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Empowering Hoosier parents

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With the halfway point of the legislative session quickly approaching, many bills are making their way out of committees and onto the House floor. One of these bills, which I will share with you today, is a bill that I authored regarding prenatal diagnoses.

You might be thinking that my experience in the healthcare industry is what prompted me to author this legislation. However, like many pieces of legislation, this came about as a result of conversations with my constituents.

In particular, I had the honor of meeting Nina Fuller and her daughter, Hope at a community event in Chandler. Nina is the president and founder of S.M.I.L.E. on Down syndrome, a Down syndrome support group in Evansville.

Nina found out during her pregnancy that her child had Down syndrome. However, all she could find was outdated resource books. As a result, she has used her own personal experiences to help other parents gain access to important information on their child’s condition.

After hearing of her work, I too wanted to make a difference, and thankfully, as a state representative, I have that opportunity. That is why I authored House Bill (HB) 1093 to require the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to collect certain information regarding the prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome and any other prenatally diagnosed condition.

This information will then be disseminated by health facilities and health care providers to parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis for one of these conditions. The information must include a brief description as well as contact information for state and local advocacy organizations that advocate for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

Ultimately, my goal in authoring this legislation is to empower parents with the information they need and deserve regarding the health and wellbeing of their child. While this already occurs at many large hospitals, including Deaconess Women’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center, many smaller hospitals simply do not have their own materials to distribute. This bill will ensure that parents across the state will receive consistent information no matter which healthcare provider they chose to visit.

This bill would not only require ISDH to approve and compile the information, but also make it available online for immediate access upon diagnosis. This would allow parents to make a more informed decision upfront about how they want to approach dealing with their child’s condition. Since the information is constantly being updated, the ISDH website would be able to contain the most up-to-date resources.

I am proud to report that on Monday, Feb. 9, this legislation was passed unanimously by the Indiana House of Representatives. Now, as we reach the halfway point, this legislation will move over to the Senate for further consideration and debate. I am proud to be a part of this and believe it is the least we can do for our Hoosier parents so that they, not the doctors, are able to make the most informed decisions for their family.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this bill or any other pertinent matters, please do not hesitate to contact me at 317-232-9833.

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a photo of Rep. Bacon with Nina Fuller, her husband and their daughters. The photo was taken during their visit to the Statehouse to testify in support of HB 1093 in the Public Health Committee. 

 

Pet of the Week

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Buttercup is a 7-month-old female orange American rabbit! She is a large bunny who will need plenty of indoor-only cage space and room to run & play. Bunnies are easy to litter-trained, ask VHS staff how! Experienced rabbit owners preferred for Buttercup. February is Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month – remember to NEVER buy bunnies from pet or retail stores! $30 adoption fee includes her spay! Download an application at www.vhslifesaver.org!

Vanderburgh County Warrants

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City County Observer Warrants

Winter Squall Snarls Toll Road and Northeast area of I-69 & State Roads; Blizzard Warning Issued for Northern Ind.

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Weather related crashes first started being reported to the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post around 9:15 this morning.  The Indiana Toll Road continues to be affected by reports of white-out conditions along with sub-zero temperatures.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a ‘Blizzard Warning’ for Elkhart, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, and Starke Counties until 10:00 p.m. Sunday, February 15th.  The Indiana Toll Road passes through each of these counties.  The NWS advisory warned visibility will be reduced to near zero at times with whiteout conditions. Blowing and drifting snow can be expected along with bitterly cold wind chills, from 10 to 25 below zero.  Moderate to heavy lake effect snow accumulations are expected during the span of the warning.

Separate from problems on the Toll Road there have been other crashes reported across northeastern Indiana.

Some of the more significant traffic related incidents included a crash involving around 20 vehicles that occurred earlier this afternoon in Whitley County.  This crash was on US 30, west of Columbia City and resulted in the closure of the east and westbound lanes of US 30 near West Lincoln Way.  As of 3:30 this afternoon all lanes were reopened.

The foul weather also impacted traffic on I-69 early this afternoon.  State police officers, along with county sheriff deputies from Delaware and Grant County, responded to numerous reports of crashes and slide offs on I-69 and adjacent State and County roads.  The high winds and snow in this weather system created hazardous driving conditions through the afternoon.  These conditions can be expected to continue.

State police troopers from the Pendleton and Peru Posts originally responded to the report of a vehicle crash involving 30 or more vehicles in the southbound lanes of I-69, near the 249 mile marker, which is just four miles north of the US 35 / State Road 28 exit.   Deputies from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department also responded and investigated a four vehicle injury crash in the north bound lanes of I-69.  Among the vehicles involved in the crash there was one school bus, five semi-tractor trailer vehicles and more than 20 passenger vehicles involved in clusters of crashes over a quarter mile area around the 249 mile marker.

At least six people were transported to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, in Muncie, with unknown injuries.  Though not injured, all the students aboard the school bus were transported to the hospital to remove them from the crash scene and get them out of the inclement weather.

INDOT and Delaware County EMA responded to shut down both directions of I-69, northbound at State Road 28 and southbound at State Road 26.  The northbound lanes opened after 3:30 this afternoon and one southbound lane was reopened late this afternoon with expectation that all southbound lanes should be open by 9:00 this evening.  The major complication at this scene has been the lengthy time required to offload a crashed FedEx truck.

All told, the Indiana State Police report that from 6:00 this morning until 6:00 this evening there were 48 personal injury crashes, 150 property damage crashes, 50 reports of vehicles sliding off the road and 82 motorists received some form of assistance from state police personnel.  Fortunately, thus far, there has been no loss of life.  The majority of the reported incidents have been along the Toll Road and Northeast I-69, as well as State and County Roads

People living in the area of the NWS Blizzard Warning are encouraged to avoid travel except in the case of an emergency.

Avoid calling local law enforcement or the state police to ask about road and weather conditions.  Public safety phone lines need to be kept clear for true emergency calls.  The BEST source for local weather condition reports and safety recommendations is from your local radio and TV news service.

If you MUST travel, check road conditions by visiting INDOT’s website at www.in.gov/indot before you start your trip.

An additional source for Travel Advisory information is the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (Indiana DHS) at http://www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/

The Indiana DHS also offers a The Indiana Travel Advisory app for iPhones and Android phones.

To download for the iPhone visit: https://appsto.re/us/QHVw4.i

To download for Android phones visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.in.traveladvisory

Governors Monthly Revenue Report

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The monthly revenue report for January, along with commentary from Budget Director Brian Bailey, has been posted on the State Budget Agency webpage. The report can be found here: http://www.in.gov/sba/2631.htm. Data on January revenues can also be found on the MPH website here: http://in.gov/mph/staterevenue.html.

 

Results include:

  • State general fund revenues for January were $1,365.6 million, which is $63.5 million (4.4%) below the estimate based on the revised forecast and $32.5 million (2.4%) above revenue in January 2014.
  • Sales tax collections were $683.2 million for January, which is $8.1 million (1.2%) below the monthly estimate and $37.7 million (5.8%) above revenue in January 2014.
  • Individual income tax collections totaled $592.9 million for the month, which is $51.2 million (8.0%) below the revised monthly estimate and $1.6 million (0.3%) above revenue in January 2014.
  • Corporate tax refunds exceeded collections by $2.8 million for the month. The net collection amount is $5.8 million below the estimate for the month.
  • Riverboat wagering collections were $35.1 million for January, which is $4.3 million (14.1%) above the estimate.
  • Racino wagering collections totaled $10.0 million for the month, which is $0.8 million (9.0%) above the estimate.

Two arrested, including off duty EFD Fireman, after interfering with fire fighters battling Inland Marina fire

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Evansville Police arrested two intoxicated people, including an off duty Evansville Firefighter, who interfered with fire crews as they battled multiple boat fires at the Inland Marina. The arrests happened around 1:30 Saturday morning. ed parker
Evansville Firefighters were trying to fight the fires when 47 year old EFD Firefighter Edward Parker and his wife, 33 year old Katherine Riecken-Parker, arrived at the scene. Both tried to cross the pedestrian bridge to get to the boat docks. Several firefighters were trying to keep the two from interfering with the crews who were working the fire. Firefighters tried to stop the two, but had to request police assistance when Parker began pushing his way past the firefighters on the perimeter.
An officer intervened and told Parker and Riecken-Parker to leave the area. Both continued to refuse to leave and Riecken-Parker grabbed the handrail and told the officer he could not make her leave her own property. The officer attempted to katie parkerarrest Riecken-Parker, but she pulled away and resisted arrest. She was taken into custody after a brief struggle. Riecken-Parker was arrested for Public Intoxication, Resisting Law Enforcement, and interfering with a Fireman. Riecken-Parker is the daughter of the Inland Marina owners.
Officers then attempted to get Parker to leave. He also refused and fought with officers who tried to arrest him. While fighting the officers, Parker kicked an officer in the face. Parker was taken into custody after an officer used a TASER on him. Parker, who tested .196% on a portable breath test, was arrested for Battery on a Public Safety Official, Resisting Law Enforcement, Public Intoxication, and Interfering with a Fireman.
Both were taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail on the above charges.

This news release was generated by EPD Public Information Officer Jason Cullum.  CCO posted this news release without editing, opinion or bias. 

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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EPD Activity Report

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DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

EPD Activity Report

Governor Pence Statement Regarding 2015 ISTEP Test

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Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence released the below statement regarding the 2015 ISTEP test.

“Today’s promise to shorten this year’s ISTEP test is welcome news for students, parents and teachers who were facing nearly 12 hours of testing—more than double the length of last year’s test. I am especially grateful for the efforts of our testing experts who were able to quickly recommend ways to significantly shorten the test and lessen the burden on our kids, parents and teachers.

“While the Department of Education still has work to do to implement these recommendations, Hoosiers may be assured that our Administration will continue to work with all parties to shorten the test while maintaining the validity of the assessment and continuing accountability for our schools.”

COA affirms admission of re-recorded videos in rape trial

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Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com

A man convicted of raping his wife after drugging her – and recording several sexual encounters – could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that the wife’s recordings of the videos she found on her husband’s cellphone should not have been admitted at his trial.

David Wise was convicted of one count of rape and five counts of criminal deviate conduct, all as Class B felonies. Wise was accused of using his wife’s prescription Xanax, which made her sleepy, to drug her in order to have sex with her. M.B., who became suspicious that Wise may have been sneaking the drug into her soda, found three videos on his cellphone. One depicted Wise having sexual intercourse with her and two showed Wise attempting to engage in oral sex with her. M.B. did not recall these incidents.

She used a handheld camcorder to record the videos from Wise’s cellphone. After the couple divorced, she turned the videos over to police. Wise received 20 years, with eight years served on in-home detention and 12 years suspended to probation.

In David Wise v. State of Indiana, 49A02-1406-CR-408, Wise argued the trial court should have not admitted the videos into evidence. He claimed they did not satisfy the requirements of the “silent witness” theory, that the recordings could not be properly authenticated, and that admission of the recordings would violate his right to confrontation under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The Court of Appeals rejected all of Wise’s claims regarding the admission of the videos. They found the testimony from M.B., Wise and a friend to whom Wise admitted he had drugged his wife established a sufficient foundation upon which the trial court could admit the recordings under the “silent witness” theory.

The renaming of the videos on Wise’s phone by his wife did not mean that they had somehow been altered, as he argued, and his confrontation rights weren’t violated because M.B. was cross-examined on the recordings by Wise’s counsel, the COA held.

There was also no err by the trial court to deny his motion to compel M.B. to answer questions regarding any potential extramarital affairs. He argued that it could have been another man in the videos. Again, Wise was able to cross-examine his wife concerning her identification of him in the video and the possibility of the recording by someone other than Wise.

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