HOUSE HEARING ON KERNAN-SHEPARD: The House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee will consider some of the governor’s proposals for local government restructuring (Weidenener, Louisville Courier-Journal). The committee, which will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the House chamber, is scheduled to take testimony on one part of the local reform package — a bill to move city elections to the same year as county and state elections and prohibit local government employees from serving on the councils or boards that govern them. Committee Chairman John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, said he wants to hear opinions on all aspects of the governor’s local government agenda, including proposals to eliminate townships, restructure county governments, and consolidate libraries and some school districts. Today’s committee hearing comes even as House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, has questioned whether any of the local government changes are needed and has said repeatedly that the state faces more serious issues. Bauer is now mockingly calling the Kernan-Shepard report just the “Shepard report.” “They (Daniels’ proposals) have been sheared and they look like — they don’t look like sheep to me,” Bauer said. “They look like some kind of raw animal that’s been cut down.” That raises questions about whether the committee intends to vote on Senate Bill 452 or any of the other proposals. The leading Senate backer of the local government changes, Sen. Connie Lawson, R-Danville, said yesterday that she “can only hope” that the committee is serious. Bartlett
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