Central Indiana State Senators are joining forces to fight the increase in crime occurring in Marion County and other areas of the state.

State Sens. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield), Patricia Miller (R-Indianapolis), Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis), Brent Waltz (R-Greenwood) and R. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis) are authoring a crime-reduction package to better protect Hoosier citizens by keeping police officers safe, providing prosecutors stronger sentencing tools, directing funds to high-crime areas and denying record expungement to violent felons.

Young’s Senate Bill 559 increases the sentence for a crime by 20 years if a firearm was pointed or discharged at a police officer during the commission of the crime.

“We want to keep our police officers safe, keep violent criminals off the streets and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people who want to harm others,” said Young, chair of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law. “Hopefully we can dissuade criminals from harming our brave officers and innocent citizens. If stronger sentences won’t deter them, then they will be locked up for longer periods of time, keeping them off our streets.”

Schneider is authoring Senate Bill 92 to strengthen sentencing for violent felons who unlawfully possess a deadly weapon and for criminals who possess a deadly weapon while dealing with controlled substances.

The proposal also adds offenses like resisting law enforcement, child molestation, burglary, robbery and battery to the list of crimes that are eligible for a sentencing enhancement if a deadly weapon is used to commit the crime.

“The goal is to keep violent offenders off the streets,” Schneider said. “This proposal gives prosecutors more tools to identify criminals who are prone to violent crime before they become habitual offenders.”

Crider, Colonel and former director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources division of law enforcement, is authoring Senate Bill 94 to provide prosecutors stronger sentencing tools by modifying the statute of limitations for filing rape charges.

“Currently in Indiana, the statute of limitations for filing rape charges is five years,” Crider said. “My bill will extend the statute of limitations by an additional five years if there is a confession, if new DNA evidence is identified or the original police report said ‘unknown suspect’ and a suspect is later identified.”

Waltz’s Senate Bill 551 would establish a police-enhancement pilot program that will direct $200,000 per year to Marion, Lake and Allen counties for the next two years.

“The additional money will fund a rapid response, getting law enforcement into high-crime areas as well as deterring criminals from invading neighborhoods at risk of increased criminal activity,” Waltz said.

Miller’s Senate Bill 164 denies record expungement to criminals with two convictions using a deadly weapon.

“Violent offenders should not be able to get their records expunged,” Miller said.

Immediately following the announcement of the crime-reduction package, Crider, Miller, Schneider, Waltz and Young officially filed their bills. Bill packets will be uploaded to www.in.gov/legislative.

Tickets are on sale now to see Wilson, Brewster, and Koko from the hit Disney Junior show come alive for endless fun!

The entire family will enjoy hours of singing and dancing when Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure comes to Indianapolis on Friday, February 20, 2015 for two action-packed shows (3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.) at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre. Tickets are on sale now at the Old National Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, OldNationalCentre.com and by phone at 800-745-3000.

This new production features impressive trains with working features and movements that bring the Chuggington TV series characters to life on stage. A fun, two-act musical, this live show is presented before a giant LED video wall featuring animated locations and sensational background action sequences from the popular TV series.

In Chuggington Live! The Great Rescue Adventure, the trainees are eager to impress their mentors by mastering new roles that test their courage, speed and determination. When Koko finds herself in trouble at Rocky Ridge Mine, it’s up to her friends to help her. Do the trainees have what it takes to put their newly learned skills into practice to save Koko?

Chuggington currently airs in more than 178 countries and is translated into 36 different languages. In the United States, the series airs daily on Disney Junior and weekdays on Disney Channel. The series first launched in the United States in 2010 on Disney Junior.

For more information on tickets, show times and additional information, please visit lifeliketouring.com.

Every winter, thousands of Hoosiers enjoy fishing, skating, hiking or just sliding around on frozen ponds and lakes. And every year, people drown after falling through ice.

As ice begins to form on many waterways, Indiana Conservation Officers with the Department of Natural Resources want citizens to put safety first.

Here are a few tips to remember before going onto a frozen lake or pond:

• No ice is safe ice.
• At least 4 inches of ice is recommended for safe ice fishing; 5 inches for snowmobiling.
• If you don’t know, don’t go.
• Wear lifejackets or flotation coats.
• Carry ice hooks and rope gear.

Depending on conditions, ice can change from several inches thick to nearly open water within just a few feet. Flowing water, such as rivers and streams, should be avoided when covered by a layer of ice. Water surrounded by sand often freezes with inconsistencies.

Wind, waterfowl and beavers can also keep areas of ice thin.

Parents are strongly encouraged to closely supervise all activities their children participate in on our frozen waterways.

When participating in any recreational activity on ice, partnering up is a must. This includes ice fishing.

A fall into icy water can quickly result in the onset of hypothermia for the victim, which can lead to catastrophic consequences if not treated immediately. If you see a person fall through the ice, call 911 immediately with clear and concise instructions on the location of the victim. Attempts to rescue a victim should begin only after calling 911.

Going into the water after the victim should be the last option in a rescue effort.

The reading exam that third graders have to pass to move on to fourth grade would be given to second graders instead if one lawmaker gets her way.

A bill from freshman Senator Erin Houchin (HOW-chin) (R, Salem) would move the IREAD assessment back to second grade starting next school year, and students initially would not be held back a grade if they did not pass the exam. “This came through conversations I had over the last year with teachers who were concerned about too much testing in third grade,” Houchin said.

In addition to IREAD, third grade students take ISTEP for the first time as well as acuity testing throughout the year in some districts to see how students are learning academic standards. “You are looking at roughly three weeks of teacher prep and student time outside of classroom instruction spent on testing.”

Houchin‘s bill will be presented to the Senate Education Committee at its meeting on Wednesday, and she says State Superintendent Glenda Ritz seemed open to the idea when Houchin spoke to her about it, though Ritz has long been an opponent of IREAD.

“I met with the superintendent last week…what she has told me and what I have heard from teachers is that IREAD is a second-grade level test, so there would be no problem in giving it to second graders,” Houchin said. Ritz‘s office did not comment when asked about the meeting with Houchin or the bill, but Ritz has previously criticized what she called the “high stakes” nature of IREAD and the policy of making students repeat third grade who didn‘t pass it.
Under Houchin‘s bill, second grade students who did not pass IREAD could still move on to third grade and would be given another chance to take the exam after getting remedial instruction.

Third-grade students who didn‘t pass IREAD the second time around would still be subject to retention. “This is an idea that came from teachers, and I have two principals from my district who will testify in favor of it. So far, the reception among educators to me has been positive.”

The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Pete Miller (R, Avon).