Indiana lawmakers go back to work today as the 2012 General Assembly resumes.House Speaker Brian Bosma announced last week that he and Senate President Pro Tem David Long are looking to end the session a bit early after a grueling battle over right-to-work legislation dominated the first half of the proceedings.They’re aiming for a March 9 adjournment, which Bosma says would save about $10,000 in legislative costs. The session is formally scheduled to end on the 12th.Still looming for lawmakers is a proposed statewide smoking ban. The measure has cleared the House and will get a Senate committee hearing Wednesday. It currently contains exemptions for casinos, private clubs and tobacco stores. Bar owners would be given 18 months to go smoke-free. Governor Mitch Daniels says he hopes lawmakers will send him a bill to sign that contains as few exemptions as possible.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
