Senate approves dozens of bills as deadline looms

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Senate, facing the chamber's deadline to pass legislation, approved dozens of bills Tuesday addressing everything from more stringent abortion regulations to the desire by some law enforcement officers to be interred with the cremated remains of their police dogs.

Social conservatives say the cremation and interment provisions provide the only dignified and humane way to dispose of fetus, but Democrats argued the bill would require women to lie to their doctors if they do not want to carry to term a fetus with Down syndrome or another disability.

A less divisive measure approved on a 49-1 vote would exempt police departments at private colleges, including Notre Dame, from following the same crime reporting requirements as public colleges.

Another measure approved Tuesday would force Indiana law enforcement agencies to publicly release body-camera video if the recordings might show officers using excessive force or violating someone's civil rights.