STATEHOUSE (Feb. 12, 2013) — Legislation authored by State Sen. Jim Banks (R-Columbia City) to help the Office of the Indiana Attorney General defend Indiana’s sovereignty passed the Senate today by a vote of 37-11.

Senate Bill 36 would allow the Indiana attorney general to use existing funds to employ a deputy or assistant in Washington D.C. who would protect the legal interests of the state. From there, the deputy could take appropriate action to more proactively address these interests at the request of the attorney general.

“Sovereignty is a fundamental right of all states – not just Indiana,” Banks said. “The Framers of the Constitution understood that the federal government would often be at odds with the states when the 10^th Amendment was created. We’re upholding those values in this legislation.”

The bill was recommended by Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, who administratively created a deputy attorney general role. Zoeller requested the legislature formalize this position in law by updating previous authority in the Indiana Code to encompass modern circumstances.

“Under existing law, the Office of the Attorney General already works to assist Indiana’s members of Congress on areas of intersecting state-and-federal jurisdiction,” Zoeller said. “Through this update, we will continue to serve the legislature and governor by identifying federal actions that might invoke the state’s legal interests.”

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration. Reps. Thomas Washburne (R-Inglefield) and David Frizzell (R-Indianapolis) are its sponsors.