State Senator Jim Banks, a Naval Reserve officer, is being deployed to Afghanistan this fall and will miss the entire 2015 legislative session. He will use a provision in state law to take a temporary leave from his seat rather than resign.

State Senator Jim Merritt says he's going to push for legislation next session that would dramatically increase penalty enhancements for criminals that use a gun. He says it's a response to what he calls a "crisis" in Indiana's urban areas.

Deputy Chief of Staff Marilee Springer would be returning to the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller. Springer was a tax lawyer at the firm before joining the governor's team.

An Indiana Tax Conference held Tuesday focused on simplifying the state's tax system. Governor Mike Pence says a simpler code will be a big part of his legislative agenda next session.

A conservative group is running radio ads across Indiana this week urging Hoosiers to reject Governor Mike Pence's proposed healthcare expansion plan known as HIP 2.0.

The amount of confidence Americans have in Congress has hit a new low, plummeting from highs in the 1970s and '80s. In the same period, the military has boosted its image.

City County Council Democrats are offering a counter to Mayor Ballard's $300 million plan to fix roads, sidewalks and greenways. President Maggie Lewis calls the Democrat proposal more fiscally responsible and thinks it will ultimately help establish some middle ground.

More than a hundred legislators from around the country will gather in Indianapolis this week to lay the foundation for a future constitutional convention.

The Indiana Republican Party passed a platform Saturday endorsing marriage that some delegates found divisive.

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is scaling down a plan to pay for infrastructure projects in the city. Since August, he has been promoting the proposal called Rebuild Indy 2, but Friday offered a revised version as a way to increase support for it.