On July 1, a number of new laws went into effect benefitting Hoosiers across Indiana, and it is important to keep up to date with those new laws impacting our area. Two laws I worked on this year will help locate missing children and equip landowners with a new tool to mark their property.
A new law I co-authored expands Silver Alerts to include missing children with mental or physical disabilities to help locate them more quickly. Silver Alerts are issued by law enforcement and voluntarily broadcast by TV and radio stations when an adult with disabilities has wandered from their caregiver and is unlikely to return home without assistance. Since 2013, Silver Alerts in Indiana helped locate 88 percent of those missing persons.
Expanding the alert to include missing children with disabilities will help locate those who wander from their home or school and may not be able to get back safely on their own. Ensuring the public is notified of these situations immediately will increase the likelihood these children make it home as quickly as possible.
I also authored legislation to equip Hoosier landowners with a commonsense, cost-effective way to mark their property and prohibit trespassing. This language was inserted into a bill, which is now law, allowing property owners to use vertical purple paint lines on trees and posts as an alternative to no trespassing signs.
Purple paint perimeters help limit the expense of building and maintaining fences or signs that may be torn down or fade over time. Using purple paint will also make it easier for property owners to prosecute trespassers, such as poachers, and minimize their civil liability.
You can visit iga.in.gov to learn more about these state laws and many others that went into effect on July 1.
Staying connected throughout the summer is important to me, and your feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions or comments, please contact my office at 317-232-9793 or h74@iga.in.gov. You can also sign up to receive my weekly email updates by visiting in.gov/h74.
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State Rep. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) represents House District 74,
which includes portions of Spencer, Dubois, Perry, Crawford and Orange counties.
A high resolution photo of Bartels can be downloaded by clicking here.
