INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Legislators in the Indiana Statehouse are inching closer to naming popcorn as the official state snack in Indiana.
The bill, which has now passed the Senate and the House in Indianapolis, would make popcorn grown on Indiana soil the official state snack.
According to the bill’s text, the Hoosier state produces nearly 500 million pounds of popcorn within the state each year.
Popcorn has special ties to the Wabash Valley, as Orville Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Indiana, and Clay County has regularly hosted a popcorn festival to celebrate Redenbacher’s origins.
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Filing for financial aid could soon come with benefits for school corporations in Indiana.
A bill that has passed through the Senate and the House would create a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion incentive pilot program.
The program would award school corporations for an increase in FAFSA completion percentages. School corporations would need to increase that percentage by at least 5% from the previous state fiscal year.
There will be a formula to determine the amount a school corporation will be awarded for the increase in FAFSA completions.
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Energy policy is the focus of another bill, which would re-establish the 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force.
The task force would be made up of 17 appointed members, and would submit recommendations on energy policy to the general assembly by November 2022.
Meetings held by the task force will be open to the public and all records of the task force will be accessible by the public as well under Indiana’s Public Records Law.
For a full list of bills still active at the Indiana Statehouse, visit the Indiana General Assembly’s website.
