By Niki Kelly | Editor-in-Chief
“Indiana is touting the number of people who are no longer on Medicaid, but it’s not because they weren’t eligible — it’s because of a paperwork issue.” — Karly Sciortino-Poulter, The Arc of Indiana
Today, we introduce you to citizens from around Indiana who have lost Medicaid — often through no fault of their own.
In a rare move, Gov. Mike Braun fired a commissioner from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
Dozens of school districts statewide are asking residents to approve a referendum for more property tax dollars in November.
Plus, big leadership news in the Indiana Senate and more.
Taylor Holliday-Smith, of Huntington, spent weeks working to restore Medicaid coverage for her 5-year-old son Thomas, right, after his benefits were terminated during a recent eligibility check. (Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
'Powerless': Indiana families describe the toll of losing Medicaid access
By Casey Smith
The notice arrived after Taylor Holliday-Smith thought she'd already done everything the state asked.
The letter from earlier this summer said her 5-year-old son, Thomas, would lose Medicaid coverage unless the state received updated income verification. Holliday-Smith drove to her local Family and Social Services Administration office in Huntington, updated the family's address and turned in the documents she was told were needed. She left believing the problem had been resolved.
Days later, however, Thomas' nursing agency called with different news. His Medicaid coverage had been terminated.
Andy Zay, then the chair of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, leads a daylong utility affordability hearing on March 24, 2026, at the IURC's downtown Indianapolis headquarters. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Zay fired from utility regulator panel weeks after AES hike demotion
By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Gov. Mike Braun fired Indiana Utility Regulatory Commissioner Andy Zay from his post on Monday — just six weeks after Zay voted in favor of an AES Indiana rate hike and was demoted from IURC chair.
The State Personnel Department said he was dismissed for "multiple potential violations of state policy; including failing to file a required financial disclosure after his removal as Chair, improperly awarding payments and personal gifts to employees, and directing staff to alter a public meeting agenda without consulting the new Chair."
Thirty-eight school districts are pursuing referendums in November to pay for construction, safety equipment or operating expenses. (Getty Images)
38 Indiana school districts to seek property tax referendums this fall
By Mackenzi Klemann
New restrictions on when school boards can ask voters to raise or renew property tax levies led a record 38 Indiana public school districts to place referendums totaling around $500 million on the November ballot.
Public school advocates anticipated anywhere from 45 to 100 districts would pursue referendums to pay for construction, safety or operating expenses this fall due to property tax reforms contained in Senate Enrolled Act 1.
The law, adopted last year, restricts how often school referendums can appear on the ballot to once every two years rather than twice a year.
NATIONAL NEWS
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., amid fog on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
Spending deal freezes Trump proposal to gain power over federal grants, extends highway law
By Jacob Fischler
WASHINGTON — Leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee announced a bipartisan deal over the weekend that would keep the federal government funded through Dec. 11 and pause the Trump administration’s effort to add controversial new criteria for federal grants.
The agreement — which Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, and Vice Chair Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, released Sunday — would avoid an Oct. 1 government shutdown and keep federal spending at current levels, punting debates about full-year spending past the midterm elections. It would also extend authorization for the federal fund for highway and transit.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Garten announces Indiana Senate leadership bid | Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
New Office of Cybersecurity highlights Hoosiers’ need for digital defense | State Affairs Indiana (Paywall)
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