The Senate Judiciary Committee heard HB 1405 pertaining to state examiner, attorney general, and prosecuting attorneys, sponsored by Sen. Niemeyer. Author Rep. Slager explained that the bill authorizes concurrent criminal jurisdiction by the Attorney General and prosecuting attorney to prosecute certain violations committed by local public officers under the purview of the State Board of Accounts. The bill also expands the Attorney General’s authority to bring a civil action to remove a public official from office when a second, unrelated violation of IC 5-11-1-10 or IC 5-11-1-21 is committed and to combine this action with an action brought under IC 5-11-5-1. An amendment was adopted by consent removing the concurrent criminal jurisdiction provisions. The State Examiner testified in support of the bill. The Association of Indiana Counties testified in opposition to the bill. The amended bill failed to pass 5-3.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/house/1405.