Pence signs school safety grants, 40 other measures into law

INDIANAPOLIS | School corporations can each seek up to $50,000 in matching state funds to hire local police as school resource officers under a new law signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Mike Pence.

State may direct how Lake income tax is spent

INDIANAPOLIS | The General Assembly may control how most of the money raised by a Lake County income tax can be spent.

House requires transparency on jobs deals

INDIANAPOLIS | The state's economic development agency would have to meet new transparency standards under legislation approved 98-0 by the Indiana House Tuesday.

Senate panel drops plan for Vietnam vet license plate

INDIANAPOLIS | A House-approved mandate the Bureau of Motor Vehicles create a Vietnam veterans license plate was stripped Tuesday by a Senate committee from legislation overhauling the process for issuing special group license plates.

Pence doubles Indiana's economic development efforts

INDIANAPOLIS | Proclaiming that two is better than one, Gov.-elect Mike Pence revealed Thursday he's separating the leadership of the Department of Commerce and the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and will deploy both agencies in an effort to lure more jobs to the state.

State sets economic development records

INDIANAPOLIS | The state's economic development agency put a big exclamation point on its job creation record under Gov. Mitch Daniels by attracting more businesses to Indiana in 2012 than in any prior year.

Indiana Supreme Court ruling blocks transparency in health care pricing

INDIANAPOLIS | Dealing a major blow to free-market pricing for health care, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday hospitals can charge uninsured patients their highest possible rates for services without disclosing in advance how much a patient might be expected to pay.

New law imposes fines for denying access to public records

INDIANAPOLIS | Government officials who refuse to turn over documents requested by the public can be fined under a law signed Monday by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Candidate financial disclosure among 23 laws Daniels signs

INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels signed 23 bills into law on Friday, including a measure sponsored by region lawmakers promoting government transparency.

EDITORIAL: Indiana public access laws close to gaining teeth

Indiana received high marks Wednesday for state government transparency from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, but that's not the only good news. Transparency will be improved further because of state legislation approved this year to add penalties to the state's public access laws.

U.S. PIRG report on state government transparency

House OKs new financial disclosure, residency rules for local officials

INDIANAPOLIS | Local elected officials would face tighter financial disclosure and residency rules under legislation approved 97-0 by the Indiana House on Monday.

Indiana is tops in government transparency

INDIANAPOLIS | A second rating agency has awarded Indiana's state government an A grade for easy access to public information.

EDITORIAL: Cafeteria offers food for thought

The controversy involving the cafeteria at the Lake County Government Complex is yet another example of what can happen when the commissioners fail to seek bids for basic government services.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Transparency portal shows government's inner workings

In today's world, we rightfully expect information to be at our fingertips. Whether it is the latest sports scores or checking our children's test results, technology has created the expectation of accessibility and transparency.

DOUG ROSS: Shedding more light could reveal dark secrets

State Auditor Tim Berry alluded to the skeletons in Lake County's closet Tuesday when he visited The Times to brief the editorial board on the Indiana Transparency Portal at www.in.gov/itp.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Public access seminar supports open government

To gain and maintain the trust of the public, government must be open and transparent in the way it conducts the public's business. If government officials huddle behind closed doors or refuse to release public records, they won't enjoy the public's trust. And trust is a necessity to govern.

Public records bill would bring restrictions

SPRINGFIELD | The Illinois Legislature might make the state's Freedom of Information Act less open.

EDITORIAL: Put those public documents online

Glenwood officials are considering whether to publish a list of those who request public information. This is an attempt to punish those who make the requests.

EDITORIAL: Give people access to their government

Sunshine Week is a perfect time to examine the state of public access to government. Unfortunately, too many public officials remain opaque when it comes to government transparency.