Ind. Legislative Session Could End Friday

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Indiana lawmakers are hoping to wrap up the 2012 legislative session Friday, five days ahead of schedule.

One of the big bills keeping lawmakers busy is the statewide smoking ban proposal. The Senate could vote on it today, and whether to keep it as the same version compromised by Senate and House leaders.

Another last minute issue is whether lawmakers will void a specialty license plate benefitting Indiana’s gay youth. A bill to end the plate’s production - as well as all other plates approved last year and any plate that sells less than 1,000 copies in a year – had died earlier this month, but the Indiana Youth Group plate could be stopped on a technicality.

There's still a lot of work to be done before the 2012 session ends, however, as other important bills are up against the clock:

Senate Bill 1 - Specifies that a person may use reasonable force to prevent a law enforcement officer's unlawful entry into the person's dwelling. Lawful entries would still be protected from a homeowners refusal.

Senate Bill 293 - Provides for a 10 year phase-out of the state’s inheritance tax beginning in 2012.

House Bill 1376 – Automatic taxpayer refund

Lawmakers could extend the session as far as Wednesday, March 14 when the legislative deadline strikes at midnight.