Indiana
Indiana Supreme Court case mulls whether counties can strip health insurance from elected officials • Indiana Capital Chronicle
Are elected officials entitled to health insurance regardless of the number of hours they work?
That question is before the Indiana Supreme Court, who heard arguments in a Perry County case Thursday that could have statewide implications for local officials.
The case began after the Perry County commissioners discontinued health insurance coverage for certain part-time county employees in June 2023. A Perry County councilman, Keith Huck, sued and sought an injunction to keep his insurance. He works about nine hours a month, according to evidence in the case.
A local judge granted Huck’s injunction, but the Indiana Court of Appeals disagreed. The appeal to the Indiana Supreme court is interlocutory, meaning it is occurring while the case is ongoing.
“This court should declare that local unit elected officials who work less than 30 hours a week should be part-time employees for purposes of group health benefits,” said attorney Maggie Smith, representing Perry County.
“Exempting all local unit elected officials from being considered part-time employees will have such a drastic fiscal impact on the public’s fisc that such an exemption should be the result of a public policy decision of the Legislature, and that has not happened yet,” she added.
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She argued that state law gives local units the right to not offer health insurance to part-time employees and that’s what Perry County did when facing a fiscal crisis.
The decision impacted 12 of the 21 local elected officials they deemed part-time, including the Perry County commissioners who made the decision.
Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush pointed out that state law says elected county officials are not required to report hours and can’t determine or change compensation based on the number of hours worked. She asked if insurance is part of compensation.
Smith said it isn’t part of compensation at the county level and said counties are allowed to exempt part-time employees from health care benefits. She also acknowledged confusion between statutes.
“I agree with you that these statutes, as is sometimes the case, are not the pillar of clarity, but the answer to that in this case is precisely why this court should not create rights that have such a significant financial impact,” she said.
Justice Geoffrey Slaughter said county council members on the same board could work different hours and therefore one could be eligible for insurance and the other not. Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa also noted there are elected county prosecutors in smaller communities that might not meet 30 hours a week.
Attorney Robert Burkart, representing Huck, said a county can choose not to offer insurance at all, but if they do, then elected officials have a right to participate.
Slaughter questioned that contention: “Essential to your argument is that the county cannot treat elected officials as part-time employees. But where does it say that?”
Burkart said justices must look at a progression of statutes from 1957 to 1990 and to a non-binding attorney general opinion from 1978.
“Basically, the General Assembly giveth and only the General Assembly can taketh away from elected officials if the insurance is offered,” he said.
The court also has to consider whether Huck losing county-paid insurance counts as irreparable harm that would require an injunction. Smith said Huck could have gone on COBRA insurance or bought a plan on the marketplace.
But Burkart said the plans would have different levels of protection and there would be continuity of care issues.
But Slaughter said Huck can receive damages at the end of the case if he wins to cover his losses.
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — More than 50 Indiana law enforcement agencies are taking to the roof to help local athletes.
Police and safety officers will be stationed around various Dunkin’ Donuts, taking up donations for the Special Olympics. People who monetarily donate will receive a coupon for a free donut. Those who donate $10 or more will receive a coupon for a free medium hot coffee.
“Supporting the Special Olympics isn’t just an event for us — it’s a commitment to people who inspire us every day,” Sergeant Wes Rowlader said. “These athletes show what determination, courage, and community truly look like. Every dollar we raise helps transform that spirit into training, competition, and lifelong confidence.”
More than 20,000 Hoosier athletes train and compete for free within the Special Olympics. To date, Cop on a Rooftop has raised more than $125,000 for Special Olympics Indiana.
The Indiana State Police will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 9821 Lima Road in Fort Wayne from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday.
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The Indiana Attorney General has finished its investigation into Karl King Tower and issued a compliance order.
This is coming after a months-long investigation into the unsafe living conditions for residents at the apartments.
From December 2025 to January 2026, there were prolonged failures with the heating and a lack of heat for residents during winter conditions at Karl King.
The property owner provided a 20% rent credit for affected tenants and documentation related to health and safety issues.
Below is the agreement from the Attorney General:
- The owner must complete boiler and heating system improvements by September 30.
- The property is subject to a monitoring period for multiple years.
- The owner needs to provide on-site security, including cameras in common areas and monthly incident reports.
- The building needs an on-site property manager to address resident concerns.
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The Attorney General has the authority to inspect the property and enforce compliance if commitments aren’t met.
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