New Laws Effective July 1, 2020

Curious about what new laws July 1, 2020, brought to the state of Indiana? There are a few you might be interested in:

House Bills

House Bill 1070: This bill amended the current ban on texting and driving and will now require drivers to put down their phones completely. Drivers are still able to utilize hands-free devices or use their cell phones to call 911 in an emergency situation.

House Bill 1284: Indiana residents may now apply for 5-year hunting, target, or concealed carry licenses at no cost. While the fees associated with the license have been waived, applicants will still be responsible for fingerprinting fees.

House Bill 1143: Employers are explicitly prohibited from requiring the implantation of any identity or tracking device in a worker or job candidate unless the person voluntarily consents to the identity or tracking device.

House Bill 1313: The maximum value of a case eligible for judgment in a small claims court is now $8,000. It was previously limited to $6,000 in most counties in Indiana.

House Bill 1264: Employees and volunteers of child care facilities who may be present on the grounds of the facility during operating hours are now required to submit to a national criminal history background check. Previously, only employees and volunteers with direct contact with children were required to submit to a background check.

House Bill 1111: Indiana businesses will continue to pay the same unemployment insurance rates to the state through at least 2025. Rates were previously set to automatically reduce sometime after July 1, 2021.

House Bill 1006: The minimum age to marry in Indiana has increased to 16 years old, previously set at 15. Minors aged 16 and 17 can marry only if their partner is no more than 4 years older and a juvenile court judge grants permission. Pregnancy or having a child is not considered by itself sufficient to grant permission to marry.

Senate Bills

Senate Bill 1: Hoosiers under the age of 21 are now prohibited from buying or possessing tobacco products, including cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and vaping products. Retailers may be fined.

Senate Bill 19: Indiana residents between ages 18 and 55 may renew their eyeglasses or contact lenses prescription online, so long has they have undergone an in-person eye exam and/or contact lens fitting in the previous 2 years. Patients are only permitted 2 online exams within a 2-year period before another in-person exam is required.

Senate Bill 146: Victims of sexual assault now have a statutory right to a no-cost forensic medical exam and the right to speak to a victim advocate or social worker during their hospital visit for the exam. Additionally, a law enforcement officer investigating the assault is required to provide notice of those rights to the victim.

Senate Bill 109: The statute of limitations for filing charges against perpetrators of sex crimes against children may now be extended 5 years beyond the victim’s 31st birthday if new DNA evidence or a recording of the crime is discovered, or the perpetrator confesses.

If you have any questions about any of the new laws coming into effect in Indiana, call us at (317) 825-5110.

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.