STATEHOUSE — Recently, State Representative Tim Neese (R-Elkhart) attended a ceremonial bill signing, also attended by Governor Mike Pence, for legislation regarding the privacy of home addresses. Rep. Neese co-authored House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1219 and attended the signing at the Bremen State Police Post. “I was pleased to attend this ceremony. Prior to the passage of HEA 1219, a government website could publish anyone’s name and the land they own online, commonly related to property tax data,” said Rep. Neese. HEA 1219 allows a local unit of government that operates a public Internet data base containing the names and addresses of property owners to establish a procedure to permit a law enforcement officer, judge, or victim of domestic violence to restrict disclosure of their home address to the general public. These individuals must submit a written request to the government unit in order for their information to be removed from public access. “With the amount of information available online, sometimes much of our privacy is lost, putting some individuals in danger” said Rep. Neese. “I wanted to be a part of this legislation because I think privacy is important, particularly when it comes to those who risk their safety daily to protect Hoosiers. In addition, victims of domestic violence should have the right to protect their privacy as well. I am glad that this legislation passed in an effort to protect people and their families.” HEA 1219 went into effect on July 1. -30- |
