STRAIGHT FROM THE SENATE

NEW LAWS
SHOULD HELP MAKE HOOSIERS SAFER

As a fourth-consecutive balanced state budget and education reforms dominated news from the Statehouse in this year’s Indiana General Assembly, several proposals improving public safety may have slipped under the radar of many Hoosiers.

In less than a month, these proposals will become law, making Indiana a safer place to live, work – or even just walk around the neighborhood mall.
Other new laws attack Indiana’s meth problems and work to take ‘Spice’ – the newest mind-altering substance – off the market.

Here are capsulized descriptions of some of these new public safety laws:
Strengthened Voyeurism Law: Legislators supported closing a loophole in Indiana’s voyeurism law that has allowed criminals to take indecent “upskirt” photos and videos of women and children in public and escape conviction. This legislation stemmed from news reports of people using small cameras to invade the privacy of innocent Hoosiers in public places.

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“Spice” Ban: Synthetic marijuana products – herbs sprayed with hallucinogenic chemicals – are now controlled substances across Indiana. When smoked, these products dangerously distort perceptions and impair coordination. Local ordinances passed by communities lack enforcement across jurisdictions and are limited to lesser penalties and fines. Police and prosecutors asked lawmakers for a statewide ban while federal DEA officials consider a nationwide prohibition.

Fighting Meth: Statewide retail sales of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products will now be tracked electronically to help prevent meth dealers from buying ingredients used to make the dangerous drug. To further curtail meth production and abuse, legislators lowered the amount of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products that can be purchased within 30 days.

Alcohol ID Requirements: Last year, in an effort to curb teenage drinking, lawmakers acted on a call from retailers for a zero-tolerance law requiring all alcohol consumers to be carded. However, numerous complaints surfaced, primarily from senior citizens who believed their age – and right to purchase alcohol – were obvious. Senate Enrolled Act 78 requires age ID verification from all consumers appearing younger than 40 years old.

Rx-Drug Take-Back Program: Lawmakers passed a measure creating a statewide drug take-back program allowing Hoosiers to safely dispose of unwanted prescription medications at participating pharmacies. This measure aims to keep drugs out of the hands of young people who often don’t realize the consequences of abusing prescriptions.

Preventing Tobacco Use: Retailers will now place dissolvable tobacco products securely behind counters and away from minors. Often marketed in brightly colored, candy-like packages that can be appealing to younger consumers, dissolvable tobacco contains harmful ingredients that cause tooth decay and cancer. Penalties for giving tobacco products to minors are also strengthened by this law.

Emergency Responses: Lawmakers removed barriers emergency response crews faced when helping their counterparts across state lines. Service agreements can now be made with units of government in neighboring states to help reduce fire service expenses, decrease response times and address liability issues that could occur when crossing jurisdictions.

Uniform Travel Alerts: To help warn Hoosier motorists of dangerous road conditions during severe weather, legislators supported a bill requiring Indiana’s 92 counties to implement a uniform emergency alert system. Until now, counties developed and operated their own travel advisories, which led to confusion among Hoosiers and emergency personnel traveling across county lines.

Background Checks: To protect Hoosier patients and promote accountability among Indiana’s health-care workers, legislators passed a bill requiring medical professionals applying for first-time licenses – like nurses, physicians and pharmacists – to undergo national criminal history checks. The Indiana State Police will work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to complete background checks.