We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?
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IS IT TRUE in order to get a grip on the CORONAVIRUS the authorities need to test, separate and then treat?
IS IT TRUE that COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel or new, coronavirus that has not been previously identified? …the virus causing COVID-19 is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold?
IS IT TRUEÂ one of the reasons why CORONAVIRUS is considered to be deadly is because currently there are no known vaccines to protect us against it?
IS IT TRUEÂ it’s a known fact when more Coronavirus tests are done it will produce more positive Coronavius results?
IS IT TRUE if the Coronavirus is contained the politicians will take all the credit for it? Â …if the virus can’t be contained then the politicians will blame the medical professionals for the failure?
IS IT TRUE we are very thankful that the powers that be in Washington, DC have finally figured out how to mass-produce the COVID-19 tests? …we are appreciative that the politicians have given our medical professional the legislative support, medical research and laboratory funding, the legal authority, support staff to figure out ways to treat this potentially deadly virus?  …its time that our medical professionals be allowed to move forward without interruptions from some of the showboating politicians?
IS IT TRUE as of last the night Illinois has 93, Kentucky has 21 and Indiana has 20 active cases of the Coronavirus? …we are still surprised that not one active (1) Coranvius case has been reported in Vanderburgh County?
 IS IT TRUE we now know how many positive Coronavirus cases we currently have in Indiana?  …we would like to know how many Coronavius tests were issued to Hoosiers so far?
IS IT TRUE we are told that the Coronavius bailout package just approved by Congress has multi-million-dollars worth of “PORK BARREL” spending projects in it?
IS IT TRUEÂ the Indiana Racing and Gaming Commission has decided to close down all the Casinos in Indiana until the Coronavius crisis is over? Â …the Kentucky Racing Commission has also decided to close down all Slots and Horse Racing establishments starting tomorrow? Â …we give five (5) cheers to the Indiana Racing and Gaming Commission and the Kentucky Racing Commission for putting public health over profits?
IS IT TRUEÂ we are told that when you have a major crisis the best approach is to plan for the worst?
IS IT TRUEÂ a PANDEMIC is when the entire world fight a common enemy?
IS IT TRUE the Coronavirus is no longer a foreign disease but is now an American disease?
IS IT TRUE that the Coronavius doesn’t discriminate against natural origin, race, color, creed, educational background, gender, blue or white-collar workers, religion, political affiliation, age, sexual preference, rich or poor, type of neighborhood you live in, or mental or physical challenges?
IS IT TRUEÂ in order to survive you shouldn’t let a crisis manage you but you should manage it?
IS IT TRUE we are told that the general public is getting really tired of elected officials upstaging of our medical professionals when they attempt to give COVID-19 updates to the masses?
IS IT TRUE that the CDC does not recommend that people who are well wearing a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19? Â …they say that you should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it? …facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms to protect others from the risk of infection?
IS IT TRUE that Coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing? … close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands; touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands will cause contamination?
IS IT TRUE “A record number of rural hospitals lost money last year? … many hundreds of rural hospitals are classified by health officials as being at ‘high risk of imminent failure and hundreds more have cut services or turned over control to outside ownership groups in an attempt to stave off closure?  …we are glad to hear that the Feds are going to help subsidize our rural hospitals during the Coronavirus crisis?
IS IT TRUE that local health departments are trying to ensure that infection-control protocols practice self-isolation and monitoring for symptoms are implemented in order for them to be able to identify, diagnose and treat the COVID-19?
IS IT TRUE one of our readers sent us an article we posted several years ago written by the award-winning ProPublica that made reference to a local hospital filing around 20,000 collections lawsuits against poor people while reporting $150 to $200 million dollar yearly profits during that time? …this article also references that a local hospital administrator was compensated around $1.74 million dollars a year (not including benefits) during the time the article was written?
IS IT TRUEÂ our “READERS POLLS” are non-scientific but trendy?
Today’s “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that President Trump is finally getting a grip on how to contain the Coronavirus?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE FILES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, “READERS POLL”, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBSâ€, EDUCATION, OBITUARIES and “LOCAL SPORTSâ€.
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Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and anyone of them could save your life. Headed to the store? Download a printable version to take with you. Once you take a look at the basic items, consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets, or seniors.
After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Basic Disaster Supplies Kit
To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.
A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:
Water – one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and an NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Flashlight
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification, and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper to disinfect water
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels, and plastic utensils
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Maintaining Your Kit
After assembling your kit remember to maintain it so it’s ready when needed:
Store boxed food in a tightly closed plastic or metal containers
Replace expired items as needed
Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.
Kit Storage Locations
Since you do not know where you will be when an emergency occurs, prepare supplies for home, work and vehicles.
Home: Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept.
Work: Be prepared to shelter at work for at least 24 hours. Your work kit should include food, water and other necessities like medicines, as well as comfortable walking shoes, stored in a “grab and go†case.
Vehicle: In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car.
As COVID-19 spreads throughout the United States, forcing the cancellation of countless mass gatherings, lawmakers are struggling to decide what to do about upcoming elections. Four other states will still go to the polls on Tuesday, but Louisiana has postponed its April primary to June, under the optimistic assumption that everything will go back to normal by then. But what if, as many scientists predict, coronavirus spreads widely through the spring and summer? And what if, come November, the nation is still in the grips of a pandemic? Could Donald Trump simply cancel the 2020 presidential election?
The answer is no: Congress, not the president, has the power to move Election Day. And even if Congress did postpone the vote, the Constitution would terminate Trump’s term on Jan. 20, 2021. If Trump sought to cancel the election and remain in office past that point, then, he would require not just a congressional act but a constitutional amendment. That scenario is extremely improbable.
If the pandemic gets so severe that we cannot responsibly hold in-person elections, Congress should require states to allow no-excuse absentee balloting. But if Trump does not want to risk a loss at the polls, he can exploit a constitutional shortcut around free and fair elections. The president can ask Republican-controlled state legislatures to assign their electoral votes to him—without allowing any citizen to cast a ballot for president. This maneuver would constitute an appalling assault on democracy. But it would be legal.
As the 2016 election reminded the country, the president is chosen by the Electoral College, not the popular vote. There are 538 electors, and a candidate needs 270 of them to win. Currently, every state assigns electors to the candidate who won the popular vote statewide. (Two states add a twist that’s irrelevant here.) But the Constitution does not require states to assign their electors on the basis of the statewide vote. It does not even require a statewide vote. Rather, it explains that each state “shall appoint†its electors “in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct.†In other words, each state legislature gets to decide how electors are appointed—and, by extension, who gets their votes
Today, every state legislature has delegated this task to the people. But at first, state legislatures just did it themselves. In the first presidential election, for instance, the legislatures of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and South Carolina appointed electors directly. Eventually, every state moved toward the modern system. But the Supreme Court confirmed in 1892’s McPherson v. Blacker that states were free to revert to the old method, and in 2000’s Bush v. Gore, the court reiterated this point. The majority declared that the state legislature “may, if it so chooses, select the electors itself,†and retains authority to “take back the power to appoint electors†even after switching to a statewide vote.
Put simply, it is perfectly constitutional for a state legislature to scrap statewide elections for president and appoint electors itself. It would also be constitutional for a state legislature to disregard the winner of the statewide vote and assign electors to the loser. And because the Constitution grants legislatures the authority to pick electors this way, Congress cannot stop them.
Due in part to partisan gerrymandering, Republicans control the legislatures of 28 states. Collectively, these states have 294 electoral votes. Trump himself could not cancel the entire presidential election. But he could ask these GOP-dominated legislatures to cancel their statewide presidential elections and assign their electors to him. It’s doubtful that we will face this situation in November. But imagine a worst-case scenario: The election is approaching, and the coronavirus remains rampant in our communities. States are unsure whether they have the personnel and resources to hold an election. Congress has failed to mandate no-excuse absentee balloting, and many states have declined to implement it. Or the postal service is so hard hit that it cannot reliably carry ballots to and from voters’ residences. It’s not difficult to envision Trump’s allies in state legislatures assigning their states’ electoral votes to the president, insisting that these dire circumstances justify pulling a constitutional fire alarm.
There is one catch. This scenario presumes that the state legislature has the power not only to pick electors but also to direct them to vote for a specific candidate. States have long exercised this control over electors’ votes. But the Supreme Court will soon hear two cases brought by electors who assert that they have a constitutional right to vote for whomever they wish. They assert that state legislatures can appoint electors—the human beings themselves—but cannot then require them to vote for a particular candidate, or punish them if they do not. It seems unlikely that the court will grant “faithless electors†the ability to buck state legislatures and cast rogue votes. If the court does give electors this right, however, the entire system will be thrown into chaos. Statewide votes would become largely meaningless because the 538 electors could “vote their conscience†no matter what the state legislature demands.
Let’s assume, though, that SCOTUS will not burn down the current system, and the court allows states to exercise their traditional authority to assign electors to candidates. This system permits legislatures to cancel or ignore the statewide presidential election and effectively decide the election. That shortcut to reelection would be profoundly anti-democratic. But so is the Electoral College itself, and we are still living with its consequences. Until both Republicans and Democrats agree to amend this Rube Goldberg machine out of the Constitution, it will remain a tool for autocrats to wield when they fear the majority has turned against them.
Indiana House Democratic State Representatives Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) and Terri Austin (D-Anderson) today released the following statements on the House Republicans’ watered-down health care legislation:
 “Hoosiers are still wondering how they are going to afford the next refill of their prescription drugs as House Republicans tout the health care legislation that passed during the 2020 legislative session,†said Shackleford. “Prescription drug prices have increased 58 percent from 2012 to 2017, and the supermajority has wasted another session by not doing anything to address this issue. I made multiple attempts to introduce a proposal that would cap the price of a 30-day supply of insulin at $100, regardless of the type or amount prescribed and introduced legislation to eliminate prescription price gouging. It is time for this legislative body to put the people they represent before their relationships with big pharma, and stop saying health care is a concern, and start legislating like it is.â€
“Transparency is not the same as accessible or affordable health care and yet, Republicans stopped short of meaningful legislation choosing instead to pass a half measure under the guise of transparency,†said Hatfield. “I passed legislation this session that would have promoted long-overdue competition in the prescription drug industry, legislation that has already been implemented by the Republican governor in Florida and supported by President Trump. Yet, the House Republicans killed the bill that my amendment was in and once again showed that they will put their relationship with big pharma over Hoosiers.â€
“It is estimated that one in five emergency room visits result in surprise billing,†said Austin. “Republicans will say they’ve made great strides this session to help prevent surprise billing, but the truth is, the legislation they pushed would help less than 20% of Hoosiers. I, along with my fellow House Democrats, offered up alternatives that would have made a substantial difference for those who are struggling to cover their medical and insurance bills, like putting harsher regulations on pharmacy benefit managers and allowing the importation of drugs from Canada. By remaining stagnant on policies and refusing to make any significant changes this year, we are only prolonging the suffering of Hoosiers. I believe Hoosiers deserve better than this.â€
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, today offered additional guidance for parents of school-aged children and child care providers related to the 2019 novel (new) coronavirus or COVID-19:
Families who need help finding or paying for care can contact Brighter Futures Indiana at 800-299-1627 to speak to a referral specialist.
Every community has a child care resource and referral agency that can also connect parents with local child care options and provide referrals for support. Families can find their local CCR&R by calling 800-299-1627 or by consulting this map(direct link: https://www.in.gov/fssa/files/Referral_Services_Provider_Map.pdf )
When locating care, it is important that families choose licensed and regulated care for their children. To find out if a provider is licensed or regulated, go to www.ChildCareFinder.in.gov or call 800-299-1627.Â
Earlier this week, FSSA offered guidance that children who are out of school due to possible contact with a positive case should observe social isolation and be at home, not in a large child care setting. It is also strongly recommended that caregivers for these children during this timeframe NOT be older than age 65 or have a chronic disease or be in an immunosuppressed state. This guidance does not apply to ALL kids whose schools are closing as a precaution.
FSSA also posted a set of frequently asked questions and answers and guidance on several matters related to COVID-19 for child care providers. That document is found here. Today’s update provides more specific guidance on what providers should do in light of a local school closure where there has not been a case of COVID-19 identified, as well as in cases where there has been a positive case.
 FSSA encourages parents and child care providers to check back frequently for updates as guidance could evolve rapidly in the direction of the Indiana State Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We will post updates to the guidance document and issue news releases as necessary. ISDH is also continuously updating information about COVID-19 here.
Indiana is asking permission to cancel state standardized tests for schools in the wake of the coronavirus.
The Indiana Department of Education issued a notice to schools Friday saying it had requested forgiveness from the federal government for required state tests. In the meantime, standardized testing for grades 3, IREAD, and 10, ISTEP, is postponed.
State leaders are waiting to get permission from Gov. Eric Holcomb and the U.S. Department of Education before formally canceling or postponing the ILEARN exam.
The test for grades 3-8 is currently scheduled between April 20 and May 15 — soon after many students are expected to return from several weeks off of school as a result of the coronavirus closures.
“With the pressure, our schools are already facing navigating the COVID-19 outbreak, the last thing our schools need is the undue burden of preparing and administering statewide assessments,†said department spokesperson Adam Baker.
The state exams were already expected to be relatively low stakes because lawmakers approved a “hold-harmless†measure last month that protects schools and teachers from negative consequences from low test scores on the new assessment for two years.
This move comes after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state reached 12 on Friday and a rush of districts announced closures, including all 11 in Indianapolis.
By Victoria Ratliff and Haley Carney TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS—Two controversial bills died in the final minutes of the 2020 session of the General Assembly Wednesday – one that could have resulted in Attorney General Curtis Hill’s removal from office and one that forced IndyGo bus service to raise private funds.
After weeks of negotiations, the Senate refused to vote on the attorney general measure and, after it passed easily in the Senate, the House refused to take up the IndyGo bill.
Senate Bill 178 had been amended in the House to include a provision that would have forced Hill to step aside if the Supreme Court suspends his license to practice law for at least 30 days, with no automatic reinstatement. In addition he would be barred from running for re-election. The bill was never called for a vote in either chamber.
Attorney General Curtis Hill. Photo by Eddie Drews, TheStatehouseFile.com
Hill faces discipline from the state Supreme Court on charges stemming from an incident at an end-of-legislative-session party two years ago. A hearing officer has recommended his law license be suspended for 60 days for his actions that night when he grabbed and groped four women—one lawmaker and three legislative staff members.
The IndyGo bill, House Bill 1279, had started as a bill affecting only mass transit in northwestern Indiana, but was amended in the Senate to force the Indianapolis bus system to raise 10 percent of their operating funds from private donors. That had been included in the law passed a few years ago that allowed the creation of the Blue Line rapid transit, thought it contained no penalty for not raising the funds. IndyGo didn’t – and two Republican senators from Indianapolis pushed a provision requiring them to raise the donations this year or face having the state withhold 10% of the operating funds for the Blue Line while barring them from future expansion.
The House and Senate negotiated a version that gave IndyGo more time to raise the funds, but while it easily passed the Senate 46-3, the House killed it.
Among the bills that cleared the House and Senate Wednesday and are now on the way to Gov. Eric Holcomb are:
Senate Bill 148: Landlord-tenant relationships
What it does: SB 148 would override local municipal ordinances, including those in Indianapolis and Bloomington, that regulate how landlords must deal with their tenants. The proposed law covers security deposits, the terms of the lease and other issues.
What happened: SB 148 passed both chambers of the General Assembly—29-19 in the Senate and 64-32 in the House—despite strong objections from Democrats who argued that lawmakers are more like a city council. Furthermore, they argued that the language was inserted in SB 148 at the end of the session without taking time for committee hearings and feedback from local communities.
“This body believes in local rule until it doesn’t believe in local rule, and I find that very hypocritical,†said Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, in urging a no vote on the bill because the state shouldn’t be regulating local governments.
Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, said Senate Bill 148 restricted local governments. Photo by Victoria Ratliff, TheStatehouseFile.com
Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, noted that the legislation protects tenants against retaliation if they file a complaint against their landlord.
In the House, Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, read one by one the names of 300 organizations who rallied in opposition to the landlord-tenant bill, which could strip leases of language informing tenants of their rights. The state law came as Indianapolis adopted new regulations to protect tenants from predatory landlords.
“I ask, ‘who are we really representing? Who is this legislation for?’†Shackleford asked her fellow lawmakers late Wednesday.
What’s next: The bill will now head to Holcomb’s desk to possibly be signed into law.
* * *
Senate Bill 1:Â Smoking and vaping age
What it does:Â SB 1 raises the minimum age to buy tobacco and nicotine products to 21 and provides penalties for youth and businesses who violate the age restrictions.
What happened: SB 1, authored by Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, passed the Senate with a 37-11 vote and the House with a 75-16 vote. Throughout the 2020 session, Senate and House versions of the anti-smoking and vaping bill worked their way through the legislative process before lawmakers decided on the Senate version.
Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, introduces Senate Bill 1, the anti-smoking bill, in the Senate after it underwent minor language changes in committee. Photo by Victoria Ratliff, TheStatehouseFile.com
What’s next: The bill now goes to Holcomb who will decide whether to sign it.
* * *
House Bill 1022: Regulates panhandling
What it does: HB 1022 originally addressed technical issues in the state’s notary laws but through a legislative process call strip and insert became a bill to regulate when and where people can panhandle. The bill prohibits panhandling with 50 feet of the entrance to a bank, business or restaurant; a place where financial transactions occur; or a public monument. Violations are a Class C misdemeanor.
What happened: The legislation, which is the last bill of retiring former House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, easily passed both the House and the Senate Tuesday. The House vote was 84-10 with six members excused and the Senate vote was 35-14 with one member excused. Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, had taken ill earlier in the day.
What’s next: The bill now goes to Holcomb for his possible signature.
* * *
Senate Bill 299:Â Disposal of fetal remains
What it does:Â SB 299, authored by Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, says that a woman who has an abortion that has been induced by a drug has the right to take the fetal remains back to their health care facility or abortion clinic to be disposed of by cremation or burial.
What happened:Â The bill passed in the House 78-15 on Wednesday and in the Senate 39-10 on Tuesday.
What’s next: The bill will head to Holcomb’s desk for his signature before it becomes law.
* * *
House Bill 1006: Legal age to marry
What it does:Â This bill was previously the regulation of tobacco and vaping bill that got moved to Senate Bill 1. It now changes the legal minimum age to marry from 15 to 16-years-old. Also states that the intended spouse must not be more than four years of age older than the minor.
What happened:Â The bill passed in the Senate 47-2 and 93-0 in the House. Vice president of Frost Brown Todd LLC Lindsay Lux spoke in support of the bill during the House conference committee saying that initially the language of the bill said that a minor must be 17 years of age to legally marry, but since the legal age of consent in Indiana is 16, they had to lower it but would like to see it rise to 17 in the future.
What’s next: The bill will head to Gov. Holcomb’s desk for his signature before it becomes a law.
Victoria Ratliff and Haley Carney are reporters for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jab†March 16, 2020
“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jabâ€Â was created because we have a couple of commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE†or “Readers Forum†columns concerning National or International issues.
The majority of our “IS IT TRUE†columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give our more opinionated readers exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and Middle Jab and RIGHT JAB† column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss national or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB†AND “MIDDLE JAB†AND “RIGHT JABâ€Â several times a week.  Oh, “LEFT JAB†is a liberal view, “MIDDLE JAB†is the libertarian view and the “RIGHT JAB is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments in this column is free to do so.
