INDIANAPOLIS — Most new laws passed by the Indiana legislature go into effect July 1 of each year. 2019 was no different, with only a handful of laws going into effect when they were signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Here are a few notable laws that will go into effect next week. Click each title for even more information about the new laws.
Pregnant 16-and 17-year-olds will be able to get routine treatment, even if their parents aren’t around. Previously, a pregnant teen needed her parent or guardian to sign off on the routine care. If that person wasn’t around, it could jeopardize the baby or teen. A similar bill failed in the Senate, but changes were made to make sure a doctor attempts to contact a teen’s parents before performing any care.
One of the most polarizing topics of the session, Indiana lawmakers passed a hate crimes bill this session – kind of. Republican leaders claim the law gets Indiana off the “naughty list,” the list of states without a hate crimes law. But the Anti-Defamation League, the so-called keepers of the list, said Indiana’s new law is too vague to remove it from the “naughty list.”
Lawmakers approved a law change designed to prevent another disaster as what happened in northern Indiana in late 2018. The law will increase the penalty for passing a school bus with its stop arm out. Three children were struck and killed by a passing vehicle while crossing the street to their school bus.
Citizenship test for high school students
As part of the high school curriculum administered by schools in the state, every student must take the naturalization test, administered to people wanting to become citizens in the United States. Initially, the bill was presented as a requirement to graduate, but that part was later removed. All high school students will have to take it, but it has no bearing on their graduation requirements.
