• Elizabeth Cromwell, Wikimedia Commons

While Indiana's government seems to have lost interest in the well-being of its constituents, the big names in Washington are speaking up. The New York Times reported Monday that President Obama's administration is raising objections to the recent enrollment of HEA 1210, which stripped Planned Parenthood and organizations like it of federal funds.

According to The Times:

The changes in Indiana are subject to federal review and approval, and administration officials have made it clear they will not approve the changes in the form adopted by the state.

Federal officials have 90 days to act but may feel pressure to act sooner because Indiana is already enforcing its law, which took effect on May 10, and because legislators in other states are working on similar measures.

If a state Medicaid program is not in compliance with federal law and regulations, federal officials can take corrective action, including “the total or partial withholding” of federal Medicaid money. The mere threat of such a penalty is often enough to get states to comply. Actually imposing the penalty would, in many cases, hurt the very people whom Medicaid is intended to help.

Administration officials said the Indiana law imposed impermissible restrictions on the freedom of Medicaid recipients to choose health care providers.

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have said they are in the process of reviewing the situation. The scrutiny adds gravitas to the suit Planned Parenthood brought against the restrictions in a U.S. District Court; the report continues:

The federal government is not a party in the case, but the administration’s statement sends a signal to the court, which will hold a hearing in two weeks on whether to block the state law.

Though the law is technically in effect, Planned Parenthood of Indiana has used donated funds to extend services to Medicaid patients until May 30. The injunction hearing is scheduled for June 6 in Indianapolis.

• Photo courtesy of the Gregg campaign

Former Democratic Indiana House Speaker John Gregg filed papers Monday to establish an exploratory committee for his gubernatorial campaign. Considered a "big name" for Democrats, he's generating significant buzz as next year's election pool starts to take shape — he joins Congressman Mike Pence and GOP businessman Jim Wallace.

Gregg's campaign video highlights Hoosier values and says he'll help Indiana "get to work." During an informal meet-and-greet Monday, the self-described moderate told 6News:

"I hear three main things Hoosiers are interested in. They're first and foremost interested in jobs, they're secondly interested in jobs, and, thirdly, they're interested in jobs."

He runs along party lines in terms of the economy and labor issues, but has set himself apart as pro-gun and pro-life. According to a profile by The Associated Press,

"Neither the extreme left or extreme right may fall in love with me, but I think probably 65, 70, 80 percent of the people will because we're going to guide down the middle of the road, taking ideas from both sides. It's going to be people, not politics. It's going to be people, not ideology."

Taking an optimistic approach to the Republican-dominated General Assembly session this year, he thanked the Right for unifying his party — "I think there's an enthusiasm out there among Democrats," he told reporters.

Gregg served as Speaker from 1996-2002, after ten years already in the House. He's worked as a lawyer in Vincennes, Ind., since 1984, stepping into a partner position in 2005.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence has said he'll keep on top of Gov. Daniels' agenda if elected. The Post-Tribune reported Monday that Pence wants to "build on the strong foundation" laid by Daniels and the Republicans, focusing on education and government reform:

“Indiana has come so far in the last six years,” Pence said Monday before his speech at the Porter County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day dinner at Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso.

It is the first time Pence has spoken to a gathering of Republicans since announcing his candidacy May 5 for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Pence touted the achievements of outgoing Gov. Mitch Daniels pointing to the fiscal responsibility that erased an $800 million deficit and transformed the state to a AAA bond rating.

• Lora Olive
• Planned Parenthood supporters rallied outside of the Statehouse earlier this year.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has ruled to deny Planned Parenthood's request for a temporary restraining order against a law cutting federal funds to the health care provider. Her decision to uphold the new law, which Governor Mitch Daniels signed into effect Tuesday, means that funding cuts apply immediately.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) circulated a press release just after the announcement:

“We are deeply disappointed that the judge decided not to stop this unconscionable law from impacting Hoosiers seeking preventive, reproductive health care,” said PPIN President and CEO Betty Cockrum.

Cockrum continued:

“The court’s ruling today means that 9,300 Medicaid patients at our 28 locations have lost services from their preferred provider."

Though the State has provided a list of other similar organizations that accept Medicaid, PPIN noted it was unclear whether these providers offer all of the same services, or whether they are accepting new patients.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana stepped in to represent PPIN and its patients. ACLU leadership has made clear their assessment of the constitutionality of this particular law. In a press release Tuesday evening:

“Family planning dollars fund preventive health services that are critical to low-income and vulnerable women and their families,” said ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk. “It is unlawful, unnecessary and cruel to deny these populations health services that they desperately need.”

The ACLU of Indiana believes HEA 1210 deprives Medicaid patients of their preferred health care provider — a clear violation of federal law. It also denies PPIN contracts and grants involving federal money solely because it provides a constitutionally-protected procedure. Finally, it would force PPIN’s health care professionals to make statements to patients that are not medically and scientifically based — further violating the U.S. Constitution.

The court still must rule on the injunction. A hearing is set for June 6 of this year.

• Wikimedia Commons

As Governor Mitch Daniels takes his sweet time to sign off on HEA 1210, Planned Parenthood is gearing up for a counterattack.

In the final form submitted to Daniels, HEA 1210 would cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) clinics across the state, denying some 22,000 Hoosiers of health care services.

Indiana Senate legislators approved the bill, 35-13, on April 19. That evening, PPIN circulated a press release vowing to immediately file for injunctive relief if the bill was signed into law. Betty Cockrum, president and CEO of PPIN, was quoted in the materials:

"This is not about PPIN. It’s about thousands of Hoosiers who will have reduced access to preventive, reproductive health care. We will continue to fight to protect our patients.”

House lawmakers were seemingly unfazed by the threat; a little over a week later, on April 27, they voted to pass the amended bill on to Daniels' desk, 66-32.

The Huffington Post picked up the story on Monday, reporting that the Planned Parenthood Federation of America had stepped in to offer PPIN some much-needed backup:

“We're going to file a lawsuit in federal court as soon after the governor signs this bill as we can get into court,” said Roger Evan, director of litigation for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “The funding ban is scheduled to take effect immediately, and we see Medicaid patients every day, so we will be seeking instantaneous relief against the law taking effect while we pursue the litigation.”

The HuffPo report pointed out that the Hyde Amendment, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, has blocked taxpayer dollars from funding abortion for more than 30 years. The provision limits tax deductions for the costs associated with abortion in addition to blocking clinics from using federal funds to perform the procedure. Last Wednesday, May 4, the U.S. House voted to approve HR 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would make these restrictions permanent.

Monday's article continues:

Further, Evan said, since abortion is legal on a federal level, the bill violates the 14th Amendment by punishing those institutions that offer it.

“A very essence of something being a constitutional right is that the states cannot punish you for doing it,” he said. “The problem here is that Indiana is penalizing Planned Parenthood for providing women with access to abortion services — an obviously constitutional realm of conduct. They’re trying to cut off more than a million dollars worth of funds. It's punishment in disguise.”

Daniels has drawn considerable national attention over the last several weeks as he remains coy about his decision to run for president. Though he began the year saying he'd avoid focusing on social issues during the legislative session, he's since backtracked on that restraint. "I supported this bill from the outset," Gov. Daniels said shortly after HB 1210 passed in both the House and Senate, "and the recent addition of language guarding against the spending of tax dollars to support abortions creates no reason to alter my position." Planned Parenthood supporters can only guess as to whether the carrot of the conservative vote, if he does embark on the presidential campaign trail after all, will push him to follow through on the enrollment.

If signed into law, the bill's impact would be immediate —Â Medicaid patients with existing appointments would have no way to pay for them, and would likely be forced to simply go without the health care services they need. According to The Huffington Post:

Daniels’ office did not respond to calls for comment on whether the state legislature has a plan to alert patients of the immediate policy change or whether the state legislature is concerned about the new law violating federal rules. Evan said it's clear from his perspective that Indiana lawmakers proceeded on this bill without any consideration of the practical or legal consequences.

"The legal precedent is already there, but I don't think that penetrates the reasoning of right wing legislators who have an agenda and a vendetta," he said. "They just plunge forward."

Update: Gov. Daniels signed HEA 1210 late Tuesday afternoon. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana promptly filed a request for an injunction and temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court "on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and its patients."

Planned Parenthood will continue offering its services, following through with Free Pap Days this week.

• Wikimedia Commons

While Governor Mitch Daniels has been dodging questions about presidential aspirations, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Columbus) is already eyeing his cushy seat inside the Statehouse.

Pence told supporters Thursday in a conference call and across several media platforms that he will run for governor in the 2012 election. He had originally planned an earlier declaration, but so graciously held the announcement when the monumental news of Osama bin Laden's death broke Sunday.

According to a WTHR report Thursday morning:

Most already expected Pence to run after he ruled out a White House bid and resigned his No. 3 GOP House leadership position.

Pence is considered the favorite in the race because he carries strong name recognition, a network of supporters and campaign cash that could help him clear the field of other Republicans considering a run.

If recent developments are any indication, Pence's ideals are decidedly in line with those found in Indiana's overwhelmingly conservative legislative chambers these days. The congressman is known for aggressively pursuing the defunding of Planned Parenthood on the national level; Hoosier lawmakers just approved HB 1210 to strip Indiana's branch of the health services provider of all federal funds. The bill now awaits signature from Pence's potential predecessor.

Ultra-conservative Pence, who voted against the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and has been a thorn in the side of the immigration amnesty movement, is wasting no time in embarking down the campaign trail. Reuters reported Thursday afternoon:

The conservative Republican also filed papers with the Indiana Secretary of State forming the "Mike Pence for Indiana" committee.

Pence said a formal campaign kickoff will follow but said he wanted supporters to know "I'm in this race." Making reference to the Indianapolis 500, he told supporters "any real Hoosier knows that every big race begins in May anyway."

It's a pretty pathetic attempt to rally the Hoosier vote. What's even sadder, though, is that it just might work.

Though they've already voiced their displeasure with the development, Democrats have yet to put up a viable challenger. For now, former House Speaker John Gregg is only a rumored contender.

After a dramatic session for the Indiana General Assembly, we've come to what should be the end. The official deadline to adjourn is midnight Friday, April 29th. Though major changes have already been made in some areas, there's still much to do in five short days.

Chief among the week's goals, and perhaps the most urgent for Governor Daniels and the legislators, is the state budget. The Senate and the House each have their own versions of the $28 billion, two-year proposal. According to a Herald Bulletin article Sunday, fiscal leaders from both chambers will confer this week to compromise on several outstanding disparities:

The House version contains a proposal backed by Daniels to create a rebate plan that would give money back to taxpayers if the state’s reserves ever exceed 10 percent of state spending. The Senate version raises the trigger to 12 percent so that some of those reserves would go to fund the state’s underfunded public employee pension program.

The House version slashed the amount of gambling revenues from the state’s two racinos — the race-track-based casinos — funneled into a program that promotes the state’s horse-racing industry. The Senate version restores much of that funding.

There’s disagreement among Daniels, the Senate and the House on the details of a cut to Medicaid services for low-income Hoosiers. Daniels’ budget plan eliminated dental, chiropractic and podiatry services for adults; the House plan restored the cuts; the Senate plan cut Medicaid funding for dental and chiropractic services for adults but kept them for children.

And just days ago, Senate Republicans stuck an “anti-bolting” provision onto their budget bill that would allow any citizen in the state to sue state legislators who engage in the kind of quorum-busting walkout that House Democrats staged earlier this session. Under the provision, legislators could face $1,000-a-day fines if their absence stops legislative action for three days or more. It also allows a citizen to sue legislators who walk out in the final week of the session for any length of time.

Meanwhile, a few procedural votes are all that are left to write redistricting changes into law, and according to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on Monday, just one vote in the House is needed to create the state-funded private school voucher program. Daniels has already signed off on limits to collective bargaining for teachers. Legislators still need to make a final decision on the contentious expansion of charter schools across the state.

Several social issues, including corporate tax cuts as well as bans on synthetic marijuana and texting while driving, also need settling before Friday's deadline. According to the Journal Gazette's overview of some remaining concerns:

A restrictive abortion bill is headed back to the House that would, among other things, strip Planned Parenthood of Indiana of millions of dollars in funding. It also would require doctors performing abortions to have hospital privileges; limit abortions to before 20 weeks of pregnancy and add numerous informational items to the state’s informed consent law.

House Republicans support the bill, but [Indiana House Speaker] Bosma is concerned the Planned Parenthood provision might violate federal law and raise constitutional concerns.

A gun pre-emption bill would void most local firearm ordinances and is a shoo-in for passage in some form, though the GOP author is concerned there are now too many exemptions in the bill.

Legislation cracking down on illegal immigration likely will be approved easily after much of the controversial language was removed — partly at the behest of Daniels.

Despite their best efforts following the Dems' return post-walkout, legislators are scrambling to fulfill their duties in the statehouse.

“The goal since we returned was to move things forward expeditiously,” Bosma said. “Long nights with dinners at the desk so we would not have the last week with the big backlog that could be used as leverage and it looks like we’re there.”

Following conference committee meetings this week, all new versions of bills must be approved once again by both chambers before landing on Gov. Daniels' desk for consideration.