♪♪ ♪♪ >> SEN. YOUNG VOTES AGAINST THE >> SEN. YOUNG VOTES AGAINST THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HIRE A REDISTRICTING CONSULTANT.

PLUS, COVID DISRUPTING THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND MORE ON INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 13TH, 2021.

>> INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS, AND BY ICE MILLER, A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM COMMITTED TO HELPING CLIENTS BUILD, GROW AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.

MORE AT ICEMILLER.COM.P>> THIS R TODD YOUNG VOTED AGAINST THE BIPARTISAN, FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WHEN IT CAME UP FOR A VOTE IN THE SENATE.

THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE MEASURE WOULD SEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO INDIANA FOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS, HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND BRIDGE REPAIRS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND BROADBAND.

>> REPUBLICAN SENATOR TODD YOUNG SAYS HE'S NOT COMFORTABLE THAT ENOUGH OF THE BILL IS PAID FOR AND WOULD ADD TOO GREATLY TO THE NATIONAL DEBT.

HE ALSO EXPRESSED DISCOMFORT AT THE INSISTENCE OF SOME DEMOCRATS - INCLUDING HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI - TO TIE PASSAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL TO A LARGER BUDGET PACKAGE.

YOUNG DOES SAY HE HOPES TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE MEASURE AS IT MOVES TO THE HOUSE.

INDIANA'S OTHER US SENATOR, REPUBLICAN MIKE BRAUN, HAS DECRIED THE BILL AS A “DEBT BOMB.” INDIANA DEMOCRATS SAY THE MEASURE WILL DELIVER INVESTMENTS THAT HOOSIERS NEED.

AND THEY NOTE YOUNG WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE 2017 FEDERAL TAX CUTS, WHICH MANY ECONOMISTS SAY ADDED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE DEFICIT.

>> WHAT IMPACT WILL YOUNG'S VOTE HAVE WITH HIS CONSTITUENTS?

IT'S THE FIRST QUESTION FOR OUR INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW PANEL DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY.

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.

YOU MAY NOTICE, IF YOU'RE WATCHING OR LISTENING, WE'RE BACK TO BEING VIRTUAL AS WE RECORD THE SHOW THIS WEEK AS THE STATION HERE AT WFYI FOLLOWS CDC GUIDELINES.

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, MAYBE GET VACCINATED, PLEASE.

MIKE O'BRIEN, IS THIS THE RIGHT VOTE FOR HOOSIERS?

>> I THINK IT IS IN THE NEAR TERM.

I THINK IT LEFT THE DOOR OPEN TO AS THIS PROGRESSES, KIND OF JUXTAPOSES WITH THE BROADER BUDGET PACKAGE THAT IS COMING NEXT, HE LEFT THE DOOR OPEN TO MAYBE COME BACK AND SUPPORT IT.

I THINK HE WAS UNCERTAIN OF, ONE, HOW IT'S BEING PAID FOR.

IT IS CLASSIC D.C. DEMOCRATS, IT'S ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS HOW IT IS GOING TO BE PAID FOR.

IN THE END, RATHER THAN DO A TRUE BIPARTISAN PACKAGE, THERE IS IS A LOT OF HANDOUTS FOR LABOR.

$100 MILLION IN TRANSIT FOR THE COAST.

INDIANA IS NEVER GOING TO SEE IT, ULTIMATELY GOING TO PAY FOR.

SO I THINK FOR THOSE REASONS, HE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SUPPORTING IT.

AT THIS MOMENT, I THINK IF YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW ARE HOOSIERS GOING TO REACT.

I THINK HOOSIERS ARE USED TO WHAT WE DID IN INDIANA, WHICH IS AN HONEST TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE, RAISED GAS TAX TO HONESTLY PAY FOR IT.

WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND REMIND HOOSIERS WHEN IT CAME TIME TO SPEND 25 BILLION ON INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIANA, REPUBLICANS PUT A PACKAGE TOGETHER THAT WAS HONESTLY AND COMPLETELY PAID FOR.

>> ANN DeLANEY, THE BILL ISN'T ENTIRELY PAID FOR, TODD YOUNG NOTED THAT HE DOESN'T THINK THE CBO ESTIMATE IS CORRECT, IT DOESN'T COUNT ALL THE THINGS THAT WILL PAY.

NOT ENOUGH WAS PAID FOR.

DO YOU THINK HOOSIERS AGREE?

>> I THINK TODD YOUNG IS BEING DISINGENUOUS WITH VOTERS.

HE'S NOT CONCERNED ABOUT DEFICITS AT ALL WHEN HE'S CUTTING TAXES FOR CORPORATIONS AND RICH PEOPLE.

HE'S NOT WORRIED HOW THAT'S PAID FOR.

HE'S ONLY WORRIED WHEN SOME PROGRAM WOULD PUT SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE IN A STATE LIKE HOURS WHICH DESPERATELY NEEDS IT.

I EXPECTED MORE OF HIM.

I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE A REPUBLICAN IN THE MOLD OF RICHARD LUGER.

HE WAS ALL FOR THIS BILL KNOWING EXACTLY WAS AT STAKE ALL THE WAY ALONG.

THE ONLY THINGS THAT CHANGED, DONALD TRUMP SAID HE WOULDN'T ENDORSE ANY REPUBLICAN WHO VOTED FOR IT.

AND HE DID THE PLEDGE LIKE THE REST OF THE REPUBLICANS, HE'S SO AFRAID OF DONALD TRUMP THAT HE LETS DONALD TRUMP CONTROL HIS VOTE.

AND I EXPECTED MORE OF HIM.

PARTICULARLY WHEN HE WAS SO IN FAVOR OF THIS AT THE BEGINNING.

SO I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THAT.

IN TERMS OF WHAT IT DOES FOR INDIANA, I THINK THE MEASURE IS GOING TO PASS ANYWAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT OF IT DESPITE OUR TWO SENATORS AND THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE BUDGET DEFICIT WHICH, REMEMBER WHEN WE CUT TAXES UNDER TRUMP FOR THE CORPORATIONS AND RICH PEOPLE, IT WAS GOING TO RESULT IN THE DEFICIT ACTUALLY STRENGTHENING, GUESS WHAT?

THAT NEVER HAPPENED.

IT NEVER DOES.

>> NIKI KELLY, TO THE POINT THAT ANN JUST MADE, THE IDEA OF IF THIS BILL BECOMES LAW ANYWAY, IF INDIANA SEES THE BENEFITS OF ALL OF THE SPENDING IN THE BILL, WILL IT MATTER, THEN, TO HOOSIERS HOW TODD YOUNG AND MIKE BRAUN VOTED?

>> PROBABLY NOT.

IN THE END, THIS IS A PRETTY BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS GOING TO REMEMBER EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW WHO VOTED ON WHAT.

I DO THINK MIKE'S POINT EARLIER ABOUT PAYING FOR IT IS FAIR, BUT REPUBLICANS MADE CLEAR, FEDERALLY THAT THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN A GAS TAX INCREASE, AND THAT WOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT.

SO WHEN THEY TAKE, YOU KNOW, A HUGE ONLY REVENUE-RAISING MEASURE OFF THE TABLE, THEN IT'S HARD NOT TO HAVE A, QUOTE, DEBT BOMB.

AND TO BE FAIR, EVERY BILL THEY PASS ALMOST, LATELY, IS A DEBT BOMB.

IT IS WHETHER YOU APPROVE OF IT OR NOT IS WHETHER YOU LIKE WHAT IT IS FUNDING.

>> JON SCHWANTES, WE FOCUSED ON THE SHOW TODAY ABOUT REALLY, TODD YOUNG AND HIS DECISION NOT TO VOTE FOR THE BILL.

MIKE BRAUN HAD BEEN CLEARER EARLIER THAT HE WAS -- SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS NEVER GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS BILL, MIKE POINTED OUT THAT TODD YOUNG CERTAINLY LEFT THE DOOR OPEN IF THINGS CHANGE.

DOES THAT TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SENATOR TODD YOUNG IS AND WHAT KIND OF SENATOR MIKE BRAUN IS?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT WE COULD HAVE PREDICTED.

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT MIKE BRAUN WAS GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.

IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

BASED ON EVERYTHING HE HAD SAID AND ALL OF THE ACTIONS HE HAD TAKEN PRIOR TO THIS POINT.

AS SUGGESTED, TODD YOUNG WAS A BIT MORE OF AN INTERESTING PROPOSITION.

WOULD HE SUPPORT IT ALONG WITH SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES, OR TAKE THIS STANCE?

AND I THINK ANN'S ASSESSMENT, THERE WAS A LINE IN THERE THAT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING, ANN, EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS INTERESTING.

>> THANK YOU, JON.

>> AS THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES, ANN MADE A POINT SHE THOUGHT TODD YOUNG WAS GOING TO BE SOMEONE IN THE MOLD OF RICHARD LUGER, SOMEONE MODERATE.

AND IN FACT, I THINK THAT WAS A FAIRLY, OR IS A FAIRLY WIDELY HELD ASSESSMENT BY DEMOCRATS IN INDIANA, MAYBE WISHFUL THINKING, BUT MAYBE IT'S JUST THE COMPARISON TO MIKE BRAUN.

HE LOOKS THAT WAY.

BUT HE HAD TAKEN SEVERAL STANCES, AS YOU'LL RECALL, IN RECENT -- IN THE PAST, SAY, 12 MONTHS, THAT MIGHT HAVE RAISED EYEBROWS AMONG CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS.

SO TO ME, THIS IS AN ASSESSMENT PERHAPS OF SAYING WHERE IS MY WEAKNESS?

IT IS NOT SHORING UP SUPPORT AMONG MIDDLE OF THE ROADERS OR CROSSOVER VOTERS FROM DEMOCRAT.

MAKE SURE I'M NOT HIT FROM THE RIGHT AND PRIMARY SOMEONE WHO PORTRAYS ME AS FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE 21st CENTURY.

TO ME, THAT'S THE CALCULATION.

HE HAD MAYBE BEEN TACKING IN A MODERATE WAY AS ANN SUGGESTS, AND MAYBE HE FEELS THE NEED TO SEND A SIGNAL TO HIS CONSERVATIVE BASE THAT HE'S STILL ONE OF THEM >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, REDISTRICTING REFORM ADVOCATES AREN'T HAPPY ABOUT THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN LAWYER THE INDIANA HOUSE GOP HIRED TO CONSULT ON REDISTRICTING.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE WORKING WITH WASHINGTON D-C ATTORNEY JASON TORCHINSKY.

>> HOUSE REPUBLICANS POINT OUT THAT REDISTRICTING IS A COMPLEX PROCESS, WITH A WEB OF FEDERAL LAWS AND COURT RULINGS THAT DETERMINE WHICH LEGISLATIVE MAPS ARE LEGAL.

COMMON CAUSE INDIANA'S JULIA VAUGHN SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH GETTING ADVICE.

BUT SHE ARGUES TORCHINSKY AND HIS FIRM HAVE LONG FOUGHT TO UPHOLD UNFAIR MAPS.

>> JULIA VAUGHN: THIS IS LIKE THE STATE HAS APPOINTED SOMEONE WHO'S CONVICTED OF ARSON TO BE THE FIRE MARSHAL.

>> HOUSE REPUBLICANS INSIST NO OUTSIDE PERSON OR GROUP WILL HELP DRAW THE ACTUAL MAPS.

BUT VAUGHN SAYS THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.

>> JULIA VAUGHN: HE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE CALLED UPON TO WEIGH IN ON WHETHER PACKED AND CRACKED DISTRICTS VIOLATE THE VOTING RIGHTING ACT.

>> LAWMAKERS WILL UNVEIL THEIR NEW MAPS NEXT MONTH.

>> ANN DELANEY, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE ADVICE FOR WHAT IS A COMPLEX LEGAL PROCESS?

>> WELL, TO BEGIN WITH, IT IS NOT A COMPLEX LEGAL PROCESS.

UNLESS HE COME UP WITH MAPS THAT SAY ON THE FACE THESE ARE RACIST MAPS.

THE COURT IS NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO PAY THIS LAWYER WHO, BY THE WAY, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT HIS FAMILY TREE, IS PROBABLY A DESCENDANT OF ELDRIDGE GERRY, HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT GERRYMANDERING, THAT'S ALL HE DOES.

HE FOUNDED A NOT FOR PROFIT TO OPPOSE OUTSIDE MAP-DRAWING BY INDEPENDENT ENTITIES.

SO THEY'RE PAYING HIM $1,300 AN HOUR OF TAXPAYER MONEY.

AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING BY HIRING HIM IS NOT TO GET ADVICE ON TRUMP'S EX LEGAL ISSUES, THEY'RE ALLOWING HIM TO HELP THEM SHAPE THE MAPS WITH THE SHIELD OF WORK PRODUCT AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.

EVERYTHING THEY SEND IS GOING TO HAVE PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION WRITTEN ALL OVER IT SO THAT IT CAN'T BE DISCLOSED TO ANYBODY ELSE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT SO THESE REPUBLICANS IN THE SUPERMAJORITY CAN PICK THE VOTERS THEY WANT AS OPPOSED TO THE VOTERS VOTING FOR THEM.

IT IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF USING -- IN FACT WHEN THEY DID THIS IN 2010, THEY USED PARTY MONEY TO DO IT.

THIS TIME THEY'RE USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO DO IT.

$1,300 AN HOUR TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO SPECIALIZES IN GERRYMANDERING HELP THEM DRAW THE MAPS, WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU.

>> MIKE O'BRIEN, THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT CONTRACT WITH ANY OUTSIDE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION TO ACTUALLY DRAW THE MAPS OR GET DATA.

DOES THAT LOGICALLY FOLLOW WHEN YOU CONSIDER THIS CONTRACT WITH THIS ATTORNEY?

>> NO.

>> 1,300 BUCKS AN HOUR, THOSE ARE ANN DeLANEY RATES.

LOOK, I THINK -- >> I HOPE YOU ASPIRE TO THEM SOME DAY, MIKE.

>> I CERTAINLY DO.

NO, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIRING OUTSIDE COUNSEL, ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY WITH A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE DONE, AND WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT ISN'T.

WE MIGHT DO THIS MORE OFTEN AS IT PASSES LEGISLATION, WATCHING THE FEDERAL COURTS THIS WEEK SPIKE A FEW MORE INDIANA LAWS, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE AN OUTSIDE COUNSELOR PERMANENTLY ON RETAINER TO TELL US THAT.

>> DOESN'T ROKITA DO THAT JOB FOR YOU?

>> THE PROBLEM DEMOCRATS HAVE IN REDISTRICTING GENERALLY, WE HAVE 88% OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS REPUBLICANS, 64% OF MAYORS, GOVERNOR WON 70% OF THE VOTE IN RE-ELECTION.

THE DEMOCRAT NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR IN 2020 CAME IN THIRD PLACE IN A THIRD OF THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE.

THIS IS A REPUBLICAN STATE.

DEEPLY.

HEAVILY.

>> SO THEN DRAW FAIR MAPS.

>> THEY WILL BE FAIR.

>> DRAW FAIR MAPS.

>> YOU ARE OKAY WITH ANYONE WHO IS HIRED TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.

LET ME SPOIL THE OUTCOME, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THE MAPS THEY DRAW.

>> NO KIDDING.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO SEE THEM IN ADVANCE OF THEM GOING INTO LAW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT ISSUE IN A SECOND.

JON SCHWANTES, I WANT TO ASK YOU TO EXACTLY WHAT MIKE O'BRIEN JUST SAID.

IF HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE HIRED ANY OUTSIDE PERSON TO CONSULT ON ANY ISSUE AS RELATED TO REDISTRICTING, ARE DEMOCRATS ALWAYS GOING TO BE UPSET?

>> I ASSUME SO.

AND IN FACT, IF THIS WERE DONE IN REVERSE, AND DEMOCRATS WERE IN CONTROL, THEY WERE DRAWING MAPS, I'M SURE REPUBLICANS WOULD BE SCREAMING FOUL IF DEMOCRATS REACHED FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL, WHICH PRESUMABLY THEY WOULD DO, TODD ROKITA AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

SO MUCH OF THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED.

I GUESS I'M NOT SURPRISED, A, THAT THEY WOULD GET OUTSIDE COUNSEL, IN FACT I'M MORE SURPRISED THEY WOULD MAKE THIS PLEDGE NOT TO RELY ON ANY THIRD-PARTY FOR DATA OR FOR MAP-DRAWING.

SORT OF A DISTINCTION, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE THERE.

IF YOU HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE COUNSEL, AT HAND, YOU MIGHT AS WELL TAKE ADVANTAGE.

BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE OUTCOME, I THINK, MIKE'S RIGHT.

THIS IS SO PREDICTABLE, THIS WHOLE PROCESS, AND THE OUTCOME -- LET ME KNOW WHEN THERE IS A SURPRISE AND I'LL RESPOND TO THAT.

>> OKAY, SO $1,300 AN HOUR TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS MADE A PROFESSIONAL CAREER OF GERRYMANDERING DOESN'T BOTHER YOU AT ALL?

THAT'S JUST FINE.

>> THIS ISN'T A MATTER OF WHETHER IT BOTHERS ME.

A LOT OF THINGS BOTHER ME THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT.

>> IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE IT, JON.

>> I'M JUST ASKING POLITICAL REALITIES OF IT, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING ILLEGAL -- >> NIKI, I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS LAST QUESTION, ANN JUST ASKED IF THIS -- HIRING OF THIS PARTICULAR ATTORNEY BOTHERS JON, NIKI, DO YOU THINK IT BOTHERS HOOSIERS?

>> THE MAJORITY OF HOOSIERS DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHO JASON IS, OR CARE, FRANKLY, THIS IS MY THIRD REDISTRICTING I'VE COVERED, OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS ARE ALWAYS HIRED, OBVIOUSLY THE $1,300 AN HOUR PRICE TAG IS HIGHER THAN I'M USED TO SEEING, I DIDN'T EXPECT DIFFERENT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

INDIANA SCHOOLS ARE REPORTING HUNDREDS OF NEW STUDENT CASES OF COVID-19 - WITH SOME ONLY DAYS INTO A NEW ACADEMIC YEAR.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S JEANIE LINDSAY EXPLAINS, IT'S DISRUPTING CLASSROOMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

>> ACCORDING TO THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S COVID-19 DASHBOARD, HOOSIER SCHOOLS HAVE REPORTED MORE THAN 300 NEW CASES IN THE LAST WEEK ALONE.

IN ANDERSON, ENTIRE CLASSROOMS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO QUARANTINE.

AND IN SOUTHERN INDIANA, A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME WAS CANCELED BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS IN QUARANTINE.

THE OUTBREAKS - COMBINED WITH THE LATEST GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC - ARE PROMPTING SOME SCHOOLS TO REVISIT MASK POLICIES.

BUT OTHERS HAVE YET TO CHANGE COURSE, INCLUDING A CHARTER SCHOOL IN MONROE COUNTY DEFYING A MASK MANDATE FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS.

>> JON SCHWANTES, WE'RE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS SHOW TALKING ABOUT, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, LEARNING LOSS, AND SETBACKS THAT STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE SUFFERED OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, ARE WE NOW FACING WHAT WOULD THEN BE THE THIRD SCHOOL YEAR IN A ROW IN WHICH STUDENTS POTENTIALLY FALL BEHIND BECAUSE OF COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS?

>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF BILL MURRAY AND I LIKE THE MOVIE GROUNDHOG DAY BUT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE THE MOVIE IN SUCH A SERIOUS AND PAINFUL FASHION FOR SCHOOL KIDS ACROSS THE STATE.

IT DOES SEEM THAT WE ARE IN THIS BAD CASE OF REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT.

AND YOU'D THINK AT SOME POINT WE WOULD HAVE LEARNED SOME LESSONS ALONG THE WAY, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A GREATER VACCINATION RATE.

I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT WE -- AS MORE PRIVATE EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRING THIS, MORE PUBLIC EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRING IT, YOU KNOW, THERE AREN'T AS MANY HANDCUFFS ON SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF INDIANA AS THERE ARE IN SOME OTHER STATES WHERE THEY HAVE NO OPTIONS, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY TOLD THEM WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO.

THAT'S TO A CERTAIN EXTENT HERE, WE HAVE A LITTLE ROOM, LET'S HOPE THIS IS NOT YEAR THREE.

>> NIKI KELLY, LAWMAKERS SPENT TIME THIS LAST SESSION TALKING ABOUT AND SPENDING MONEY TO HELP SCHOOLS WITH ALL THE FEDERAL MONEY COMING TO SCHOOLS TO HELP WITH LEARNING LOSS.

BUT ARE WE -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY NONE OF THAT WAS A MISTAKE, BUT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO A YEAR FROM NOW OR SEVERAL MONTHS FROM NOW BE LOOKING AT MORE MONEY BECAUSE THAT LEARNING LOSS WE AREN'T RECOVERING NEARLY AS MUCH?

>> PROBABLY.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE A LOT OF SCHOOLS HAVE PULLED BACK ON THE VIRTUAL OPTIONS, THERE IS NO WAY EVEN FOR THE KIDS TO STAY UP-TO-DATE WHEN THEY ARE QUARANTINED FOR 14 DAYS OR WHATEVER.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PARENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.

BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE MOST SCHOOLS DOING MASK OPTIONAL, THEY HAVE REVERTED BACK ON OTHER THINGS, THERE AREN'T PLEXIGLASS BARRIERS, MOVED FROM INDIVIDUAL DESKS BACK TO GROUP SETTINGS AT TABLES.

IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER, TO ME, WHERE WE DID EVERYTHING LAST YEAR AND NOW WE'RE DOING NOTHING.

AND JUST PEOPLE ARE REALLY FRUSTRATED.

>> MIKE O'BRIEN, WE'RE SEEING -- TO THE POINT NIKI JUST RAISED, THE RESPONSE FROM THE STATE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF SCHOOLS IS EVERY SCHOOL IS ON THEIR OWN, IN TERMS OF THE DECISIONS THEY WANT TO MAKE FOR THAT SCHOOL AND THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'LL ASK, I SUPPOSE, THIS FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS IS THAT THE RIGHT POLICY CONSIDERING HOW BAD THE SPREAD IS IN LITERALLY EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE?

>> EVERY OTHER DECISION IS DECENTRALIZED, BASED ON UNIQUE LOCAL CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND AND FOR SUPERINTENDENTS TO MAKE THOSE CALLS.

WASN'T UNNECESSARILY LIKE WHERE WE STARTED ALL THIS IN MARCH OF 2020.

THE MAIN PROBLEM HERE IS -- I'LL USE JOSH O'BRIEN AS AN EXAMPLE, HE WENT ALL YEAR WITHOUT BEING QUARANTINED FOR CONTACT TRACING OR HAVING TO TEST POSITIVE -- LESS THAN THREE DAYS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE ONE HE'S VACCINATED, A LOT OF THOSE KIDS ARE VACCINATED.

AND WE'RE ALL POTENTIALLY CARRYING THIS.

IT IS GOING TO SPREAD AT VERY HIGH RATES, WE'RE NO LONGER IN THE YOU MIGHT NOT GET COVID IN YOUR LIFE, EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET THIS, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT IS THE QUESTION.

BUT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET IT.

SO WHEN YOU'RE VACCINATED, AND YOU'RE CARRYING IT, YOU ARE INFECTING FAR MORE PEOPLE THAN YOU WOULD HAVE A YEAR AGO BECAUSE THE PROTOCOLS ARE DIFFERENT, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CATASTROPHIC THING.

IF PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY SHOULD DO, WHICH IS GET VACCINATED AND GO ON WITH LIFE.

>> TO MIKE O'BRIEN'S POINT, ANN DeLANEY, I AGREE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES AREN'T NEARLY AS WORSE FOR SPREADING COVID NOW IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, BUT IF YOU GO BELOW THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, A LOT OF THOSE KIDS CAN'T BE VACCINATED.

IF YOU'RE A SCHOOL, WHAT DOES THE RESPONSE NEED TO BE AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS POTENTIALLY?

>> THERE OUGHT TO BE A MASK MANDATE FOR EVERY SCHOOL, FRANKLY IT SHOULD HAVE COME FROM THE GOVERNOR.

THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPIKE THIS OUT IN 270 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE WHERE LOCALLY ELECTED PEOPLE START GETTING THREATS FROM THESE ANTE VACCINERS, ANTE MASKERS OUT THERE IS UNREALISTIC, BUT EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD BE NOT ONLY FULLY MASKED, BUT THEY OUGHT TO SEPARATE AND THEY OUGHT TO USE THE SAME PROTOCOLS WE HAD LAST YEAR.

BECAUSE UNTIL WE CAN GET YOUNG CHILDREN VACCINATED, THIS CAN BE VERY SERIOUS TO THEM.

THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS OF CHILDREN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IS SKYROCKETING IN OTHER STATES.

I HEARD THE BEST EXPLANATION OF THIS FROM A 16-YEAR-OLD WHO CALLED IN TO NPR WHO SAID WHY IS WEARING A MASK A POLITICAL ISSUE, WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS WITH EVERYONE'S HEALTH, WHY CAN'T WE USE USE COMMON SENSE AND TAKE THE KINDS OF STEPS THAT WE KNOW THAT CAN PROTECT THOSE CHILDREN?

IF YOU'RE A SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND YOU HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD THAT'S NOT GOING TO ALLOW MASKS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BRING CHILDREN IN THERE AND PRESUMABLY A NUMBER OF THEM ARE GOING TO SICKEN, BE HOSPITALIZED AND GOD FORBID SOME MAY DIE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A POLITICAL EXPRESSION ABOUT USING COMMON SENSE, IT IS MIND-BOGGLING >> TIME FOR VIEWER FEEDBACK.

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: WILL THIS BE ANOTHER “LOST” SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS?

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: WILL THE INDIANA STATE FAIR CAUSE A SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES?

73% SAY YES, 37% SAY NO.

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

REPUBLICAN LEADERS WEDNESDAY THREW COLD WATER ON CALLS FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ACROSS THE STATE ON REDISTRICTING ONCE LAWMAKERS UNVEIL PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE MAPS.

ADVOCATES SAY THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PROPOSALS AND WEIGH IN WHEN LAWMAKERS GATHER NEXT MONTH.

>> THIS YEAR'S REDISTRICTING PROCESS WAS ALREADY HEAVILY DELAYED BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WASN'T ABLE TO SEND STATES THE NECESSARY DATA UNTIL NOW.

AND HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR TIM WESCO SAYS COUNTY CLERKS ACROSS INDIANA NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE NEW DISTRICT MAPS LOOK LIKE AS THEY PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS.

>> REP. TIM WESCO (R-OSCEOLA): TO DELAY THIS ANY LONGER THAN IT'S ALREADY BEEN DELAYED COULD CREATE SOME SIGNIFICANT RIPPLE EFFECTS THAT CREATE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION.

>> DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE MATT PIERCE ISN'T BUYING IT.

>> REP. MATT PIERCE (D-BLOOMINGTON): YOU CAN HAVE AT LEAST A COUPLE WEEKS OF MORE HEARINGS ON THE ACTUAL PROPOSED MAPS AND, I THINK, GET THINGS DONE IN TIME FOR THE LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

>> THERE WILL LIKELY ONLY BE ONE HEARING EACH, AT THE STATEHOUSE, IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE ONCE THE MAPS ARE UNVEILED NEXT MONTH.

>> NIKI KELLY, WILL THE AVERAGE HOOSIER SEE THIS AS ACCEPTABLE?

>> LOOK, WE'RE SO MANY MONTHS BEHIND.

TO ACT LIKE ONE MORE WEEK WOULD JUST THROW IT INTO DISARRAY IS A HARD SELL.

TO BE FAIR, THOUGH, I LOOK BACK IN 2001, AND 2011, I THINK THE MOST WE HAD BETWEEN UNVEILING THE MAPS AND THE FIRST HEARING, TESTIMONY AND VOTE WAS TWO DAYS.

I DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN THAT.

I REALLY DO WISH THEY WOULD GIVE PEOPLE SOME MORE OPTIONS AND MORE TIME TO REVIEW THEM.

BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO REALLY LOOK THROUGH THOSE MAPS AND SEE WHERE IT SPLITS SPECIFIC POLITICAL BOUNDARIES AND THINGS.

YOU SEE THE BIG THINGS RIGHT AWAY.

BUT THERE'S A LOT TO TAKE IN.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE THAN A FEW DAYS TO LOOK AT THEM.

>> JON SCHWANTES, LET'S SAY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS DID EXACTLY WHAT SOME OF THESE ADVOCATES WANT, THEY UNVEIL IN SEPTEMBER, AND SAY WE'RE GOING ON ANOTHER STATE-WIDE TRIP, HEARINGS AROUND THE STATE TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE VOTE.

WILL IT MATTER THE ACTUAL MAPS THAT END UP GETTING DRAWN?

>> NO, THIS WAS THE POINT I WAS MAKING NOT VERY ARTICULATELY BEFORE WHEN ANN SAID I WAS UNAMERICAN OR SUGGESTED AS MUCH.

I'M AS IDEALISTIC AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HEARING, EVERYBODY WEIGH IN, THOSE OPINIONS HEATED, BUT I THOUGHT I WAS ASKED ABOUT THE PRACTICALITIES OF IT.

AND TO THAT -- THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BRANDON, IS NO, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, THERE CAN BE UMPTEEN HEARINGS, 92, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ONE ON EVERY COURTHOUSE SQUARE IN THE STATE, TO WHAT END?

THAT THAT'S NOT MY OPINION, I'M GIVING YOU AN ASSESSMENT HOW THIS IS LIKELY TO TURN OUT.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU, JON.

THAT'S INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW FOR THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL IS DEMOCRAT ANN DELANEY.

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.

STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN, GET VACCINATED, AND JOIN US NEXT TIME BECAUSE A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

♪♪ CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

CAN HAPPEN IN AN INDIANA WEEK.

>> INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORTERS OF INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS, AND BY ICE MILLER.

ICE MILLER IS A FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM COMMITTED TO HELPING CLIENTS BUILD, GROW AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.

MORE AT ICEMILLER.COM.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE PANELISTS.

"INDIANA WEEK IN REVIEW" IS A WFYI PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING