- Road funding bills are divided over taxes…
- LGBT rights less likely after Pence speech…
- Bill to lift Sunday alcohol sales ban has fewer store rules…
ROAD FUNDING BILLS
As three separate road funding bills begin working their way through the House and Senate, the sharpest divisions, not surprisingly, are over taxes:
Eric Berman reports.
ALCOHOL SALES
A proposal to lift Indiana’s ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales would impose fewer new restrictions on grocery stores and pharmacies than a bill that failed in the Legislature last year.
The bill represents a new attempt by Indiana House Public Policy Chairman Tom Dermody of LaPorte to end the state’s status as having the country’s last statewide “blue law” prohibiting Sunday alcohol sales.
The new proposal would require groceries and pharmacies to keep alcohol in a separate area or limit alcohol displays to a single store section that’s not adjacent to areas with items such as toys, candy or school supplies.
Retail stores opposed Dermody’s bill last year that would’ve required beer and wine be kept in designated areas and liquor behind a counter.
LGBT PROTECTIONS
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma says there’s less of a chance the Legislature will approve civil rightsprotections for the LGBT communities following Gov. Mike Pence’s State of the State address.
Bosma said Thursday Pence’s remarks will make approval “more difficult” because it’s unclear if two proposals pending in the Senate meet the Republican governor’s requirements.
Pence said during the Tuesday speech that he would prioritize religious freedom over discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in housing, employment and public accommodation.
One of the pending bills would extend discrimination protections to LGBT people in public accommodation, housing and employment. The other would do the same but exclude transgender people. Both measures contain several religious exemptions.