We hope that today’s “READERS FORUM” 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.

HERE’S WHAT’S ON OUR MIND TODAY

 It has been well documented that the Weinzapfel Administration saddled the incoming Winnecke Administration with an unholy trilogy of unfinished business.   In a couple of days, we will re-publish some classic “IS IT TRUE” that will prove to be particularly on point on how many problems that former Mayor Weinzapfel created for Mr. Winnecke when he became Mayor of Evansville.  

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

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Hemp Bill Heading To Governor’s Desk

TheStatehouseFile.com

Legislation that would increase hemp production in Indiana is on the way to Gov. Eric Holcomb for his decision on whether to sign it into law.

The measure cleared its final legislative hurdles Wednesday, passing the Senate 39-9 and the House 94-3.

Hemp is a strain that comes from the cannabis sativa plant, the same plant that produces cannabis. The main difference between hemp and cannabis is that hemp contains a lower amount of THC, the chemical responsible for producing a “high” feeling. Hemp also is used for multiple industrial purposes.

Senate Bill 516, authored by Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport, would keep CBD oil legal within Indiana, but all other variants would be illegal. In addition, anyone growing hemp without a license can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor and can be charged with a civil penalty of up $10,000.

The bill also establishes the Indiana Hemp Advisory Committee to advise the governor’s administration on the state’s hemp laws. The committee will be made up of members of the hemp industry as well as regulators and will be dissolved after two years.

“This is a bill we simply have to pass for Hoosier farmers,” Head said. “It will help them and help our economy.”

Sen. Mark Stoops, D-Bloomington, noted this will open markets for Indiana farmers.

“This bill is a big deal for farmers in the state,” said Sen. Mark Stoops, D-Bloomington. “This will keep that money in Indiana, allow it to circulate.”

One of the nine votes against the bill in the Senate came from Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, who said the bill does not do enough to fully regulate hemp within the state.

“My no vote is not because I don’t want this bill to go forward,” she said. “I’m also convinced this bill does not yet do the job that we need to do. “

Tallian has been an advocate for cannabis reform in Indiana for years and has authored bills related to marijuana since 2011. She was not the only cannabis reform advocate who chose to vote no on SB 516. Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, was one of three ‘no’ votes in the House, saying it would make legal businesses illegal and force them to close their doors.

“I want to know why we would be criminalizing a federally legal product,” said Lucas. “We are criminalizing a federally legal product. I think we’re at a place right now, we’re putting politics above policy.”

Rep. Dave Heine, R-New Haven, disagreed, saying that producing hemp would help farmers and the state economy.

“This is a farm bill; this is an agricultural bill,” said Heine.  “If we don’t pass this, we are really hurting our farmers in the state of Indiana, and we are the Garden of Eden to raise hemp.”

FOOTNOTE: Andrew Longstreth is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

 

“THE PORKER OF THE MONTH” UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE MIKE TURNER (R-OHIO)

SUBMITTED BY CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has named Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) Porker of the Month for leading the effort to spend more taxpayer dollars on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) – the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history. The F-35 has been plagued with a myriad of problems since its inception. The program has been in development for 17 years, is seven years behind schedule, and is $200 billion over budget. Despite these ongoing failures, on April 3 Rep. Turner, who co-chairs the House JSF Caucus, announced a proposal to purchase 102 additional F-35 aircraft. Rep. Turner praised the F-35’s supposed “unique capabilities” less than one year after the House Armed Services Committee found that the F-35C “may not have the range it needs to strike enemy targets” and that the JSF “may actually have been out of date years ago.” For attempting to throw even more taxpayer dollars into the F-35 money pit, Rep. Turner is the April Porker of the Month. Read more about the Porker of the Month.

CCAGW Releases Annual Congressional Ratings

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) has released its annual Congressional Ratings, identifying those members of Congress who vote in the interests of taxpayers and those who waste taxpayer dollars. The latest edition of the Ratings examines 14 Senate and 55 House roll call votes related to tax, spending, transparency, and accountability measures. Five members of the House of Representatives and four Senators earned the coveted title of Taxpayer Super Hero by achieving the highest possible score of 100 percent. On the other end of the spectrum, seven representatives and 24 senators had a perfectly abysmal score of zero. CCAGW congratulates those members who stood by taxpayers and championed fiscal responsibility throughout the second session of the 115th Congress. Find out how your members of Congress stack up.

CCAGW Persuades House Republicans to Reject a Government Internet Takeover

In the weeks leading up to the April 10 vote in the House of Representatives on the so-called “Save the Internet Act,” CCAGW launched a digital advertising campaign urging House Republicans to vote against this Democratic legislative initiative. The Save the Internet Act would restore Obama Administration regulations of the internet that stifled investment, limited innovation, slowed deployment of the latest broadband technologies across the nation, and ultimately restricted economic growth. While the bill ultimately passed the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of 232 to 190, all but one Republican, Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), voted against the measure, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has declared that the bill is “dead on arrival” in the Senate. Read more about the Democrats’ proposed government takeover of the internet.

From “The WasteWatcher”

In order to pay for California Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D) bloated $209 billion budget, state legislators are looking to tax everything under the sun, explains CAGW Policy and Government Affairs Manager Peter Klensch on CAGW’s blog, “The WasteWatcher.” Among the proposals to increase revenue are new taxes and fees on soda, batteries, painkillers, telephones, new tires, notary registrations, and much more. The proposed tax on soda and sweetened beverages are among the most egregious, as regressive soda taxes have already failed in states like Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Washington. “The last things Californians need right now are more taxes and more government intervention in their everyday lives. These paternalistic proposals signal that California continues to ignore its constituents, as it barrels toward becoming the ultimate nanny state,” concludes Klensch. Read more on “The WasteWatcher,” CAGW’s staff blog.