Legislative Update From Indiana Courts

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 12 on unlawful encroachment by a sex offender, authored by Sen. Bohacek.  The bill provides that a sex offender who establishes a residence: (1) with the intent to reside at the residence; and (2) within a one-mile radius of the residence of the victim of the […]

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 33 on houses of worship and firearms, authored by Sen. Sandlin. The bill permits a person who may legally possess a firearm to possess a firearm on school property if the person possesses the firearm: (1) as an employee or volunteer of a house of worship located on the school […]

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 131 on crimes involving synthetic drugs, authored by Sen. Bohacek. The bill makes certain offenses involving synthetic drugs an enhancing circumstance and removes certain misdemeanor prosecutions concerning synthetic drugs and synthetic lookalike drugs from eligibility for conditional discharge. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council supported the bill. The bill […]

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 140 on maintaining a common nuisance, authored by Sen. Young. The bill provides a defense to the crime of maintaining a common nuisance if: (1) the location was not primarily used for specified unlawful acts; (2) the charged offense involves less than a specified quantity of marijuana, […]

The Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 222 authored by Sen. Head on misleading or inaccurate caller identification. This bill provides that a person who knowingly violates the statute concerning the transmission of misleading or inaccurate caller identification information commits a Class A misdemeanor or if the person has a previous unrelated conviction under the […]

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 238 on the Office of Judicial Administration, authored by Sen. Bray. The bill does the following: changes all references to the Division of State Court Administration and the Judicial Center to the Office of Judicial administration changes all references to the executive director of the Division of State Court Administration […]

The Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 240 authored by Sen. Leising on service animals. The author clarified that this bill is for emotional support animals not service animals. The bill specifies that a landlord may not ask an individual with a disability who seeks to use an emotional support animal about the existence, nature, […]

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 247 on creditors’ rights, authored by Sen. Koch. The bill makes various changes to Medicaid, probate, and trust law relating to creditors’ claims, claims against non-probate transferees, and no contest provisions in wills and trusts. The bill was amended by consent to make numerous amendments to language relating to […]

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 292 on criminal law matters, authored by Sen. Young. The bill does the following: repeals the offense of auto theft and receiving stolen auto parts provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally exerts unauthorized control of a motor vehicle or a component part of a motor […]

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 295 on school property and religious institutions, authored by Sen. Mrvan.  The bill permits a sex offender to enter school property if: (1) a religious institution or house of worship is located on the school property; (2) the person enters the school property for the sole […]

For amend and vote only, the Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 339 authored by Sen. Merritt on controlled substance dispensing. The bill requires a pharmacy and pharmacist to sell or dispense a schedule II controlled drug in a lockable vial and bill the drug manufacturer for the cost of the lockable vial. The bill […]

The Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 372 authored by Sen. Holdman on notarial acts. This bill makes technical changes to standardize language concerning registration of trademarks and regulation related to notarial acts. It specifies requirements related to notarial acts, including use of electronic documentation and technology for electronic notarial acts and for remote notarial […]

The Senate Family and Children Services Committee heard SB 381 authored by Sen. Messmer on children in need of services (CHINS). The author explained that when one child in the home is sexually abused, all children in the home are removed; however, if one child is physically abused, not all children are removed. The bill […]

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 402 on termination of parental rights, authored by Sen. Becker. The Committee heard the bill for amend and vote only. The bill was amended by consent to remove all provisions of the bill except for the provisions requiring the pre-dispositional report to be made available 48 hours before a hearing.  […]

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 404 on impaired driving offenses, authored by Sen. Koch.  The bill does the following: changes the term “under” to “in accordance with” in certain statutes concerning defenses involving the use of valid prescriptions while operating a motor vehicle creates the offense of operating a vehicle while […]

The Senate Family and Children Services Committee heard SB 428 authored by Sen. Zay on Department of Child Services (DCS). The bill requires the local school to participate in a case conference in a CHINS case when DCS prepares a pre-disposition report and requires DCS to share drug test results. Two local school representatives discussed […]

For amend and vote only, the Senate Civil Law Committee heard SB 431 authored by Sen. L. Brown on immunity for reports of suspected abuse or neglect. The bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person who assists with or participates, and a health care provider who provides professional intervention in an […]

The House Judiciary Committee reheard HB 1061 authored by Rep. Lehman and Rep. Torr on asbestos litigation for amend and vote only. The bill specifies the causes of action that may constitute a product liability action. The bill was amended to assign to a study committee the issue of the appropriate statute of repose duration in product […]

The House Judiciary Committee heard HB 1115 authored by Rep. Hamilton and Rep. Culver on landowner immunity for trail access. The bill amends current law to include limitations on a landowner’s liability for an injury to a person or property caused by an act or failure to act of another person using the landowner’s premises for […]

The House Judiciary Committee heard HB 1194 authored by Rep. Speedy on delinquent self-storage facility rents. The bill amends current law to allow a self-storage facility owner to impose and collect a late fee from renters. This bill also authorizes the facility owner to recover all reasonable costs and expenses of rent collection and lien enforcement. The […]