The Herald from Jasper, Indiana • 4

PAGE 4 LOCAL STATE For now, some bills stuck in Statehouse logjam By CANDY NEAL Herald Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS It is not unusual for bills proposed by state legislators to stall in a House or Senate committee, especially during a short legislative session. 'About three or four hearings can be processed in a committee Rep. Mark Messmer. Jasper. explained.

"There were too many bills left tlast) week." Bills had to receive a committee hearing and approval by Thursday before they could advance to a chamber. Three of Messmers bills stalled in committees. One would have given people access to their mental health Another would have given the state funeral and cemetery service board the power to stop unlicensed funeral directors or those who commit violations from operating in House for consideration The House passed resolu tions last week honoring former Southridge Middle School student Hannah Huff and former Ireland Elementary School student Rea gan Schitter. Huff, now a fresh man at Southridge High School, saved a teacher's life in May while-she was in Washington. DC.

on an eighth-grade class trip. Schit ten now a sixth grade student at Jasper Middle School, saved a teenager's life in May while at tending the Destination ImagiNa ion global finals in Knoxville. Tenn. Messmer authored Schit ter's resolution. Messmer was the author and Stilwell co-author on Huff's resolution.

Contact Candy Neal at cnealdcherald.com. At the Statehouse is a weekly report of what legislators are doing that would impact Dubois County. tion's job an appointed position instead of an elected seat. Young strongly advocated for requiring manufacturing plants to include in their total emissions tally the emissions that come from activities done for the plant, such as trucks driving to and from the site. "I really wanted that one to pass." he said.

"We have to try to keep our air as clean as possible." He may propose the bill again next year, he said. Other matters The Senate and the House passed identical bills that would give grandparents and great-grandparents of families in which the parents are a couple the right to petition the courts for visitation w'ith the children. At least one of the bills has to pass the second chamber to become law The Senate passed a bill that would eliminate township boards. That has been sent to the unteer medical teams from other states to set up a free clinic and provide services for a limited time in underserved areas in Indiana. "I can always propose it again." Stilwell said, it's something I believe would benefit Indiana." Four of Stilwell's bills got out of committee, and three already have already passed the House.

A fourth bill, which would give local ports autonomy for bonding purposes, will be discussed by the full House this week. Sens. Lindel Hume. D-Prince-ton. and Richard Young.

D-Mill-town, didn't have luck getting their bills out of committee. Hume's proposed bills included ones that would limit how much the assessed valuation of farmland can increase at one time; postpone providing money for virtual charter schools and school vouchers; and make the superintendent of public instruc His third bill would have allowed people who help set up charity bingo to participate in the game. Messmer tried to convince Rep. Trent Van Haaften. D-Indi anapolis, chairman of the House Public Policy Committee, to give this bill a hearing.

"He didn't disagree with it. He just had too many other bills." Messmer said. Messmer hopes the measure will get through the Legislature next year. He has convinced a Senate committee chairman to file the bill next session; bills filedjby committee heads tend to have a better chance of receiving a hearing and getting out of committee. Only one bill authored by Rep.

Russ Stilwell. D-Boonville, failed to emerge from a committee. That proposal would have allowed vol- Vote centers could save counties cash pending on the size of the county and number of voters. Counties that could benefit most are those with moderate size, growing populations and many registered voters per precinct. The report was sponsored by the secretary of state's office, and Secretary of State Todd Rokita supports the concept of vote centers.

Rokita has said that any county that wants to use vote centers should be allowed to do so, but legislative proposals to expand the pilot program have stalled in recent years. The pilot program is set to expire at the end of this General Assembly is considering legislation that would extend the programs, which local officials say are popular with many voters. Vote centers allow election officials to staff fewer polling places on Election Day. Many voters like the convenience of being able to cast a ballot at a church near their house, at a downtown building on their lunch break or at a supermarket before grocery shopping. On the Web: www.indianafiscal.org By The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS A new report says all 92 Indiana counties could save money if they used vote centers on Election Day instead of traditional precinct locations.

Currently only three counties Tippecanoe, Cass and Wayne are allowed to use vote centers under a state pilot program. Voters there can cast their ballots at any county voting location instead of just their neighborhood precinct. A new analysis by the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute says all counties could save if they went to vote centers. The report shows Marion County could save more than $300,000, for example, while Floyd County could save more than $25,000. "This study finds that counties that choose to establish vote centers could realize significant cost savings both immediately and long-term," said John Ketzenberg-er.

president of the IFPI. "Another advantage is vote centers give local election officials more flexibility to anticipate voter turnout and deploy staff more effectively." Estimated savings vary de Dennie Oxley Jr. The five-term state representative, Jill Long Thompson's running mate on the Democratic ticket in 2008, begins his new job as program director at the Branchville Correctional Facility on Feb. 8. He'll earn $52,000 annually.

Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison says Oxley will develop and implement programs to prepare inmates for their re-entry into society. He'll also help the medium-security prison with accreditation. Oxley pleaded guilty to impersonating a public servant in December and was sentenced to three months probation. Police said he tried to avoid arrest on a public intoxication charge by pretending to still be a lawmaker. Hoosier Lottery adds game INDIANAPOLIS The Hoosier Lottery has started selling tickets for the multistate Mega Millions lottery.

Indiana lottery outlets began selling the Mega Millions tickets on Sunday, joining the Powerball game as big jackpot lotteries in which the state participates. The first Mega Millions drawing including Indiana tickets will Tuesday, with an estimated jackpot of $12 million. In Mega Millions, players pick five numbers from a field of 1-56 and a Megaball number from a field of 1-46. Its drawings are on Tuesdays and Fridays. Hoosier Lottery director Kathryn Densborn says that the new game will provide more jackpot opportunities for Indiana players.

Museum loses funding PERU The museum at Grissom Air Reserve Base in northern Indiana is losing the last of what had been $75,000 a year in state funding. Grissom Air Museum leaders say that it will open as scheduled for the season on March 2. The museum's state funding was cut by 10 percent in 2008 and has been eliminated for this year. Guard unit returns INDIANAPOLIS Cheers greeted about 20 Indiana National Guard soldiers has they arrived in Indianapolis after a deployment to Iraq. The members of the Bloomington-based unit completed their return trip on Sunday by meeting family members and friends at Indianapolis International Airport.

The soldiers spent much of their time in the Basra area, where they helped Iraqi forces protect residents and rebuild infrastructure. Maj. Tim Denby of Sellersburg said the homecoming was wonderful since it was difficult to be away from his family for months. From local sources and AP Board will make ruling JASPER The Greater Jasper School Board will meet at 8 a.m. Wednesday to make a ruling on a grievance the Jasper Classroom Teachers Association filed against the school corporation.

The grievance is regarding changing the 2010-11 school calendar from 181 days to 183 days, which the teachers association opposed during the the planning process for calendar options to present to the board. The teachers association and school corporation presented their arguments to the board last Monday. Kim Fidler, Indiana State Teachers Association UniServ director for the area, said during the meeting that the decision showed a lack of communication and respect. Susan Traynor, the attorney representing the school corporation at the meeting, said the change is within the corporation's rights according to its contract with the teachers association and the two days are needed because schools can no longer use half days of school for parent-teacher conferences and professional development opportunities. New leaders named IRELAND Father John Breidenbach has been named the sacramental minister of St.

Mary Church in Ireland, and Father Stephen Lintzenich has been appointed temporary administrator until a new pastor takes up residence. The appointments were made by the Most Rev. Gerald Gettelfinger, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Evansville, and were effective Wednesday. Fr. Breidenbach was pastor at Precious Blood Church until he took a health leave in June of last year, said Paul Leingang, director of communication for the diocese.

As he takes up his new role, Fr. Lintzenich was relieved of his duties as temporary administrator of Good Shepherd Church in Evansville. He continues as pastor of St. Mary Church in Evansville, moderator of St. John the Apostle and St.

Joseph churches in Evansville and part-time clergy personnel director for. the diocese. The Ireland church's former pastor, Father Zach Etienne, was reassigned to serve as pastor at Good Shepherd Church starting Jan. 20. Oxley Jr.

takes prison job ENGLISH A southern Indiana prison has hired former Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Plan urges students to Walk to classes The plan is being paid for using part of a $71,500 federal grant. City officials have met with police, teachers and parents in developing it. Officials say the plan also calls for distributing maps of walking routes and other materials to parents. They say that easing parents' concern over abductions while walking is central to the Safe Routes plan. Lafayette City Engineer Jenny Miller said city officials there will use a $100,000 federal grant this summer to build sidewalks near area middle schools.

Miller said the city will identify more Safe Routes programs after completing a large trail and green way plan this year. West Lafayette city and school officials said they'll begin implementing major plan strategies in the fall. Information from: Journal and Courier, By The Associated Press WEST LAFAYETTE West Lafayette is adding crosswalk beacons and other school zone safety features as part of a new plan aimed at encouraging more children to walk to school. The Safe Routes to School plan includes school-zone traffic enforcement strategies, as well as ways to educate children and parents about the benefits of walking or biking to school. It also offers suggestions for curriculum-based education about the safety and environmental benefits of walking to school.

"The whole safe routes to school program is about safety, but it's also about the health benefits and the activity benefits of the kids getting out there and walking to school," said Dave Buck, the city's engineer. "It's a much more holistic review of everything we can do as an entir-cxnnmuTrity'''- Construction All Types Of Remodeling Correction Because of a photographer's error, the child Donna Phillips was holding in a Page 3 photo in Thursday's Herald was misidenti-fied. She was holding grandson Carter Lawson, the son of daughter Shana Phillips and Justin Law-son. At right was Shana's friend Kody Morgan. interior Exterior FREE Estimates! Call Today! 630-0178 or 536-54 13 aerienced Insured.