>>BRANDON: THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION REACHES HALFTIME.

THE STATE CRACKS DOWN ON VACCINE SITES.

PLUS, THE NCAA HOSTING FANS AND MORE ON INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 26TH, 2021.

>>BRANDON: THIS WEEK, HOUSE REPUBLICANS APPROVED A NEW, TWO-YEAR, 36-BILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET THEY SAY BOOSTS EDUCATION AND HELPS BUSINESSES RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC.

DEMOCRATS, HOWEVER, SAY THE GOP BUDGET FAILS TO ADEQUATELY LIFT PEOPLE UP.

REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TIM BROWN IS HIS CAUCUS'S BUDGET ARCHITECT.

HE TOUTS 378 MILLION NEW DOLLARS FOR K-12 EDUCATION, GRANTS FOR SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY, STUDENT LEARNING LOSS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

>>REP.

TIM BROWN (R-CRAWFORDSVILLE): INDIANA IS THE BEST STATE IN THE MIDWEST FOR JOBS AND PEOPLE WORKING AND THAT SHOWS IN THE STRENGTH OF HOW WE BUDGET IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

>>BRANDON: BUT DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE ED DELANEY SAYS THE BUDGET FAILS TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE STATE'S CRITICAL ISSUES.

>>REP.

ED DELANEY (D-INDIANAPOLIS): ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE OVERWEIGHT, WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, WITH LOW COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES?

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO?

GONNA CONTINUE TO PAY OUR TEACHERS $10,000 LESS THAN THEY SHOULD BE MAKING?

THIS BUDGET IS ABSOLUTELY DEVOID OF ANY VISION.

>>BRANDON: REPUBLICANS REJECTED EVERY DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET, INCLUDING SMALL INCREASES FOR WOMEN- AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES AND FOOD BANKS, INCREASED SPENDING ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORE MONEY FOR PRE-K EDUCATION.

ARE HOUSE REPUBLICANS PRIORITIES IN THE RIGHT PLACE?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW PANEL: DEMOCRAT ELISE SHROCK REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN JON SCHWANTES, HOST OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS AND NIKI KELLY, STATEHOUSE REPORTER FOR THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE.

I'M INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATEHOUSE REPORTER BRANDON SMITH.

MIKE O'BRIEN, HOUSE REPUBLICANS COULDN'T FIND EVEN ONE DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENT TO INCORPORATE?

>>: SO ANN HAS THE WEEK OFF AND WE COULDN'T GO ONE WEEK WITHOUT A DELANEY TAKING A SHOT.

>>: LACK OF VISION IS SOMETHING IN DELANEY HAS SAID ON THE SHOW.

>>: IT'S A WONDER THAT THIS BUDGET IS WHERE IT IS.

ONE THING I'M TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT AND TIRED OF HEARING THIS BALANCED BUDGETS IN INDIANA BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR SO LONG, BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE UNTIL YOU ARE IN THE SITUATION FOR THE LAST YEAR HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS THAT WE CAN CASH FLOW OUR WAY THROUGH DRAMATIC DROPS IN TAX REVENUE AND ALMOST $1 BILLION OF LOST REVENUE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COME BACK AND INCREASE K-12 EDUCATION, INCREASE HIGHER ED CONTRIBUTIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION BY 2 PERCENT, PROVIDE GRANTS TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND DO ALL OF THAT WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF A RESPONSIBLY BALANCED BUDGET SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE CONTEXT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IF YOU ADD UP ALL THE PROJECTED DEFICITS AND 49 STATES RIGHT NOW SITTING AT A HALF TRILLION DOLLARS SO THE FACT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER AND BUILD OFF OF WHAT GOV.

HOLCOMB SENT THEM IS A WIN.

>>: THIS IS A BUDGET I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

IS IT IMPRESSIVE -- IS IT DOING THE JOB IT NEEDS TO DO CONSIDERING WHERE HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE SPENDING THE LIMITED DOLLARS.

>>: GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION ABOUT ACCEPTING EVEN ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THIS BUDGET THE THINGS THAT WERE PROPOSED WERE NOT ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH IN COST, BUT THEY WERE HIGH IN IMPACT IN MAKING SURE EVERY DAY HOOSIERS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

DR.

TALKED ABOUT WORKING PEOPLE AND HOW THIS BUDGET AFFECTS THEM, BUT I'M NOT SURE THIS BUDGET IS GOOD FOR HOOSIER WORKERS.

I ALSO AM TROUBLED THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT REPRESENTATIVE THE DEMOCRAT FROM TERRE HAUTE.

HER AMENDMENT TO RESTORE TECHNICAL ED FUNDING THAT IS STRIPPED FROM THIS BUDGET FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO GO INTO CULINARY, COSMETOLOGY, SOMETHING THAT HELPS THIS SHOW, RADIO AND TV PRODUCTION.

THOSE ARE SOME -- THOSE ARE CLASSES THAT SOMETIMES GET THESE STUDENTS TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND HELP THEM EARN A GOOD WAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'VE STRIPPED THAT FUNDING.

THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT AND I WAS VERY SORRY TO SEE THAT FAILED.

>>: TO HER POINT SOME AMENDMENTS THAT REPUBLICANS REJECTED WERE $500,000 FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES.

1.2 MILLION OUT OF 36 BILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET AND THE ANSWERS TO WHY REPUBLICANS WERE REJECTING THEM MORE ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS IT DOESN'T FIT WITH OUR PRIORITIES ARE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER WILL BE AND ARE THOSE ANSWERS GOOD ENOUGH?

>>: THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND BASICALLY IT CAME DOWN TO THAT IS NOT IN OUR PLAN AND WE WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING AND I DO KIND OF WISH LIKE YOU SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT ONE OR TWO AND SAY, OKAY, CAN WE AFFORD $1 MILLION TO HELP FOOD BANKS AND THE WORST TIME THEY'VE HAD IN 100 YEARS?

PROBABLY.

THAT WILL NOT IMPACT THE BUDGET.

SO THEY DID NOT DO THAT.

I WILL GIVE HOUSE REPUBLICANS CREDIT.

THERE ARE GRANTS FOR STRUGGLING BUSINESSES, LEARNING RECOVERY GRANTS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE IMPACTED, GRANTS FOR HEALTH PROGRAM SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME GOOD THINGS IN THERE WHICH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET DID NOT HAVE AND THE GOVERNOR JUST THROUGH A BIG AMOUNT OF MONEY AT PAYING DOWN DEBT AND DIDN'T DO MUCH FOR PEOPLE AT ALL.

>>: AT THE END OF THE DAY, TRYING TO PARSE A 36 BILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET IS COMPLICATED FOR US AND CERTAINLY FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T FOLLOW THIS AS CLOSELY AS WE DO.

ARE HOOSIERS GOING TO BE HAPPY IF ANYTHING LIKE WHAT THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS PROPOSED BECOMES LAW?

>>: I AM NOT SURE IT AFFECTS THEIR HAPPINESS.

PUT IT THAT WAY.

THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS CERTAINLY WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE GRANTS THAT NIKI MENTIONED.

AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL COME AWAY HAPPIER.

THE COMPANIES THAT BENEFIT, THE HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS WILL COME AWAY HAPPIER.

FOR THE MOST PART, I DO NOT THINK HOOSIERS IN A YEAR WILL LOOK BACK AND SAY WOW, LET'S POP A CORK ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOUSE PASSAGE OF THE GREAT BUDGET OF THIS BIENNIUM.

I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT EITHER WAY.

IN FACT, YOU TAKE OUT THE GRANTS AND I KNOW IT'S SIGNIFICANT, BUT IF YOU TAKE OUT THE GRANTS IT'S SURPRISING TO ME HOW LITTLE IMPACT COVID THIS PANDEMIC HAD ON THE BUDGET.

YES, IT DIMINISHED REVENUE AND YES, IT HAS SOME EXTRA PROGRAMS AT THE MARGIN, BUT REALLY I MEAN YOU LOOK AT THIS FROM A DISTANCE OR IN TEN YEARS AND SAY IS THAT A LOT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BUDGETS?

MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAINT NOT SO MUCH.

>>: SPEAKING OF THE >>>CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION BUDGET ... THAT WOULD CREATE INDIANA'S FIRST EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM AND EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY OF STATE-FUNDED PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS IS HEADED TO THE SENATE FOR THE SESSION'S SECOND HALF.

THE PROPOSAL ENJOYED STRONG SUPPORT IN THE REPUBLICAN-LED HOUSE FROM NUMEROUS LAWMAKERS, INCLUDING INDIANAPOLIS REPRESENTATIVE AND BILL AUTHOR BOB BEHNING.

>>REP.

BOB BEHNING (R-INDIANAPOLIS): HOUSE BILL 1005 EXPANDS THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES WHO CAN NOW SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOL THAT BEST MEETS THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN.

>>BRANDON: BUT DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING GARY'S VERNON SMITH, PLEADED FOR MEMBERS TO VOTE DOWN THE LEGISLATION.

ONE OF SMITH'S REASONS IS THE BILL WOULD ALLOW FAMILIES WITH DOUBLE THE STATE'S MEDIAN INCOME TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS.

>>REP.

VERNON SMITH (D-GARY): VOUCHERS -- THE ENTREE WAS FOR POVERTY, YOU HAD TO BE AT A CERTAIN INCOME.

AND THEN NEXT THING WE KNOW, WITH THIS BILL, WE'RE NOW EXPANDING IT TO A TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAD THEIR CHILDREN IN, IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

>>BRANDON: THE INCREASE FOR THE VOUCHER PROGRAM WOULD TAKE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE OVERALL K-12 EDUCATION FUNDING INCREASE PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE GOP BUDGET.

ELISE SHROCK, REPUBLICANS ARGUE THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED A NEED FOR GREATER SCHOOL CHOICE.

ARE THEY RIGHT?

>>: I THINK THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED THE NEED FOR A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR SCHOOL BUT I'M WONDERING IF REPUBLICANS ARE LISTENING TO OUR EDUCATORS AND PARENTS BECAUSE FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK THE EXPANSION OF AN ALREADY ROBUST VOUCHER PROGRAM WAS THE TOP OF THAT LIST.

KIDS ARE MORE FOOD INSECURE THAN EVER, HOUSING INSECURE THAN EVER.

THE TEACHERS ARE OVERWHELMED AND DEALING WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME IN HISTORY.

90 PERCENT OF HOOSIER CHILDREN GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.

IT'S THE MONEY FOR THE VOUCHERS COMES RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF THAT POT OF MONEY.

THIS LACKS EMPATHY AND DOES NOT ALIGN WITH GOV.

HOLCOMB'S COMPENSATION COMMISSION PLAN.

>>: MIKE O'BRIEN, WITH 38 PERCENT OF THE 378 MILLION-DOLLAR K-12 TUITION SUPPORT INCREASE GOING TO PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS, WHICH WOULD MEAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE GETTING LESS THAN AN INFLATIONARY INCREASE IN FUNDING, IS THAT DEFENSIBLE?

>>: IF YOU LOOK AT THE COMPLETE PICTURE IT IS IF YOU LOOKS AT TRANSFER THEIR SCHOOLS AND $900 MILLION IN CARES ACT DOLLARS THAT COME THROUGH K-12 EDUCATION AND THE LARGER POT OF MONEY, HISTORICALLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE ON CHOICE MATTERS IS THE HOUSE HAS BEEN MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE AND BEING HAS ALWAYS BEEN SHOT PRETTY HIGH ON EXPANDING FUNDING AND THAT'S BEEN DIALED BACK IN THE SENATE AND MODERATED.

WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS LINES UP AT THE END.

I DO THINK HE IS RIGHT AND THE PANDEMIC EXPOSES THE NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR KIDS AND POTENTIALLY REMOTE ACCESS.

SO I THINK THAT IS IN PART WHAT THEY ARE RESPONDING TO, BUT IT'S NOT A SLAMDUNK WITH REPUBLICANS BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THE BOAT 6 61-38 WHICH HAD BIPARTISAN OPPOSITION AND QUITE A LOT OF IT SO AS IT GETS TO THE SENATE THAT HAS BEEN LESS AGGRESSIVE ABOUT EXPANDING CHOICE, I THINK YOU WILL SEE THESE NUMBERS.

>>: INDIANA HAS CERTAINLY HAD SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL CHOICE FOR A DECADE NOW, AT LEAST THE LEGISLATURE HAS.

IS IT HARDER TO SELL FOLKS ON GIVING SCHOOL VOUCHERS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING NEARLY $150,000 A YEAR?

>>: I DO THINK THAT CATCHES PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE DEBATES GOING ON IN CONGRESS OVER THE NEXT ROUND OF STIMULUS AND WHO WILL BE GETTING THE NEXT CHECKS.

WILL IT BE A FAMILY OF FOUR AT $100,000 OR $150,000?

THIS SCHEME IS A GENEROUS THRESHOLD IT SEEMS TO ME.

AND IT GETS BACK TO EXHIBIT A YOU COULD SAY, THE POINT I WAS MAKING A FEW MOMENTS AGO ABOUT THIS BUDGET NOT BEING A COVID BUDGET BECAUSE ONE COULD ARE YOU THAT IN THE WAKE UP THIS PANDEMIC, AND THE BRUTAL HIT THAT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE HAD TO ENDURE, THAT ALL $378 MILLION WOULD PROBABLY GO INTO SHORING UP PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE FACT THERE IS A WILLINGNESS TO TAKE 1/3 OF THAT AND GIVE IT TO FAMILIES WHO ARGUABLY ARE NOT THE ONES WHO WERE REELING FROM THIS PANDEMIC SUGGESTS AGAIN TO GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID IT'S NOT A PANDEMIC BUDGET.

>>: NIKI KELLY, IS THIS -- ELISE ALLUDED TO THIS BUT, IS THE DEBATE OVER THIS HEIGHTENED BECAUSE REPUBLICANS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SO FAR THIS SESSION HAVE NOT DONE LITERALLY ONE SINGLE THING FROM THE GOVERNOR'S TEACHER COMPENSATION RECOMMENDATIONS?

>>: ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN YOU PUT OUT 47 -- 40 SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY DON'T TAKE EVEN ONE OF THEM, THAT IS ROUGH AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 378 MILLION AND TAKE OUT WHAT ARE GOING TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, HOW DO YOU SAY TO SCHOOLS THAT IS EVEN BELOW INFLATION BUT USE THIS TO MAKE UP THE 600 MILLION-DOLLAR GAP IN TEACHER PAY THAT THE PAY COMMISSION ACTUALLY DISCOVERED AND CAME UP WITH.

IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF THEY HAD ONE OR TWO THINGS TO HELP TEACHERS WITH PAY, BUT THEY HAVE ZERO ON THAT SIDE AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE BUDGING ON THAT.

>>>INDIANA OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THEY'RE CRACKING DOWN ON CLINICS THAT ARE VACCINATING HOOSIERS FOR COVID-19 WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THE STATE'S GUIDELINES.

TEACHERS RECENTLY COMPLAINED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THEY'D BEEN TAKEN OFF VACCINE WAIT LISTS AROUND INDIANA AFTER STATE OFFICIALS ORDERED VACCINATION SITES TO DO SO.

STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. KRIS BOX SAYS THE STATE REGULARLY COMMUNICATES WITH VACCINE PROVIDERS.

SHE SAYS IT CLARIFIES THE GUIDELINES AND CAUTIONS SITES FROM VIOLATING THEM BEFORE TAKING PUNITIVE ACTION.

>>DR.

KRIS BOX: THERE [HAS] BEEN A RARE INSTANCE, I WOULD SAY, WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAVE REALLY GONE WAY OUTSIDE THE GUIDELINES.

AND THAT IS A SITUATION WHERE WE BASICALLY SAID THEY WOULD NO LONGER RECEIVE FIRST DOSES FROM US, BUT THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE SECOND DOSES TO FINISH UP ANYBODY THEY HAD VACCINATED.

>>BRANDON: BOX SAYS FEW, IF ANY, PEOPLE HAD TO RESCHEDULE THEIR APPOINTMENTS ELSEWHERE WHEN CLINICS WERE CUT OFF BY THE STATE.

>>DR.

KRIS BOX: BECAUSE WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO DO IS TO FINISH OUT THE APPOINTMENTS THAT THEY ALREADY HAD SCHEDULED, SO THAT HOOSIERS WOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

>>BRANDON: BOX SAYS THE STATE WILL WORK WITH THOSE VACCINATION SITES TO GET THEM UP AND RUNNING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

JON SCHWANTES WE'VE TALKED ON THE SHOW ABOUT ALL THE WAYS THE STATE WAS NOT ENFORCING ITS COVID ORDERS.

THEY WERE NOT ENFORCING GATHERING RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITS ON BUSINESSES AND CERTAINLY NOT THE MASK MANDATE.

THIS THEY HAVE CLEARLY DECIDED TO ENFORCE.

DOES IT FEEL LIKE AN OVERREACTION?

>>: IT DOES SEEM A BIT HARSH WHEN THE PUSH HERE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN TO GET AS MANY DOSES INTO AS MANY ARMS AS POSSIBLE.

GRANTED WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT GETS THE MOST VULNERABLE SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND THAT'S A WORTHWHILE PURSUIT, BUT ELIMINATING THE ABILITY OF CLINICS TO DISTRIBUTE VACCINATION SEEMS TO ME TO BE A LITTLE BIT HARSH AND IT SEEMS THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.

I SHOULD POINT OUT, IF THESE CLINICS WERE NOT REFRIGERATING, KEEPING THE VACCINATIONS REFRIGERATED PROPERLY OR WERE SOMEHOW ENDANGERING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, IT'S OBVIOUSLY DIFFICULT.

AND THAT'S A NO SCUM OUT THE DOOR, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE.

THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THESE CLINICS WERE DOING ANYTHING THAT HARMED THE PUBLIC, SIMPLY DID NOT ADHERE TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW ABOUT WHO WAS ELIGIBLE.

SO MAYBE A WARNING OR TWO OR THREE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE.

>>: ACCORDING TO THE STATE THEY GOT WARNINGS AND IGNORED THEM.

BUT NIKI, WE CAN'T SEPARATE THE FACT THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE END OF THE LAST TOPIC TEACHERS WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED WERE THEY NOT.

>>: THEY ARE, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING YOU DIDN'T MENTION WHICH IS DR. BUCK SAID A FEW OF THESE CLINICS HAD SPECIFIC CLINICS FOR IN ELIGIBLE PEOPLE WE ARE NOT TALKING A WAIT LIST WHERE YOU HAVE TWO DOSES AT THE END OF THE DATE YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE THEM.

SOME WENT FURTHER THEN THAT AND IN THAT CASE I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN OVERREACTION.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THE TEACHER ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE A HUGE POINT OF CONTENTION AS THE STATE FOCUSES ON HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH AND TEACHERS ARE FOCUSING ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF TRANSMISSION.

>>: TO THAT PO POINT WE'D NOT TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT, SO MIKE O'BRIEN, EVERY STATE AROUND US, A LOT OF STATES IN THE COUNTRY ARE VACCINATING TEACHERS.

SHOULD INDIANA BE DOING THAT?

>>: IF WE HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN WE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THEM IN ESSENTIAL WORKERS IF WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPREAD IN SCHOOLS.

TO YOUR EARLIER POINT ABOUT SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT.

THE STATE CAN ENFORCE THIS.

THEY CONTROLLED THE SUPPLY AND WHO DOES THIS.

THEY DON'T CONTROL JOE BLOW WHO WALKS IN WITHOUT A MASK ON.

YOU PUT ALL THE PENALTIES AND HE WILL NOT DO IT SO IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION AND WE ARE HANDLING THIS IN HINDSIGHT AND HOW WE SHOULD HAVE HANDLED LOCKDOWNS WHICH IS THE STRICTEST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR QUARANTINES ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE HIGHEST RISK.

AND THAT IS WHAT THEY HAVE DONE HERE AND THEY'VE TRIED TO TAKE THE PEOPLE MOST AT RISK OF CONTRACTING THE DISEASE AND DYING FROM IT AND VACCINATE THEM AND MAKE IT THE PRIORITY ON THE LIMITED INVENTORY VACCINES.

>>: THE STATE HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS THAT THIS IS THERE STRATEGY AND THE NUMBERS ARE BEARING OUT THAT IT IS WORKING.

HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE FALLEN PRECIPITOUSLY OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO.

DOES THAT SORT OF MAKE IT BETTER THAT THIS IS THE ROUTE THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN?

>>: I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WANT TO SEE THIS FAILED.

WE ARE ALL HAPPY TO SEE INFECTION RATES ARE DROPPING AND IT IS WORKING.

I THINK THE ISSUE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS THAT TEACHERS FEEL UNDERVALUED, THEY ARE MARGINALLY UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY THEY ARE TREATED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND IT WAS JUST A BIT OF A POWDER KEG WAITING TO GO OFF.

SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I THINK THIS STEMS FROM TEACHERS BEING INCREDIBLY OVERWHELMED HAVING STORIES UP ON STORIES OF WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH AND ON A DAILY BASIS TRYING TO MAKE REMOTE AND IN PERSON AND HIGHBRED WORK.

WHEN YOU ADD SOMETHING LIKE NOT INCLUDING THEM IN ESSENTIAL WORKERS, NOT GETTING VACCINATED BACK.

>>>TIME NOW FOR VIEWER FEEDBACK.

EACH WEEK WE POSE AN UNSCIENTIFIC, ONLINE POLL QUESTION IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ICEMILLER E-MAIL AND TEXT ALERTS.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: SHOULD THE STATE CUT OFF NEW COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES TO CLINICS THAT FLAGRANTLY VIOLATE INDIANA'S ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES?

A.

YES B.

NO LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: ARE GOV.

HOLCOMB'S EMERGENCY POWERS - USED THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - TOO BROAD?

25 PERCENT TO BE A SAY YES.

APPARENTLY ALL IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS AT THE STATEHOUSE AND 75 PERCENT SAY NO.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE POLL GO TO WFYI.ORG/IWIR AND LOOK FOR THE POLL.

>>>THE NCAA'S DECISION TO ALLOW FANS TO ATTEND MARCH MADNESS COULD MEAN THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE IN CENTRAL INDIANA.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S SAMANTHA HORTON REPORTS, ONE HEALTH EXPERT SAYS SOME FANS COULD BE OKAY BUT OFFICIALS WILL NEED TO VIGOROUSLY TRACK THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE GAMES.

A LIMITED NUMBER OF FANS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND GAMES WITH A CAPACITY LIMIT OF 25 PERCENT AT EACH VENUE.

LUCAS OIL STADIUM COULD HAVE UP TO 17,500 PEOPLE INCLUDING FANS, TEAMS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF PARTICIPANTS.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY EPIDEMIOLOGIST THOMAS DUSZYNSKI SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS WHY THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE FANS, BUT SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY NET IN PLACE.

>>THOMAS DUSZYNSKI: ONE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ROBUST CONTACT TRACING IN PLACE, RIGHT.

TWO, WE NEED COOPERATION FROM EVERY OTHER STATE AND TERRITORY WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT BE COMING FROM INCLUDING TEAMS.

>>BRANDON: DUSZYNSKI SAYS IF CASES IN INDIANA INCREASE BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT, OFFICIALS NEED TO BE READY TO ADAPT THEIR PLANS.

NIKI KELLY, WHAT DID GOV.

HOLCOMB HAVE TO SAY ABOUT FANS AT NCAA TOURNAMENT GAMES?

>>: HE SAYS HE DOES HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPREAD OF VIRUS AND VARIANCE COMING FROM OTHER PLACES, BUT ALSO SAID THOSE ARE THE SAME CONCERNS HE HAS ABOUT IN PERSON COMMENCEMENT AND A VOLLEYBALL GAME.

I WOULD POINT OUT FOR THOSE THINGS WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT TEAMS AND PEOPLE COMING FROM DOZENS OF STATES, WE ARE TALKING MOSTLY ABOUT HOOSIERS GATHERING SO IT'S DIFFERENT.

HE IS CLEARLY TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN AN ECONOMIC SHOT IN THE ARM AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND OBVIOUSLY SHUTTING IT DOWN ALTOGETHER.

>>: ELYSE SCHROCK I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION BECAUSE YOU ARE PLUGGED INTO THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE BUSINESSES AND THEY RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS WHO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE BUSINESS COMING THEIR WAY, IS THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE THE RISK IS GOING TO GO UP?

>>: THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD SHOT IN THE ARM FOR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY THAT HAS BEEN REELING IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THIS INDUSTRY WAS REGULATED BY HEALTH AND SAFETY AND SANITATION PRE-PANDEMIC.

AND THEN THE INDUSTRY DOUBLED DOWN WITH THE HOOSIER HOSPITALITY PREMISE, WHICH IS GUIDELINES THAT RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION WROTE IN CONCERT WITH THE CDC AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING, NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATE NOT JUST WHAT WE ARE DOING TO KEEP GUESTS SAFE BUT HOW THEY CAN KEEP HOSPITALITY WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY SAFE.

I THINK THAT THROUGH CLEAR COMMUNICATION, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NO RISK RIGHT NOW.

>>: WE ARE ALL PRAYING IT WORKS OUT AS BEST AS IT CAN.

>>>WE'VE REACHED THE HALFWAY POINT IN THE CALENDAR FOR THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SO IT'S TIME TO ASK ABOUT WINNERS AND LOSERS FROM THE SESSION'S FIRST HALF.

MIKE O'BRIEN, LET'S START WITH YOU - WHO'S YOUR BIG WINNER OF THE FIRST HALF?

>>: THE MOST OVERLOOKED BILLS IS 1006 WHICH WAS THE POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION CARRIED BY REPRESENTATIVE SISTER WALT DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND AS A STATE AS RED AS OURS IT'S AMAZING THAT WENT THROUGH.

I NEVER SAW THAT MANY CO-AUTHORS ON A BILL IT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL AND IT WASN'T AND THAT'S JUST HOW REPRESENTATIVE HANDLES BIG-TIME ISSUES IN THE PAST AND DID IT AGAIN.

THAT'S MY PICK.

>>: YOU STOLE MY ANSWER I SAID ON LAWMAKERS THIS WEEK THAT I THINK THAT COULD BE THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT NOT JUST OF THIS HAVE SESSION BUT MAYBE THE ENTIRE SESSION AND SEVERAL SESSIONS FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

ELYSE SCHROCK WINNER FROM THE FIRST HALF.

>>: I WOULD SAY THE SAME BILL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CENTER THE WORK OF THE BLACK LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS IN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO PUSH THIS EFFORT FORWARD.

YES, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE A REPUBLICAN AUTHOR AND SUPER MAJORITY GET THIS BILL TAKEN ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

AND I'M NOT DIMINISHING THE WORK THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE DID, BUT I NEED TO UPLIFT THE WORK THAT THE BLACK LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS DID ON THIS BILL IN PARTNERSHIP AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATED SOME OF THE DEMANDS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED IN STATE LAW.

>>: YET THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BLOOD CAUCUS A KEY AUTHOR.

QUICKLY AROUND THE HORN SINCE WE REACHED THE HALFWAY POINT.

LET'S DO THE MID CENTURY REPORT CARD WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY?

>>: I WILL GIVE THEM A D FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY.

THEY NEED TO DO IT INTENTIONALLY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CHANGE IN THE SECOND HALF OF SESSION.

>>: MIKE O'BRIEN.

>>: I WILL GIVE THEM AN A.

JUST COMING TO THE SESSION HAVING NO IDEA HOW IT WILL GO OR BE CONDUCTED OR WHETHER IT WILL LAST MORE THAN A WEEK WHEN THEY WERE IN THE BUILDING TOGETHER IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

>>: THAT WAS A SURPRISE FOR A LOT OF US INCLUDING THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS SO GOOD TO SEE.

>>>THAT'S INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ELISE SHROCK REPUBLICAN MIKE O'BRIEN JON SCHWANTES OF INDIANA LAWMAKERS AND NIKI KELLY OF THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE.

IF YOU'D LIKE A PODCAST OF THIS PROGRAM YOU CAN FIND IT AT WFYI.ORG/IWIR OR STARTING MONDAY YOU CAN STREAM IT OR GET IT ON DEMAND FROM XFINITY AND ON THE WFYI APP.

I'M BRANDON SMITH OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.