New Indiana laws can have positive effect on Hoosiers

Indiana enacted 215 new laws during the last General Assembly, and the majority of those went into effect while most of us were pondering the extended Fourth of July weekend.

Effective July 1, a number of those new laws are now affecting how Hoosiers live and work and drive and play.

Some of them will affect all of us, like House Enrolled Act 1048 which now requires motorists involved in minor crashes to move their vehicles to the side of the road and out of traffic, if they can do so safely.

Previously, police and insurance agents cautioned drivers against moving vehicles after a collision in order to preserve the accident scene. The problem with that was a minor fender-bender on the courthouse square or at Indianapolis Road and Percy Julian Drive in Greencastle could easily tie up traffic for half-an-hour as it got sorted out.

Then there's drug crimes and how they are handled. All of us want to see stiffer penalties there.

A person convicted of dealing methamphetamine or heroin, who has a prior conviction for dealing controlled substances, must serve at least 10 years in prison, thanks to HEA 1235 and Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 290. The new law allows drug dealing to be inferred by the quantity of drugs possessed, even if there is no evidence of actual selling.

A summary of some other ways Putnam County residents and other Hoosiers will have to adjust their lives to comply with the additions and revisions to the Indiana Code includes:

Child abuse -- Names and records of individuals convicted of child abuse must be posted in an online registry maintained by the state court system. (SEA 357)

Work zone -- A motorist twice convicted of speeding in a work zone within one year is prohibited from driving for 60 days, in addition to any other fines or penalties. (SEA 248)

Police video -- Dashboard and body camera video recorded by police is available for review by individuals who have been taped and the general public, under conditions intended to preserve a fair trial, protect ongoing investigations and ensure public safety. (HEA 1019)

Road funding -- Up to $1 billion in mostly state and local reserve funds now are available for spending on road and bridge preservation projects. Local governments that have enacted a wheel tax, or maintain plentiful "rainy day" funds, also will be allowed to access $254 million set to be distributed through a state matching grant program. (House Enrolled Act 1001, Senate Enrolled Act 67)

Stolen valor -- An individual who falsely claims to be a military veteran to obtain a discount or benefit can be fined $5,000 or jailed for one year. (HEA 1187)

Cold medicine -- Pharmacists may deny the sale of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in methamphetamine manufacturing, if the pharmacist believes the purchaser does not have a legitimate need for the drug. (SEA 80)

Fantasy sports -- State law declares wagering on fantasy sports is not gambling, but the industry now is subject to regulation by the Indiana Gaming Commission. (SEA 339)

Sunday alcohol -- Hoosiers can purchase up to 4.5 liters of alcohol on Sundays for at-home consumption if it's manufactured and sold at an artisan distillery. (HEA 1386)

Will all the new laws make things safer and better for Hoosiers? Probably not. That's why there's always another session of the General Assembly when the calendar page flips over.