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MUSIC LOVERS FOLLOW A BOUNCING BALL ACROSS THE WORDS ON A SCREEN TO HELP SING ALONG WITH THE MELODY.

SPORTS FANS ARE FOLLOWING THE BOUNCING BALL OF THE NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN INDIANAPOLIS AND NOT FAR FROM THOSE VENUES, GOVERNMENT OBSERVERS ARE FOLLOWING THE BOUNCING BALL OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AT THE INDIANA STATE HOUSE FOR HOOSIER LAWMAKERS, THE SHOT CLOCK IS WELL FOR BILL PASSAGE NOW ONE WEEK LESS WITH TIME SET TO EXPIRE ON APRIL 21ST.

A FULL CHAMBER PRESS IS NOW ON IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO MOVE MEASURES FORWARD AND KEEP UP WITH THE CALENDAR ON TONIGHT'S PRIMETIME WILL SPEAK WITH TWO NORTHEAST INDIANA REPRESENTATIVES ON HOW THEY SEE THE BOUNCING BALL OF PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATION PLAYING OUT OVER THE FINAL WEEKS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

AND GOOD EVENING.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

I'M BRUCE HAYNES WITH US TODAY.

OUR FIFTIETH DISTRICT REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN LEONARD AND 50 SECOND DISTRICT REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE BEN SMALTZ.

AND YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

JUST CALL THE NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN AND WILL CONNECT OUR TECHNOLOGIES AND THERE THEY ARE AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO HAVE THEM HERE WE HAVE SAY REPRESENTATIVE DAN LEONARD IN YOUR LOWER RIGHT AND IN YOUR UPPER RIGHT STATE REPRESENTATIVE BEN SMOLTZ.

DAN BEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

WE APPRECIATE.

THANKS.

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW ONE OF THE LEAD STORIES OF THE WEEK ACTUALLY SEEMED TO TAKE PLACE TUESDAY WHEN GOVERNOR ERIC HOLCOMB SPOKE TO THE STATE RIGHT BEFORE THE DINNER HOUR TO SHARE THAT NOW WAS THE TIME FOR OPENING UP VACCINE ELIGIBILITY AND TO REDUCE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS INCLUDING THE MASK MANDATES STARTING APRIL SIX AND BEING ABLE TO ALLOW FOR DECISIONS ABOUT VENUE CAPACITIES AND SUCH TO BE MADE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

SO I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY WHAT YOU WERE THINKING THEN AND WHAT YOU'RE THINKING NOW ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A STATE WITH THE STATE OF COVID AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

BEN, LET ME START WITH YOU, SIR.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN THE VACCINATION MAKING AVAILABLE THE VACCINE TO THE FOLKS IN INDIANA WHO WANT TO HAVE IT.

IT HAS BEEN VERY ORGANIZED.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THE MOST OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS OR THE OLDER FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MADE IT AVAILABLE THEM FIRST AND WE'RE MARCHING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 18 YEAR OLD PEOPLE VERY SHORTLY.

AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN QUITE REMARKABLE COMPARED TO OTHER STATES THAT SEEM TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE TROUBLE THAN WE HAVE SO VERY GOOD FOR THAT.

DAN, HOW ABOUT YOU, SIR?

YEAH, I AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN IN THE STATEMENT JUST A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GETTING THE VACCINE OUT TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE .

THE THE GOVERNOR'S JUST DONE A GREAT JOB OF WE'RE DOWN TO NOW WE'RE GOING TO VACCINATE 16 YEAR OLD.

THERE'S BEEN SOME INTERESTING THINGS HAPPEN IN THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA.

THEY'VE HAD DRIVE THROUGH VACCINATIONS AT THE 500 SPEEDWAY.

THEY'RE JUST DOING SOME SOME PHENOMENAL THINGS.

I THINK THE THAT THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED HE WAS MUCH MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THE INFECTION RATE AND SO HE WAS BACKING OFF A LITTLE BIT ON THE MANDATE FOR MASKS AND MAKING IT MORE OPTIONAL.

SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO WEAR THEM THEY ENCOURAGE WEARING MASKS BUT NOT MAKING IT A MANDATE THAT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT OF COURSE IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS WHERE THE THE GOVERNOR FEELS THEY'RE NECESSARY BUT ACTUALLY PUSHING THE CONTROL DOWN TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SO IF YOU HAVE IT IN A HIGHER INFECTION RATE IN ONE COMMUNITY THAN ANOTHER, YOU CAN INSTILL AND PUT MORE RESTRICTION ON IT.

I JUST I THINK HE'S HANDLING IT VERY WELL AND NOW THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS.

BUT I THINK THE GOVERNOR HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WORKING THROUGH THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC SITUATION.

DO HIS REMARKS REDUCE THE NEED FOR A STORY THAT CAME OUT TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK RELATED TO HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 18 BY NAME BUT ONE WHERE APPARENTLY BY VOTE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY COULD ESSENTIALLY END THE COVID EMERGENCY AND ITS RESTRICTIONS?

HAS THE GOVERNORS ANNOUNCED ESSENTIALLY NOW TAKEN THE NEED AWAY FROM THAT AND DANYLENKO, BACK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU CHAIR THE COMMITTEE WHERE THAT WOULD WOULD PROP THE RULES COMMITTEE WHERE THAT WOULD ALL COME FORWARD?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, BRUCE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 15 IN HOUSE RESOLUTION 18 CANCEL ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT THE GOVERNORS MADE, INCLUDING IN THOSE EXECUTIVE ORDERS IS DECLARING IN BIANNA IN A STATE OF HEALTH EMERGENCY ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING IS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE UNDER A STATE OF HEALTH EMERGENCY.

SO IF WE IF I WOULD HEAR THOSE BILLS IN THE RULES COMMITTEE AND PASS THEM, THERE WOULD BE SOME JEOPARDY OF THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF FOR EXAMPLE, TANF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, WE RECEIVED OVER FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEN WE ALSO RECEIVED FIFTY ONE MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH FOR THAT PROGRAM.

SO IF WE CANCEL IF WE IF I HEARD THOSE BILLS AND HEARD THOSE RESOLUTIONS AND THEY PASSED, IT WOULD NEGATE ALL OF THAT INCOME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH THAT QUITE HONESTLY.

I'VE TRIED TO BE VERY FRUGAL AND I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARY.

WE CAN LIVE WITH WHAT THE GOVERNORS THEN AND STILL GET THE MONEY AS WELL.

AND ONE OTHER FOLLOW UP IN ON THIS POINT FOR FOR BOTH OF YOU THE STATUS OF HOUSE BILL 11 23 AND ITS ITS EFFORTS TO INTERACT BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONCERNING FUTURE EMERGENCIES.

WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT LEGISLATION NOW?

IS THAT STILL MOVING FORWARD AS SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS WERE TAKING PLACE IN THE SENATE?

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FORWARD IN THE SENATE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE IS THE ABILITY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN THE TIME OF AN EMERGENCY AND BE ABLE TO BE A PARTNER WITH THE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ON ADDRESSING THOSE EMERGENCIES.

I THINK THERE ARE EMERGENCIES THAT ARE PRETTY SHORT TERM.

WE'VE SEEN BEFORE FLOODS, TORNADOES, DROUGHT SEEMS TO LINGER A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT IN MOST TIMES HAVE NOT REQUIRED AND FRANKLY ABOUT 70 YEARS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HAVE TO COME BACK IN ONLY THIS PANDEMIC HAS EXPOSED THE NEED FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TO BE ABLE TO RETURN AND I THINK 11 TWENTY THREE IS GOING TO DO THAT.

I THINK 11 TWENTY THREE IS GOING TO PROTECT OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ON FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO DO THAT AND NEED TO DO THAT.

SO YEAH, I DO SEE THAT THAT BILL MOVING ALONG.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE CHANGES THAT ARE MADE IN THE SENATE GETTING BACK TO THE HOUSE AND MAKING THAT LAW.

DAN, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD ON THAT ONE?

YOU KNOW, BRUCE, MAYBE I CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU THE OUTLINE OF THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE AN ELEVEN TWENTY THREE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CALL ITSELF BACK IN AND HOW WE COULD DO THAT.

AND THEN IN THE SENATE BILL FIVE WHICH I HEARD IN MY COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS PAST WEEK AND THEN NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO AMEND AND VOTE THAT THAT WILL CONTAIN PARAMETERS AND GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO CONTROL SOME OF THE LOCAL ISSUES DURING A PANDEMIC AND THEN ALSO IN THE SENATE TO SIXTY THREE WHICH I'M GOING TO HEAR THIS WEEK, WE HOPE TO PUT IN SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH CHURCHES IN SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE GUARANTEED BY THE CONSTITUTION.

SO THERE IS A PLAN AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD AND I HOPE PEOPLE ARE PATIENT THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS THING RIGHT.

WE'RE SPEAKING TONIGHT WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVES DAN LEONARD AND BEN SMALTZ ON PRIME TIME.

WE'RE LIVE IN STUDIO.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

AND LET'S GO TO THE PHONES AND WELCOME BRUCE TO THE PROGRAM.

HE HAS A QUESTION FOR REPRESENTATIVE SMALTZ BRUCE, WELCOME, SIR.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THE NAME BRUCE.

GOOD EVENING, MR. SMALL.

IT'S ABOUT YOUR OPEN CARRY BILL OR ARE NOT HAVING REQUIRED A LICENSE FOR CARRYING HANDGUNS INSIDE OF YOU.

THIS IS INSANITY IS PROMOTING MORE GUN DEATHS THAN ANYTHING FOR NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE OR FOR PEOPLE ABLE TO CARRY A GUN THEY DON'T NEED ANY PERMIT FOR IT.

WE KNOW NOTHING ELSE OF WHO'S THE GOOD GUY, THE BAD GUY WITH THE POLICE AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S HARDER FOR A WOMAN TO GET AN ABORTION IS TO GET A GUN IN INDIANA WHERE THEY COME OVER THE BORDER TO BUY OUR GUNS.

THAT'S THE SAME ISSUE TOO.

BUT I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO A PERSON THAT LET LOOSE EBOLA.

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HIS PROPERTY LINE WAS AND ALL THAT PLEASE EVERYONE FROM THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR FBI WOULDN'T TOUCH THIS GUY AND THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING FOR THAT GUY.

THERE'S NO LIABILITY INSURANCE.

SO SO FORTH.

SO IT'S REALLY SCARY THAT WE BECOME A VIGILANTE SOCIETY FOR PEOPLE TO DO CONCEALED CARRY.

IT CREATES VIGILANTES AND I'VE SEEN IT WHERE I LIVE HERE IN NORTHEAST INDIANA PEOPLE FLASH THEIR GUN LIKE OH YOU BETTER PAY OR WHATEVER GET THAT'S VIGILANTE'S ANYWAY.

IT'S THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AND I THINK IT'S IDIOTIC TO KEEP PROMOTING UNSENSIBLE GUN.

WE DON'T HAVE A SENSIBLE GUN CONTROL.

I HAVE GUNS.

I DON'T DO THE THINGS THAT THESE OTHER PEOPLE DO AND BUT I ,I DON'T HAVE I DON'T HAVE MACHINE GUNS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF BUT ANYWAY ANSWER THAT QUESTION TO DESCRIBE THAT HOW WE DON'T GO INTO A VIGILANTE SOCIETY AND HOW THE COPS KNOW WHO'S THE GOOD GUY WHO'S THE BAD GUY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FIRST THANK YOU.

AND BEN WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU SIR.

YOU'RE A GREAT THANKS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BAD GUY OUT THERE, THE PERSON WHO SHOOTS ACROSS YOUR PROPERTY LINE, THE PERSON WHO FLASHES THE GUN, THE VIGILANTE.

THOSE ARE CRIMINALS.

THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BREAKING THE LAW AND THAT'S ILLEGAL TODAY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ILLEGAL TOMORROW AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT MY BILL DOES.

WHAT LAWFUL KERRY DOES IT SAYS TO THE LAWFUL PERSON WHO IS GOING TO GET THE PERMIT ANYWAY, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT?

THE BAD GUYS DON'T HAVE TO GET THAT PERMIT TODAY.

THEY DON'T THEY CARRY THEY ARE ILLEGAL POSSESSORS.

THEY CARRY THEM WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A MISNOMER OR MISUNDERSTANDING THIS BILL IS THAT YOU CAN CARRY A GUN ANYWHERE ANY TIME ANYBODY NO BACKGROUND CHECKS ON BUYING GUNS AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST ALL NOT TRUE.

YOU HAVE PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.

SO IF A COMPANY WANTS TO SAY YOU CAN'T CARRY A GUN IN THEIR BUSINESS THAT'S THEIR RIGHT.

BUT IT'S ALSO YOUR RIGHT AS A CITIZEN TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PATRONIZE THAT BUSINESS WHEN YOU GO TO BUY A GUN, NOTHING CHANGES.

WE'RE CHANGING THAT AT ALL.

ALL WE'RE DOING IS STANDING UP FOR THE LAWFUL LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.

WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THE CRIMINALS WE ARE IN FACT DOING THE RIGHT THING BY THE LAWFUL HUJER AND BEN.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SIXTEEN OTHER STATES WITH CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY AND YET FOR INDIANA WAS PART OF THE CONCERN RELATED TO COVID SPECIFICALLY AT THE TIME IN PROCESS FROM THE THE TIME A PERSON WOULD MAKE A PURCHASE FOR A GUN VERSUS TWO TO HAVE THE PROPER BACKGROUND CHECKS AND SUCH TO GET TO THE PERMIT.

DID DID COVETED ARE UP THAT IS THERE PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT CAN STREAMLINE THE PROCESS BUT TO THE GENTLEMAN'S POINT TO PERHAPS STILL PROVIDE SOME KIND OF CHECK AND BALANCE?

SO SURE TO YOUR POINT THERE ARE EIGHTEEN STATES NOW THAT HAVE LAWFUL CARRY AND THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW VIGILANTISM.

THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW AN INCREASE IN HANDGUN CRIME.

THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE AN INCREASING INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.

IT JUST DOESN'T SHOW THAT AND THAT'S THE FBI FBI DATA THAT'S THAT'S TELLING US THAT.

AND YES, DURING COVID WHEN POLICE DEPARTMENTS SHUT DOWN, FOLKS ARE NOT ABLE TO PROCESS THEIR PERMITS.

THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GO GET THEIR FINGERPRINTS DONE.

BUT KEEP IN MIND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LAWFUL PERSON WHO'S TRYING TO JUMP THROUGH THESE HOOPS OF GETTING THEIR FINGERPRINTS DRIVING TO THE POLICE STATION, PAYING THEIR FEES.

REMEMBER THE BAD GUY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THAT.

THIS BILL IS ABOUT THE GOOD GUY AND CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT YOU KNOW OF THE STATUS OF THE HOUSE BILL?

THIRTEEN SIXTY NINE THAT ARE STILL IN BILLS GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THEY GO THROUGH THE HOUSE ON OUR SIDE THEN THEY GO OVER TO THE SENATE.

THE BILL PASSED OUT OF THE INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE .

SIXTY FIVE FOLKS VOTED FOR IT.

IT IS IN THE SENATE RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE WAITING TO GET A HEARING IN THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND AS SOON AS THAT HAPPENS WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP.

WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT WITH THE NUMBER OF SENATORS WHO SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS AND HELP THE GOOD GUY HERE SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU AND DAN AND OTHERS CAME TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE IS A VENUE TAX BILL THAT IS IS ON ITS WAY TO MEAN GOOD THINGS FOR OUR REGION.

DAN IS OUR OFFICIAL NUMBERS PERSON WITH HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS AND A WHOLE LOT MORE.

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT THIS VICTORY MEANS WITH THE THE MOVE TO EXPAND THE COLLECTION OF REVENUE THAT CAN HELP REGARDING ACTIVITIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE?

WELL, IT'S A GREAT THING FOR THE SPORTS DISTRICT JUST TO EXPAND IT AND BRING MORE REVENUE IN IT.

IT CREATES THE POSSIBILITY OF OF IMPROVING AREAS LIKE THE SPORTS AREA DOWNTOWN WITH THE BASEBALL FIELD, THE COLISEUM, DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE IN THE SPORTS DISTRICT AND IT'S IT'S JUST A GREAT MOVE.

IT'S A GOOD THING FOR NORTHEAST INDIANA TO BE ABLE TO RAISE A LITTLE MORE CAPITAL TO IMPROVE THOSE AREAS AND AND AND MOVE FORWARD.

I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT IT.

BEN, WHAT'S YOUR YOUR SENSE THAT AT THIS POINT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT IS IT'S NOT NEW TAX REVENUE WE'RE TAKING MONEY THAT'S ALREADY COMING IN THROUGH THE REVENUE STREAM AND INTERCEPTING IT BEFORE IT GOES TO INDIANAPOLIS AND KEEPING IT RIGHT HERE AT HOME IN NORTHEAST INDIANA AND THAT'S WE REPRESENT AND FORT WAYNE HAS REALLY MADE ITS WAY IN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STATE THEIR LEADER AND WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE ALL GET BACK TO NORMAL BACK TO HOW IT SHOULD BE FOR FOLKS TO GO OUT AND ENJOY THEMSELVES AND BE PROUD OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE INTERCEPTING THAT TAX BEFORE IT GOES TO INDIANAPOLIS.

WELL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING TOO THAT SOUTH BEND IS HAPPY AND EVANSVILLE IS ALSO HAPPY WITH THIS LEGISLATION.

WELL WAY BUT WHEN YOU SPEND IT I'M SORRY, DAN.

GO AHEAD, SIR.

I'M SORRY.

INEVITABLY IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN WE SEND OUR TAX DOLLARS TO INDIANAPOLIS AND I SAY THIS AND I WORK IN INDIANAPOLIS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHEN WE SEND A DOLLAR TO INDIANAPOLIS WE END UP GETTING EIGHTY OR SEVENTY FIVE CENTS BACK ON THE DOLLAR.

SO YES, IT'S GREAT.

IT'S A GREAT MOVE.

WE GET TO PEOPLE, WE GET TO KEEP IT ALL BECAUSE WE INTERCEPTED UP HERE AND BEN, WHAT WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO ADD ?

I WAS JUST ADDING IT SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE NOTRE DAME IN THE TOURNAMENT THAT WOULD HAVE MADE SMU.

YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE PHONES AND WELCOME DEAN TO THE PROGRAM.

DEAN, WELCOME TO PRIME TIME.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

YES, MY QUESTION IS FOR REPRESENTATIVE AS WELL.

THE SOUTH AND MY GUY FOR MANY YEARS NOW I LIKE TO GET A LITTLE SUPPORT ON HIM NOT BEING MY REPRESENTATIVE IS I LIVE IN FORT WAYNE.

HE LIVES IN HUNTINGTON.

WANT TO HAVE SOME NONPARTIZAN REDISTRICTING IN THE STATE.

SO WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE LOCAL REPRESENTATION AND TO THE SECONDARILY TO THE POINT OF NOT REQUIRING A LICENSE FOR GUNS.

I'D LOVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO A DAY WHEN AS SOON AS I CAN GET INSURANCE SO I CAN DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT GOING TO THE DMV.

DEAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTION AND GENTLEMEN, LET ME ASK YOU BOTH AND DAN, LET ME START WITH YOU SINCE HE DIRECTED YOUR WAY REGARDING REDISTRICTING AND WHAT'S AHEAD.

WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE LAST REDISTRICTING WE HAD ABOUT SIX POINT SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE IN INDIANA AND THE DISTRICTS FOR HOUSE MEMBERS ARE BASED WELL HOUSE AND SENATE BOTH ARE BASED POPULATION OF A HOUSE DISTRICT IN THE LAST REDISTRICTING WAS ABOUT SIX POINT SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE.

SO THERE'S ONE HUNDRED SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHICH MEANS THERE'S ABOUT SIXTY SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE IN EACH HOUSE DISTRICT.

SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS THAT WERE DRAWN IN THE LAST REDISTRICTING THERE, THEY'RE PRETTY COMPACT.

THEY'RE PRETTY RECTANGULAR IN THE CASE OF THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT, I REPRESENT ALL HUNTINGTON COUNTY, A PORTION OF WELSH COUNTY AND THEN THERE WASN'T ENOUGH POPULATION TO FILL THE REQUIREMENTS AND SO THERE WAS A SECTION THAT WENT UP IN ALLEN COUNTY.

I REPRESENT MOST OF WINDALE AREA OF THE FOSTER PARK AND INTO ABOUT BROADWAY AND TAYLOR IS THE CORNER BUT THEY WENT INTO THE ALLEN COUNTY AREA TO GO TO GRASP ENOUGH POPULATION TO FILL THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THE SIXTY SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE .

IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STATE THAT MOST OF THE DISTRICTS ARE PRETTY RECTANGULAR OR SQUARE, I THINK THEY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB GEOGRAPHICALLY OF THE OVER AND UNDER SO TO SPEAK ON THE POPULATION OF THE MAPS WAS LESS THAN THREE PERCENT.

THAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT ABOUT TWO POINT EIGHT PERCENT I BELIEVE PLUS OR MINUS IN POPULATION.

SO THERE WERE PRETTY PRETTY WELL DRAWN.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OR GROUP TO DO THE MAPS AND QUITE FRANKLY I DON'T I DON'T CARE.

I THINK THEY WERE DRAWN FAIRLY THE LAST TIME I INDIANA IS ABOUT FIFTY SIX FIFTY SEVEN PERCENT REPUBLICAN STATE.

SO EVEN IF YOU JUST DREW A GRID WORK ACROSS THE STATE OF INDIANA YOU WOULD COME OUT MORE REPUBLICAN THAN DEMOCRAT.

BUT YES, I'M OK EITHER WAY.

BUT FRANKLY I THINK AS FAR AS REPRESENTING A PART OF ALLEN COUNTY I GUESS I TRIED MY HARDEST TO GET TO ALLEN COUNTY .

I'M UP THERE ALL THE TIME.

IN FACT I WAS IN FORT WAYNE THIS AFTERNOON TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT PROJECTION FOR WAY BUT I HOPE I REPRESENT THE ALLEN COUNTY AREA AS MUCH AS I REPRESENT THE HUNTINGTON COUNTY AREA OR THE WELLS COUNTY OR THE TIME DOES NOT GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE VERY THE VARIOUS POINTS RAISED IN THE THE BILL ON ALCOHOL MATTERS, BEN, THAT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD.

I'M GOING TO WATCH MY OWN TWO MINUTE WARNING CLOCK.

BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE YOU COULD GIVE US A STATUS ON WHAT'S ALSO CALLED HOUSE BILL THIRTEEN NINETY SIX.

BUT A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN ALCOHOL LEGISLATION THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.

SURE.

WELL AS CHAIRMAN OF PUBLIC POLICY ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO HELP SHEPHERD LEGISLATION THROUGH SEVEN POINT ONE WHICH IS THE ALCOHOL GOOD AND WE'RE REALLY WORKING THAT WHAT STARTED THE BILL WAS A SUPREME COURT CASE AND IT HAD TO DO WITH RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMITS IN INDIANA PRIOR TO THE SUPREME COURT CASE THAT ACTUALLY ORIGINATED IN TENNESSEE.

YOU HAD TO BE AN INDIANA RESIDENT, HOLD CERTAIN PERMITS THAT WAS STRUCK DOWN IN A TENNESSEE CASE WHICH MADE IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL HERE.

SO WE STARTED THE BILL WITH THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO COMMISSION, THE FTC TO WORK THROUGH THOSE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS AND REALLY FOR THE MOST PART IT'S PRETTY WONKY AND TECHNICAL WHO OWNS HOW MUCH OF A COMPANY AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE LISTED ON A PERMIT SHOULD THEIR ADDRESS BE LISTED OR NOT?

WHO CAN WHO CAN HAVE A PERMIT WHO'S DISQUALIFIED FROM HAVING A PERMIT?

BUT SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING THINGS THAT WE FOUND DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS THAT CONSTITUENTS PEOPLE IN INDIANA LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUY THEIR ALCOHOL AT CURBSIDE AND I WAS CONCERNED INITIALLY WHAT THAT MEANT AS A POLICYMAKER AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

BUT FOR MANY MONTHS IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TRIAL RUN.

I THINK ON A LIMITED BASIS FOR RESTAURANTS, BREWERIES, WINERIES, DISTILLERIES AND LIQUOR STORES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO IT.

BUT THEY'RE THE PRIMARY PURVEYORS OF ALCOHOL SO THEY HAVE THE GREATEST AT STAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OBEYING THE LAW.

SO SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING TO OPEN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT FOR THEM.

HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR LOCAL WINERIES DISTRIBUTING THEIR WINE TO YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS CURRENTLY THAT'S NOT VERY EASY.

YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A WHOLESALER TO DO THAT.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

SO THERE'S WINERIES ACROSS THE STATE AND FOLKS ARE REAL PROUD OF THEM.

I LIKE MY FOLKS UP HERE.

I KNOW FOLKS IN SOUTHERN INDIANA LIKE THEIR WINERIES THERE AS WELL.

SO SO THAT'S JUST ONE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL THAT'LL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE AND HOPE FOR IT TO GET THE IT'S CURRENTLY IN THE SENATE PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE AWAITING A HEARING.

SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS I'LL BE IN THE SENATE PRESENTING OUR CASE, SHARING DETAILS OF THE BILL AND SEEING WHAT OF IT THE SENATORS APPROVE AND APPRECIATE AND WHAT THEY DON'T.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

WELL, IT WILL CERTAINLY BE A HAPPY HOUR ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AS WE GET TO THE END OF THE SESSION AND WE WISH YOU BOTH VERY WE WISH YOU BOTH WELL AS YOU AS YOU MOVE FORWARD STATE REPRESENTATIVE BEN SMALL, STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN LEONARD.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH FAST HALF HOUR.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AS WELL.

I'M BRUCE HAYNES FOR ALL OF US WITH PRIME TIME TAKE CARE AND WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

GOOD NIGHT