Gov. weighs in on bills in statehouse

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WANE/AP) - Governor Mitch Daniels said Thursday that he thinks lawmakers are working on the right issues and seem to be getting along well this session.

At its halfway mark, several bills passed out of each chamber and are now being discussed in the other. Click on the stories on the left in this story to learn about those bills and hear Governor Daniels' thoughts on them.

Here's the latest updates on other bills moving through the statehouse.

Moving Riverboat Casinos Inland:

The Republican leader in the Indiana House says he'll fight any efforts to pass legislation allowing the state's riverboat casinos to move inland.

House Minority Leader Brian Bosma of Indianapolis suggested Wednesday that it would be an expansion of gambling, and said there's been enough of that already.

The Senate considered a bill that originally would have allowed riverboat casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River to move inland. Supporters say inland casinos might attract more customers and help stave off competition from gambling expansions or possible expansions in neighboring states.

The Senate ultimately removed the land-based provisions, but they could be revived in the House.

Pet Background in Pet Stores:

The Indiana House has approved a bill that would require retail pet stores to give buyers information about a pet's background and medical history before selling a dog or cat.

The House voted 71-26 for the bill on Tuesday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.

Supporters say the legislation is critical to protect consumers looking for a family pet.

The bill would require pet stores to put information about the dog or cat on its cage in the store. That includes the animal's medical history, the name of the breeder and any congenital disorders. Customers could get other information, including the address and size of the breeding operation, upon request or when they buy a dog or cat.

Government Workers' Citizenship:

The Indiana Senate has approved a proposal supporters say would verify the citizenship of state government workers.

The Republican-led Senate voted 46-4 for the bill, which requires state agencies to verify the status of workers through the online E-Verify program. The legislation also prohibits state agencies from having public contracts with companies unless they use the online system to check the citizenship of their workers.

Bill sponsor Republican Sen. Mike Delph of Carmel has previously proposed immigration bills that would punish Indiana businesses for hiring illegal workers, but those proposals never won consensus in the Statehouse. The bill now moves to the Democrat-led House for consideration.

Lawmaker Lobbyist Rules:

Lawmakers would have to wait for at least a year before becoming lobbyists if a bill that cleared the Indiana Senate becomes law.

The Republican-led Senate voted unanimously Tuesday for the bill, which also requires lobbyists to report gifts to lawmakers worth $50 or more. Gifts over $100 must currently be reported.

The bill also prohibits campaign fundraising by candidates for statewide office during budget-writing legislative sessions.

The bill now moves to the Democrat-led House, where lawmakers have already approved a similar proposal.