By Niki Kelly | Editor-in-Chief
“The minute I became a citizen, I knew that was one of the best parts of becoming a citizen, was being able to vote.” — Charrie Stambaugh
I am recovering from all the revelry yesterday, but happy to bring you our best stories of the week.
Indiana is leading the nation in the percentage of children no longer covered by Medicaid. And there are a lot of reasons why.
One longtime voter details how she got caught up in a law meant to ferret out noncitizen voting.
Gov. Mike Braun extended — for the last time — his gas tax suspension.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling on birthright citizenship.
Plus, workforce grants, governor’s office salaries and more.
A new report found roughly 174,000 Hoosier children are no longer enrolled in Medicaid programs since Indiana rolled out must-return mailers for eligibility redeterminations last year. (Getty Images)
Report: Indiana leads nation in decline of children insured through Medicaid
By Mackenzi Klemann
An estimated 174,000 fewer Hoosier children were insured through Medicaid programs in April compared to January 2025, according to a report from Georgetown University School of Public Policy.
That’s a 20% decline — the highest rate in the nation, the report found.
Indiana reported the highest percentage decline and third-highest absolute decline in the nation in this timeframe, behind California (-382,776, or 8%) and Texas (-190,956, or 6%).
Voters head into a polling site at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Photo by Tom Davies/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Longtime citizen flagged, voter registration revoked in proof-of-citizenship ordeal
By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Charrie Stambaugh has been a U.S. citizen for nearly three decades and has cast a ballot in every election since she became eligible to vote.
But this spring, after seeing a Facebook post encouraging people to check their voter registration status, she found her registration had been canceled.
COMMENTARY
The Declaration of Independence (Getty Images)
The grievances in the Declaration of Independence are surprisingly relevant, 250 years later
By Robert Parkinson
The Declaration of Independence, with its block of cursive letters scrawled onto parchment, looks like a relic from the distant past. Likewise, you might think the 27 grievances against King George III, his government and the British people listed in the body of the document would have little relevance to our lives today.
After all, what could the specific complaints of colonists in 1776 have to do with 2026? The parts of the declaration worth knowing about are the soaring sentences in the opening paragraphs about self-evident truths, pursuing happiness and all men being created equal. Right?
NATIONAL NEWS
Protesters held a rally on protecting birthright citizenship outside the U.S. Supreme Court as President Donald Trump attended oral arguments on April 1, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump order
By Ariana Figueroa
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.
In the decision, a majority of the justices upheld the country’s long understanding of automatic citizenship by birth on American soil, regardless of the immigration status of a newborn’s parents. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., found the president’s executive order violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Governor announces final extension of gas tax breaks | Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
State restricts popular credential scholarship applications | Mackenzi Klemann
$2M in governor’s office salaries bankrolled by other state agencies | Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Thanks for reading Fast Break. Did you know our daily morning newsletter is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.