07/02/13 In the recent legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly passed 293 bills that became laws. While a full list can be found on line (here), Senator Randy Head highlighted several noteworthy new laws below that went into effect on July 1.
This year’s session featured several bills focused on better protecting our children, including: HEA 1001 and HEA 1006 which will help the Indiana Department of Child Services hire more caseworkers and hotline staff, and allow judges to contact local DCS workers directly to report potential cases of abuse or neglect.
SEA 509 Fixed a potential loophole in our human trafficking law to protect children up to 18 years old.
The ongoing fight against the use of meth in Indiana was supported with the passage of SEA 496, which regulates the sale of medicines containing meth ingredient ephedrine: The new law allows ephedrine/pseudoephedrine to be sold only at pharmacies and retailers participating in the National Precursor Log Exchange database, which tracks the sale of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products. It also limits how much ephedrine/pseudoephedrine a person can buy in a one-year period without a prescription.
Indiana’s deep commitment to those who have served in our armed forces was reinforced with the following new laws: SEA 177 Allows for veterans returning from duty out of state or overseas to qualify for in-state tuition at Indiana’s public colleges and universities. SEA 115 Creates the “combat to college” program, which will provide veterans attending state colleges and universities with centralized services specific to their needs. SEA 564 Expands state contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses. SEA 290 –Gives those who have been medically trained in the military an easier transition into emergency medical professions after they return to civilian life.
A few other laws that took effect July 1 include: HEA 1151 Creates the blue alert program to inform the public when a law enforcement officer is hurt, killed or missing in the line of duty.
SEA 559 Prevents the use of welfare debit cards at adult businesses like liquor stores and casinos.
SEA 560 Gives county governments the option to exempt water, natural gas and internet systems from their property taxes, which will encourage utility expansion in underserved areas.
If you have any questions regarding any new laws, don’t hesitate to contact Senator Randy Head by email at Senator.Head@iga.in.gov or by phone at 317-232-9400.
