A lot of new rules are hitting the books tomorrow, and we want to make sure you are up to speed on what’s changing.
đźš VAPES & TOBACCO
School Zones: Vape shops can’t open within 2/3 of a mile from a school (older shops already open are grandfathered in).
Under 21: It’s now a ticketable offense for anyone under 21 to purchase or possess a vape.
Getting ID'd: Store clerks must now ID anyone buying tobacco or vapes who looks under 40.
Banned Vapes: Foreign-made vapes not approved by the FDA are completely banned from being sold.
📱 SCHOOL CELL PHONE BAN
Phones Away: Public and charter schools are now required to ban cell phones, smartwatches, and tablets during class hours. They must be turned off and put away (with exceptions made for medical needs).
đźš” CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
Repeat DUIs: The mandatory minimum jail time for repeat drunk drivers just doubled. And yes, this law includes driving boats.
Face the Victim: Criminals can no longer skip court to avoid hearing a victim's impact statement. They are required to be present.
Masks: If someone wears a mask while committing a crime, a judge can now use that to give them a harsher sentence.
Doxing: Posting someone’s private, personal information online with the intent to get them hurt or harassed is now a crime.
🛑 PUBLIC CAMPING
No Public Camping: It is now a crime to camp or live on public land. However, before making an arrest, police are required to check if the person needs emergency shelter for extreme weather.
đź’Ľ IMMIGRATION & WORK
Hiring: Indiana businesses are banned from hiring unauthorized immigrants and must strictly check work eligibility. Local governments and police are also banned from limiting their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
đźš— EVERYDAY LIFE & HOME
Driving Age: Teens can get their driver's license at exactly 16 years old! The old "16 and 90 days" rule is officially gone.
HOA Protections: Homeowner Associations (HOAs) can’t hit you with surprise fines anymore. They must post a clear schedule of fines and give you proper notice.
Farm Fresh Meat: Small, local farmers can now sell their own processed meat directly to the public with less government red tape.
Fairs: County fairs now have the power to decide for themselves if they want to sell alcohol.
đź’» PUBLIC RECORDS
No More Bots: Government websites can now use "CAPTCHA" (proving you aren't a robot) and ask for your physical address when you request public records to stop scammers from scraping the data.
đź’µ TAX RELIEF & MONEY
No Tax on Tips & Overtime: Indiana is dropping state taxes on income earned through tips and overtime pay to keep more money in workers' pockets.
🏫 EDUCATION
Universal School Vouchers: The income limits for Indiana’s school voucher program are officially gone. Any family can now apply for state funds to help pay for private school tuition.
School Safety: New grants from the Secured School Fund will become available to help upgrade campus security.
⚡ UTILITIES & BILLS
Heat Wave Protections: Electric companies are now banned from shutting off your power on days when the National Weather Service forecasts a heat index of 95 degrees or higher.
Low-Income Help: By July 1st, most electric providers are legally required to offer a financial assistance program for low-income households.
Predictable Bills: New state structures are pushing utility companies to offer more predictable, fixed monthly billing so you don't get hit with massive surprise spikes.
🏥 HEALTHCARE & ASSISTANCE
Checking Eligibility: The state is stepping up eligibility checks for SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid, including verifying immigration status, to ensure benefits only go to eligible residents.
Medical Transparency: Hospitals and doctors are now legally required to provide you with a "good-faith estimate" for the cost of planned medical services if you ask.
Foster Youth: The state is rolling out a "foster youth bill of rights" so youth in the system understand their legal protections.
⚖️ COURTS & SAFETY
No Bail Amendment: We aren't voting on this until November, but the wheels are in motion for a constitutional amendment that would allow judges to completely deny bail to suspects considered a "substantial threat" to public safety.
🏠HOUSING & OUTDOORS
Building Permits: Local governments must now refund your regulatory fees if they fail to meet their deadlines for issuing Class 2 building permits.
Wake Boarding: New restrictions are hitting public freshwater lakes for wake boarding and wake surfing to improve safety and protect the shorelines.
Car Loans: Buying an American-made vehicle? The state is eliminating the loan interest taxes on those purchases.
Tax Amnesty: Got old state tax debts? From July 15 to Sept 15, you can pay them off with all penalties and interest waived.
Nickel Rounding: Paying taxes or fees in cash? The final total will now be rounded to the nearest nickel.
