Karen Tallian

Karen Tallian
Member of the Indiana Senate
from the 4th district
In office
2005 -
Personal details
Born December 2, 1950
Streator, Illinois
Political party Democrat
Spouse(s) Divorced
Residence Ogden Dunes, Indiana
Alma mater Harrington College of Design, University of Chicago, Valparaiso University
Profession Attorney

Karen R. Tallian (born December 2, 1950) is a Democratic member of the Indiana Senate, representing the 4th District, since her appointment in December 2005. While serving in the Senate, Tallian has supported the decriminalization of marijuana and authored bills in its favor. Her main focus this year was the medical marijuana bill, raising minimum wage, employee's right to scheduled employment, the school funding formula and the state’s biennial budget.[1][2][3][4]

Personal Details

Education

Tallian earned her B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology at the University of Chicago in 1972, an associate’s degree from Chicago’s Harrington College of Design postgradute, and her J.D. from Valparaiso University in 1990.[5]

Prior to Senate

She has professional experience working as an Adjunct Professor for Valparaiso University Law School, attorney for the Portage Township Trustee, the Portage Fire Department, the Porter County Plan Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, attorney for Hilbnich Law, attorney for Bruce Clark and Associates and attorney/Partner for Eberhard and Gastineau since 1998. Karen also served as President and board member of the Portage Parks Foundation, President of the Porter County League of Women Voters and the Director of the State Board of the League of Women Voters.[5]

Family

Karen has three adult children; Mike is a Portage firefighter, Christopher works in Chicago and attends school and the daughter Aimee is working in Montana for the National Parks Service. Tallian resides in Portage,Indiana.

Political career

Political Positions

Mrs. Tallian began her public service career by serving on the counsel for various agencies in Porter County. She has committed her public service life to ensuring that Hoosiers have the best quality of life, which includes all the protection in our Bill of Rights for all people. She also tries to be a progressive advocate for working class Americans. She first joined the State Senate in December 2005, then won re-election in 2006, 2010 and 2014. She represents District 4, D-Portage, which includes portions of Porter and LaPorte counties.[5]

Commitee Assignments

Appropriations (Ranking Minority Member)

Corrections & Criminal Law

Environmental Affairs

Pensions & Labor (Ranking Minority Member)

Rules & Legislative Procedure

Other Indiana General Assembly Affiliations

State Budget Committee

Indiana Rural Caucus

National Committees

National Conference of State Legislatures Labor and Economic Development Committee

Great Lakes Legislative Caucus

2006

November 7, 2006, Democrat Karen Tallian won re-election to the Indiana State Senate District 4 receiving 19,431 votes, beating Republican member Dale Brewer only receiving 11,622 votes.[6]

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome
Karen Tallian Democrat 19,431 Won
Dale Brewer Republican 11,622 Lost

2010

During her first general election on November 2, Tallian defeated Republican Shawn Olson, receiving 3,031 more votes. Tallian ran unopposed in the May 4 Democratic primary.[7]

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome
Karen Tallian Democrat 18,888 Won
Shawn Olson Republican 15,857 Lost

2014

In 2014, Tallian ran unchallenged in the Indiana Primary Election on May 6, 2014, receiving 3958 votes. She went unopposed in the General Election on November 4.[8]

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome
Karen Tallian Democrat 3958 Won
Unopposed -- -- --

Political issues

Marijuana

2011: SB 192 - Study of marijuana. Requires the Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee to study issues relating to marijuana. (Passed out of the Senate. Sponsored in the House by Reps. Linda Lawson and Thomas Knollman; died in the House Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures)[9]

2012: SB 347 - Marijuana offenses. Provides that operating a vehicle with an inactive metabolite of marijuana, hashish, or hash oil in one's body does not violate the impaired driving laws. Makes possession of less than three ounces of marijuana a Class C infraction. Makes possession of more than three ounces of marijuana a Class B misdemeanor, and makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the person has two or more prior convictions involving marijuana in the past five years. (Assigned to Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters Committee. Never received a hearing.) [10]

2013: SB 580 - Marijuana. Provides that operating a vehicle with an inactive metabolite of marijuana, hashish, or hash oil in one's body does not violate the impaired driving laws. Authorizes the licensed cultivation and production of industrial hemp in accordance with rules adopted by the department of agriculture. Makes possession of less than two ounces of marijuana a Class C infraction. Makes possession of more than two ounces of marijuana a Class B misdemeanor, and makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the person has two or more prior convictions involving marijuana in the past five years. (Assigned to Corrections and Criminal Law Committee. Never received a hearing.)[11]

2014: SB 314 – Legalization of small amounts of Marijuana. Authorizes the licensed cultivation and production of industrial hemp in accordance with rules adopted by the department of agriculture. Makes possession of less than two ounces of marijuana a Class C infraction. Makes possession of more than two ounces of marijuana a Class B misdemeanor, and makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the person has two or more prior convictions involving marijuana in the past five years. (Assigned to Corrections and Criminal Law Committee. Never received a hearing.)[12]

2015: SB 284 – Medical marijuana. Establishes a medical marijuana program and permits caregivers and patients who have received a physician recommendation to possess a certain quantity of marijuana for treatment. Creates the department of marijuana enforcement (DOME) to oversee the program, and creates the DOME advisory committee to review the effectiveness of the program and to consider recommendations from DOME. Authorizes DOME to grant research licenses to research facilities with a physical presence in Indiana. Repeals the controlled substance excise tax and the marijuana eradication program. (Assigned to Health and Provider Services Committee. Never received a hearing.)[13]

IN Civil Rights Code

The Senate Democrats have been working on amending the IN Civil Rights Code to include protections for LGBTQ Hoosiers. As the Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tallian is busy working on the state’s biennial budget. This is the only piece of legislation that must be passed before the April 29, 2015 session deadline.

Minimum Wage

2015: SB 41- Increases the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. (Assigned to Pensions and Labor Committee. Never received a hearing.) [14]

State biennial budget

2015: HB 1001- Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes.[15]

Employee's Right to Scheduled Employment

2015: SB 416- Employee's right to scheduled employment. Requires an employer to post a schedule of hours and days to be worked by certain employees not less than seven days prior to the first day that the employee is scheduled to work during that pay period. Requires an employer to pay an employee for not less than 1/2 of the unworked hours, as scheduled, if: (1) the employee is sent home or released from employment early on a scheduled day of employment; or (2) a scheduled shift of employment is terminated. Provides that an employer that fails to post a schedule or pay an employee for the unworked hours is liable to the employee for the amount of the unpaid wages and for an equal additional amount as liquidated damages.[16]

Awards

Tallian received the Joan Laskowski Legislator of the Year Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana in 2008. In 2010, she received the the Tommie Blaylock Award for Outstanding Leadership by the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local #104. Following her award in 2010, she was inducted into The Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana.

References

  1. ↑ Hayden, Maureen (July 11, 2011). "State senator surprised by support for legalized marijuana bill". Herald Bulletin.
  2. ↑ Hayden, Maureen (September 18, 2012). "Steele pushes to decriminalize pot possession". Herald Bulletin.
  3. ↑ Hayden, Maureen (March 31, 2013). "Statehouse debate over pot penalties isn’t over". Pharos-Tribune Logansport.
  4. ↑ Guerra, Kristine (December 17, 2014). "Is Indiana ready to legalize marijuana?". Indianapolis Star.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Senator Karen Tallian - District 4". Indiana Senate Democrats.
  6. ↑ "Secretary of State : Election Division: Election Results". in.gov.
  7. ↑ "Secretary of State : Election Division: Election Results". in.gov.
  8. ↑ "Secretary of State : Election Division: Election Results". in.gov.
  9. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 192"
  10. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 347"
  11. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 580"
  12. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 314"
  13. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 284"
  14. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 41"
  15. ↑ "House Bill No. 1001"
  16. ↑ "Senate Bill No. 416"

External links