Indiana lawmakers face decisions on the new state budget and some other contentious issues with less than two weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session.
Legislators return to the Statehouse on Monday still looking for agreements on topics such as whether to allow needle exchange programs in more counties in response to an HIV outbreak in southern Indiana.
Other unsettled issues include a proposal allowing the removal of Democratic state schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz as leader of the State Board of Education and whether to allow live dealers for table games at two horse track casinos near Indianapolis.
Fiscal leaders also are working on changes to school funding that could shift money from many urban and rural districts with shrinking enrollments to those in growing suburban communities.