Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today signed HEA 1403, the Regional Cities Initiative, which creates a framework for neighboring communities to work together to promote economic development on a regional basis in order to attract talent and investment. The bill, which was part of the Governor’s agenda for the 2015 legislative session, also creates the Regional Cities Fund that will help leverage public and private investment in areas that will drive economic development. The Governor signed the bill at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors’ meeting today.

“Indiana is the best place to grow a business in America. To continue to attract new investment and talent across our state, we must grow locally and think regionally,” said Governor Pence. “The Regional Cities Initiative will encourage collaboration among Hoosier communities to develop ways to bolster investment, attract talent, and continue Indiana on a pathway to economic growth and success. I appreciate the efforts of the Indiana legislature to achieve this important legislation for the benefit of both Hoosiers and our economy as a whole.”

The Governor also signed a number of other agenda bills that are geared toward strengthening Indiana’s economy:

• HEA 1303, which provides highly-skilled professionals a voluntary alternative to licensing, eliminates arbitrary barriers to employment, and reduces costs for consumers by giving them the information they need to make better choices about services they buy and people they hire.
• SEA 441, to simplify the tax code, which will reduce the paperwork burden for Hoosiers and incentivize investment in Indiana.
• SEA 412, which requires electric utilities to file energy efficiency plans with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in order to ensure more affordable and reliable energy for Hoosiers.

“As we look to the future of Indiana, it is imperative that we advance innovative ways to strengthen our state,” said Governor Pence. “The bills I signed today continue our work in this regard through less regulation, a simpler tax code, and more affordable energy for bothHoosiers and the businesses that operate in Indiana. I am grateful to the Indiana General Assembly for authoring and supporting these bills which will go far in growing Indiana’s economy.”

The Governor also signed non-agenda bill SEA 436, which establishes a statewide exemption of business personal property taxes for taxpayers with less than $20,000 in assessed value in a county, eliminating the tax for 50 percent of all filers.

Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com

Seven Indiana counties have been given approval to appoint new magistrate judges to their local courts. Gov. Mike Pence signed of House Enrolled Act 1110 May 5.

The version of the new law that emerged from conference committee late in the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly slipped through the Senate by a 46-0 vote and through the House of Representatives by a 69-23 vote.

In addition to providing more magistrates, the law expands the judicial officers’ abilities, allowing them to approve and accept criminal plea agreements, approve settlements in civil matters, and approve decrees of dissolution, settlement agreements and any other agreements in domestic relations or paternity actions.

Also, the law requires the judge of any city or town court be an attorney licensed in Indiana. However, any non-lawyers currently serving as a city or town judge will be allowed to remain on the bench.

St. Joseph County is getting a comparative bounty of magistrates. The law allows St. Joseph Circuit Court to appoint one full-time magistrate, bringing the court’s total to three full-time magistrates. The St. Joseph Superior Court can now appoint two additional magistrates, giving that court a total of four full-time magistrates.

St. Joseph Circuit Judge Michael Gotsch said the Circuit Court plans to put the new magistrate in the county’s civil protection order court. The high-volume court has been relying on senior judges to help with the caseload. The new magistrate will preside over hearings and assist with the petition review process.

Gotsch is hopeful that having the extra magistrate to hear testimony and ask questions will lower the number of petitioners who ultimately withdraw their requests for protective orders.

The Northern Indiana county knew, prior to going to the Legislature, that asking for three new magistrates was a significant request, Gotsch said. The local courts and government officials worked to put the infrastructure in place before making the trip to the Statehouse. The staff is available to be assigned to the new judicial officer, and the former jail, which is attached to the city-county building, has been renovated to include additional handicap-accessible courtrooms.

In addition to the new magistrates for St. Joseph County, the law allows:

• Clark Circuit Court to appoint a third full-time magistrate;
• Greene Circuit and Superior courts to jointly appoint one full-time magistrate;
• Madison Circuit Court to add a second full-time magistrate;
• Marion Superior Court to appoint four additional full-time magistrates;
• Porter Circuit Court to bring on a full-time magistrate;
• Vanderburgh Circuit Court to add a second full-time magistrate.

The law removes the authority of the Sullivan Circuit and Superior judges to jointly appoint a full-time magistrate and mandates that the term of the current full-time magistrate ends by July 1, 2016.

Also, the measure urged the Legislative Council to create an interim study committee to examine how many judges are needed in Pulaski County.

According to a fiscal study of the law by the Indiana Legislative Services Agency, each new magistrate will be receiving $158,135 in annual compensation which includes salary and benefits. The total impact on the state budget will be $1.58 million in fiscal year 2016 and $1.74 million during the fiscal years of 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Greene Superior Judge Dena Martin is hoping to have a new magistrate in place by the end of the summer. She anticipated the incoming judicial officer would be assigned to hearing child support cases.

“We’re hoping it will help us with our caseload,” Martin said, adding the magistrate will “help the court be able to get (the cases) on the docket a lot sooner.”

Nestled in the southwestern part of the state, Greene County has seen a spike in violent crime which has impacted the courts’ already crowded docket. This has forced some proceedings, like an all-day hearing for a divorce, to be scheduled a couple of months later on the court’s calendar.

“We’re excited and looking forward to serving our citizens better,” Martin said of the getting the magistrate.

Indianapolis – Today, upon signing HEA 1019, the common construction wage repeal bill, the Governor issued the following statement. The legislation will remove the common construction wage statute and allow the market to determine wages.

“Wages on public projects should be set by the marketplace and not by government bureaucracy. By repealing the common construction wage, our state is putting hard-working taxpayers first, lessening the burden on cash-strapped local governments and schools, and opening doors of opportunity for small businesses across our state. This legislation is a great victory for hard-working Hoosier taxpayers, and I am pleased to sign it into law.

“I am grateful to the members of the Indiana General Assembly, especially Speaker Brian Bosma, Senate President Pro Tem David Long, Representative Jerry Torr, and Senator Carlin Yoder for their work on this legislation opening doors of opportunity for Hoosier small businesses and protecting the hard-earned dollars of Hoosier taxpayers.”