The Indiana Senate will get a new member before next session. Sen. Karen Tallian (D-Ogden Dunes) announced Thursday she will resign, effective Nov. 1.
In a statement, Tallian didn’t provide a reason for her departure from the legislature after 16 years. But she told Dan Carden of the Times of Northwest Indiana that she’s "had enough." She also criticized the legislative process, with every bill "vetted, in secret, by the Republican caucus."
In her public statement, Tallian said she’s most proud of her work to make northwest Indiana a better place to live. She specifically cited protections for the Indiana Dunes, expanding the South Shore rail line and juvenile justice reform.
Tallian is also perhaps best known across the state for her ardent (and often lonely) advocacy in the Senate for marijuana legalization.
A private Democratic caucus will pick a replacement in the coming weeks to serve out the rest of her term, which ends next year.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
