STATEHOUSE (July 12, 2022) – Dubois County lawmakers said Hoosiers should be aware of several new and notable state laws, which are now in effect.
"State lawmakers worked hard to protect the rights of Hoosiers," said State Rep. Shane Lindauer (R-Jasper). "Effective July 1, public comment is now required at public school board meetings and biological males will not be allowed in participate in K-12 girls' sports. We listen to our constituents and I believe these new laws reflect what constituents want."
"My goal this session was to tackle many of the issues that matter most to our communities," said State Rep. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty). "From boosting local public safety efforts to supporting parents and farmers, we got a lot of legislative wins for Hoosiers."
Hoosiers should be aware of several new laws, which were passed during the 2022 legislative session and took effect on July 1:
Empowering Hoosier Parents
When it comes to education, input and ideas from parents, students, teachers and community members are important. Now, school boards will have to allow time for public comments at all open meetings, ensuring parents' voices are heard. Bartels co-authored this law.
Judges will receive additional flexibility to send all felony offenders to Indiana state prisons, which could help alleviate jail overcrowding and allow locals to direct resources to where they matter most. Indiana’s Department of Correction offers more mental health and addiction treatment options while many jails do not. Bartels and Lindauer both co-authored this law
Studies show foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land has doubled from 2009 to 2019. Lindauer, sponsor of the new law, said foreign entities will not be able to acquire agricultural land for farming or timber production.
Protecting Girls' Sports
Biological males will not be able to participate on girls' K-12 sports teams at public schools in Indiana. While the governor vetoed the measure, the majority of lawmakers supported a veto override in May to protect fairness and integrity in girls' sports.
Visit iga.in.gov for more information on these and other new laws.
