Senate OKs bill to require pledge, moment of silence\nINDIANAPOLIS -- The state Senate approved a bill Thursday that would require Indiana schools to lead students in the Pledge of Allegiance and offer a moment of silence every day.\nIt would also require an American flag to be displayed in every classroom. Students who choose not to participate in the Pledge would be exempt.\nOpponents said there would likely be court challenges if the bill ultimately becomes law.\nBill sponsor Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, said the bill requires the Attorney General to defend any school corporation in a civil suit because of the requirements.\nThe proposal now moves to the House for consideration.\nSen. Anita Bowser, D-Michigan City, said it would be better to promote a single day of celebration of the flag so students could learn about its history.\n"If you do something on a daily basis it becomes so perfunctory that it becomes meaningless," Bowser said.
County court to decide if teen will face charges as adult\nVALPARAISO -- A Porter County juvenile court magistrate is to hear evidence next month on whether a teenager accused of attacking several Valparaiso High School classmates with a machete should face charges as an adult.\nThursday, Magistrate Edward Nemeth scheduled hearing dates for March 21-22.\nJames S. Lewerke, 15, is accused of hitting five classmates in the head with a machete, slashing another on the wrist and chasing another student who was injured when he fell. All seven were treated at a hospital and released following the Nov. 24 attack.\nAuthorities have said Lewerke told investigators he attacked his classmates because God told him they were "sinners."
House set to hear daylight savings time bill MondayHouse set to hear daylight savings time bill Monday\nINDIANAPOLIS -- A House committee has scheduled a hearing for Monday on a bill that would have the entire state follow daylight-saving time.\nRep. Randy Borror, chairman the House commerce committee, said the panel would consider the bill in a meeting after the full House finishes its business for the day.\nBut Borror, R-Fort Wayne, said Thursday he was not sure whether the committee would vote on the bill or just take comments from the public.\nSeventy-seven of Indiana's 92 counties do not observe daylight-saving time, and at least 24 attempts over the past three decades to put the switch into state law have failed in the Legislature.\nIndiana, Hawaii and Arizona are the only states that mostly or completely don't observe it.\nThe bill the committee is scheduled to consider includes no changes in the state's time zone split, in which most of Indiana is in the Eastern time zone but counties in the northwestern and southwestern corners are in the Central time zone.\nRepublican Gov. Mitch Daniels has supported the statewide adoption of daylight-saving time, saying it would eliminate confusion and boost commerce.\nHouse Minority Leader Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, said daylight time has long been a divisive issue among Hoosiers, but with Daniels' support during this legislative session, "I think it will go farther than it usually goes."
Senate approved bill to raise speed limit to 70 mph\nINDIANAPOLIS -- The state Senate approved legislation Thursday that would raise the speed limit to 70 mph on some interstate highways, a sign that the frequently proposed bill could have a better chance of becoming law this year.\nThe House has passed legislation to raise the speed limit several times since Congress repealed the national limit of 65 mph in 1995, but the proposals have always died in the Senate.\nThursday's 34-15 vote marks the first time the Senate has approved the change, which would increase the speed limit on rural intestates from 65 mph to 70 mph for cars and from 60 mph to 65 mph for trucks.\nThe bill now heads to the House, and House Speaker Brian Bosma said he personally supported the higher limit.\n"I suspect a majority of legislators agree with that, but I don't know it as a fact," said Bosma, R-Indianapolis.\nIf the bill passes the General Assembly, it would head to Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has indicated he supports the higher speed limit.\nBut the bill is not without opposition. Some lawmakers said Thursday that raising the speed limit would cause more accidents.\n"Speed is one of the dangers on our highways," said Sen. Tom Wyss, R-Fort Wayne. "It's a sad day when we do something here that will realistically cause more harm on our highways."\nSen. Richard Young, D-Milltown, said that people are exceeding the speed limit on highways now, and that raising the limit would only cause drivers to go faster.\n"When we move it up to 70 mph, they will in fact be doing 75 and 80," he said.\nSupporters of the bill said the proposed limit is more realistic, and some lawmakers said it would not cause more accidents.\n"You're never going to get rid of the idiot that doesn't know how to drive," said Sen. Bob Meeks, R-LaGrange.
