Alcohol ID
The state’s revised alcohol ID law will make some senior citizens
happy. Lawmakers passed a law in 2010 requiring store clerks to ask
for the ID of anyone buying alcohol, whether they appeared to be age
21 or 100. Now, clerks are only required to ID people who appear 40
or younger.
Texting While Driving
Another law makes it illegal for all drivers to send text messages
or e-mails while driving. Indiana law previously only barred texting
at the wheel for drivers under 18, with just five citations for all
of last year statewide.
Drivers can still make phone calls while driving, in addition to
surfing the web or playing games on their smart phones. Those
activities are not explicitly noted in the law.
The new texting law carries a $500 fine for a first offense.
Spice Ban
Another new law puts a statewide ban on the selling or possession of
the product know as “Spice” or “K2.” The synthetic product which,
when smoked, has similar effects to marijuana will now carry the
same legal penalties at the real drug. Local municipalities around
the state had been proactive on the issue since last year by
enacting ordinances implementing fines on people or businesses who
sold the substance.
Unemployment Pay
Unemployment in Indiana will undergo some changes starting
tomorrow. A new law will prevent anyone who works on-call or
as-needed from collecting unemployment pay and also bars them from
the assistance if they refuse work. Employees of companies with
planned short-term shutdowns will also no longer be eligible for
unemployment pay while the company is closed. Also being banned
from receiving unemployment pay will be anyone who fails or refuses
a drug test being given by an employer before hiring.
Protection of Gun Rights
Another new state law will prevent local governments from passing
ordinances to block gun owners from carrying their weapons into most
public buildings, though there are exceptions for courthouses,
schools and hospitals. The gunholder must have a license.
Employers
Employers who perform work for state or federal government will be
required to use the federal E-Verify system to check the citizenship
status of employees before hiring. Business caught violating the law
would become ineligible for state tax credits. Those who do use the
system will avoid some tax penalties.
Abortion
Physicians are required to tell a woman seeking an abortion that
life begins at conception. A federal judge has put a stay on another
part of the law that would have required doctors to say that a fetus
can feel pain at 20 weeks. Women will also have to view an
ultrasound of the fetus unless they decline to do so in writing.
