org/beckwiths-20...

#hoosiersky #micahbeckwith
Beckwith’s 2026 agenda: Property tax elimination, firing squads, the Ten Commandments – and opposing election changes - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Sydney Byerly The Indiana Citizen January 22, 2026 Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is staking out his top priorities for this year’s Indiana legislative session, including urging lawmakers to eliminate…
indianacitizen.org
January 25, 2026 at 11:02 AM
indianacitizen.org
As law enforcement arrested five people this week in connection with the shooting of a Tippecanoe County trial court judge, the Indiana Senate moved forward with a bill that would increase security for the state’s appellate court judges.

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#hoosiersky #sb291
‘A GOOD FIRST STEP’: Senate bill would bolster security for Indiana appellate judges after shooting - THE INDIANA CITIZEN
By Marilyn Odendahl The Indiana Citizen January 23, 2026 As law enforcement arrested five people this week in connection with the shooting of a Tippecanoe County trial court judge, the Indiana Senate…
indianacitizen.org
January 24, 2026 at 5:10 PM