Editorial Roundup: Indiana

Kokomo Tribune. March 18, 2021. Editorial: GOP must stop ignoring the environment Indiana ranks worst in the nation in toxic chemicals and pollution released per square mile, posing grave danger to the health of Hoosiers. So you’d think the State Legislature would be determined to pass new laws to address such problems – along with a host of other environmental concerns. You’d be wrong. Exactly zero bills made it through the House Environmental Affairs Committee during the current session. In fact, the committee never even convened to consider legislation. It was the only House or Senate committee with assigned bills that never met. The buck stopped with the committee chairman, Republican Doug Gutwein of Francesville, who in an email to the Indy Star cited neither a failure of communication nor a logistical snafu to explain the inactivity. Instead, he said the 13 bills sent to his committee were simply too complex. Specifically, Gutwein wrote that pandemic protocols for committees dictated that ‘œwe’ve been more deliberate about hearing only legislation that is critically important to pass this year.’� The following bills that died in Gutwein’s environmental committee weren’t critically important? ‘¢ One requiring preschool and day care facilities to test for lead and address high levels. ‘¢ Another prohibiting utilities from dumping contaminating coal ash in unlined ponds where it leeches into groundwater. ‘¢ Another limiting the amount of ‘œforever chemical’� toxins in drinking water. To Gutwein, they weren’t. His failure to convene the environmental committee is a gross dereliction of responsibility at a time when protection of the environment and promotion of clean energy is so important to Indiana’s future. The House environmental committee will look at three bills crossing over from the Senate, but none would have a major positive impact on the environment. In fact, one of them, SB 389, would compromise Indiana’s wetlands to the interests of home builders. By some measures, Indiana is among the worst states for pollution. It’s high time for the Republican majority to pull its head out of the toxic waste cloud and do something about it. ___ KPC News. March 21, 2021. Editorial: State officials should serve Hoosiers New secretary should advance voter access When Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Rep. Holli Sullivan as his pick for Indiana’s next secretary of state, he went with the status quo rather than reaching, shall we say, for the next level. When she appeared before the media on Tuesday at a press conference to introduce her as the replacement for Secretary of State Connie Lawson, Sullivan appeared to follow the line of her predecessor and the Republican line that generally doesn’t make voting any easier or accessible than it is today. During the 2020 elections that were shaped by the pandemic – including backing up the primary calendar by a month – Holcomb, Lawson and other Republican leaders allowed no-excuse mail-in voting in the primary. That was lifted in the general election, even though scaled back in-person voting remained the same as the primary, leading to long lines in some polling places, something that’s known to discourage voting. And at that time, the pandemic hadn’t been put to rest. Sullivan seems to be of the same philosophy, saying on Tuesday that her top priority would be ‘œfree, fair, and secure elections, ensuring that all Hoosiers know that their vote counts.’� Sullivan didn’t cite any innovative changes she might institute in that vein. Nor did she say how she might work to improve Indiana’s consistently low voter turnout, which was 65% of registered voters last fall.