More than four dozen state employees in education and commerce agencies were laid off this week, while an additional 80 positions will go unfilled.
Affected agencies include the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Destination Development Corporation, Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana Department of Education.
The Indiana School for the Deaf and Indiana State Library were hardest hit, losing 14 and 16 employees, respectively.
Agency spokespeople said the layoffs were not taken lightly and only made after open positions were left unfilled.
Almost every state agency received a 5 percent cut in the new state budget. They also face a legislative mandate to withhold an additional 5 percent of funding for salaries, wages and operating expenses.
Join the conversation and sign up for our weekly text group: the Indiana Two-Way. Your comments and questions help us find the answers you need on statewide issues, including our project Civically, Indiana.
The Braun administration said the combined savings between layoffs and unfilled positions is a little more than $14 million.
The state did not indicate whether services would be affected by the layoffs.
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.