New Laws Becoming Effective July 1, 2024

On July 1, 2024, several new laws that were passed by the General Assembly will go into effect. Some laws of interest are House Bill 1086, Senate Bill 185, House Bill 1137, and House Bill 1259. However, more than 700 bills were introduced during the 2024 legislative session, and of those, 172 were passed. Some bills are already in effect as they were signed by Governor Holcomb after they passed the General Assembly. While a majority of the 172 new laws are going into effect on July 1, following the legislative session.

House Bill 1086 allows restaurants, bars, and retailers to have happy hours and serve cocktails for carryout. The plain language of House Bill 1086 states: a bar or restaurant is allowed to prepare, sell, and deliver alcoholic beverages for carry-out to a customer on the licensed premises in sealed, nonoriginal containers. Additionally, it requires that after June 30, 2024, a bar or restraint must carry liquor liability insurance or an endorsement with coverage of at least $500,000 to obtain or renew a retailer’s or craft manufacturer’s permit and if an establishment operates under both a retailer’s permit and a craft manufacturer’s permit, the insurance coverage requirements apply to the establishment and not to each permit individually.

Senate Bill 185 states that K-12 schools must create, publish, and enforce a ban on using cell phones, tablets, and other personal devices in the classroom. More specifically students may not use this technology during instruction time. This affects school corporations and charter schools. The policy must be on the school corporation or charter school’s website. An obvious exception that may be in the policies is that students may use the outlawed technology if it is required for their classroom instruction.

House Bill 1137 requires principals to allow students to attend religious instruction conducted by certain entities following the principal’s receipt of written notice from the student’s parent or guardian.

House Bill 1259 will allow the research of psilocybin and how it could be used to treat mental illness and other medical conditions. The research will be funded by a therapeutic research fund and it will be administered by the division of mental health and addiction. The division of mental health and addiction will also set forth the study requirements of the research, as well as give a grant to conduct the study after a report is submitted by the research institution.

This McNeelyLaw LLP publication should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion of any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own lawyer on any specific legal questions you may have concerning your situation.