The 2022 legislative session ended in March, but many of the laws Gov. Eric Holcomb signed months ago will go into effect July 1.
These laws could impact everything from Hoosiers' safety to which children are allowed to play school sports.
Here are some of the more notable Indiana law changes to watch for starting in July.
'Constitutional carry'
Starting July 1, people will no longer need a permit to carry a handgun in Indiana. The same people prohibited from carrying a handgun under the permit system, including those with felonies, would still be prohibited from carrying a handgun. It now will be up to Hoosiers to know if they are allowed to carry.
Permits still will be available to those who want one — such as people traveling to another state that has reciprocity with Indiana. The new law could limit police officers' ability to quickly see who should legally be allowed to carry a handgun. It also could restrict gun crime investigations in the state because police often used the charge of carrying without a permit to open the door to broader criminal investigations into gun crimes.
Vape tax
Vaping products are about to get more expensive due to a new tax that goes into effect in July. The tax on prefilled e-cigarette cartridges, or vape pods, will be 15% of the wholesale price. A 15% retail tax will be implemented for other vaping products.
Some of the vaping taxes were supposed to be higher. Lawmakers had first inserted the new taxes in the 2021 budget but lowered the prefilled e-cigarette cartridge tax a year later before it could go into effect to create more parity between the different products, they said. Health experts widely criticized the change.
Bail
The Bail Project, a national organization that's garnered some scrutiny for its work in Indianapolis, and other charitable bail organizations will face new restrictions on who they can bail out come July. House Bill 1300 prevents such groups from bailing out people accused of violent crimes and requires them to register with the Indiana Department of Insurance.
The commercial bond industry is still free to bail out whoever it wants.
Lawmakers pushing for the bill said it stemmed from a desire to reduce Indianapolis violent crime, but an IndyStar investigation found that commercial bond agents bailed out more people who were later accused of murder than did the Bail Project.
Coerced abortion
During the legislative session, lawmakers avoided making sweeping changes to Indiana's abortion laws in anticipation of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks. But they did pass a law they say is intended to protect women from being forced into an abortion.
Under House Bill 1217, abortion clinics would have to ask anyone seeking an abortion if they are being coerced into having the procedure. If an abortion clinic employee suspects someone is being coerced, the clinic must report it to law enforcement, who must then investigate.
Transgender sports bill
In May, lawmakers voted to override Gov. Eric Holcomb's veto of a bill that prohibited transgender girls from participating in girls school sports. That means, despite Holcomb's opposition, it will go into effect in July.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is suing the Indianapolis Public Schools district on behalf of a 10-year-old transgender girl who will no longer be able to play softball on her school’s all-girls softball team, so it's possible there could still be an injunction before the law goes into effect.
Rape loophole
Starting in July, the definition of rape in Indiana will be more expansive. Under House Bill 1079, a person who has sexual intercourse with someone who attempts to "physically, verbally, or by other visible conduct refuse the person's acts" commits rape.
Already Indiana law contained language saying intercourse is considered rape if it's done by force or if it occurs with someone who is mentally incapacitated or unaware that it’s happening.
State fossil
Indiana will finally have a state fossil starting July 1: the mastodon.
Already Indiana has a state snack, popcorn; a state bird, the cardinal; a state insect, Say’s firefly; and a state flower, the peony. But it was one of five states without a state fossil.
Source:yahoo
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