Source: PHOTO: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
STATEWIDE — The legislative session back in the early part of the year was a busy one as always for state lawmakers at the Indiana Statehouse.
They passed several news laws, many of which will be taking effect on Monday, July 1st.
Reading Proficiency Law:
It’s no secret that young students in Indiana have been struggling to read, especially after the COVID pandemic. State lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1 back in March which will overhaul the requirements that second and third-graders will need to meet to meet satisfactory marks for reading.
“Reading is a foundational skill that can set a student up for success in the classroom and beyond,” said State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty). “Our goal is to ensure that students are reading at grade level before they move on.”
The law means that second graders will take the IREAD exam before moving to the third grade. If they pass it, then they will be assured of moving on to the fourth grade considering they pass in their other subjects.
If they fail the exam in second grade, they will then have three chances to pass the exam in third grade. If they still can’t pass, they will likely be held back until they do pass.
Intellectual Diversity Law:
Indiana’s colleges and universities will be impacted by Senate Bill 202, also known as the state’s new “intellectual diversity” law. It was signed by Gov. Holcomb on March 13th.
It will require higher education institutions to place limits on how they grant tenure to professors and instructors based on how they abide by new requirements “related to free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity.”
Essentially, this means professors and instructors cannot retaliate or unfairly treat students who may have a different political opinion than they do when it comes to the subject matter being taught.
Furthermore, it also means the school cannot retaliate or keep a professor from engaging in research dealing in different political opinions than school leaders.
Supporters of the law say it was mainly enacted to protect the free speech rights of conservative-minded students and faculty on college campuses.
Happy Hour Law:
Starting on Monday, July 1st, bars and restaurants in Indiana can begin promoting “Happy Hour” specials.
This means bar and restaurant owners can lower/change the price of alcoholic beverages from what they usually are in order to draw more people into their business.
The law sets specific times and days that allow for Happy Hour specials. It also allows patrons to be able to carry alcoholic beverages out of establishments, something that was not allowed before.
The law undoes a previous state law that made Happy Hour illegal in Indiana back in 1985. The premise behind the previous law was to help cut down on drunk driving.
Critics of the bill say the law promotes more consumption of alcohol which will further enable alcohol abuse among vulnerable populations.
Age Verification For Porn Sites (Blocked):
State lawmakers passed a law that will require you to verify your age in order to access porn websites on the Internet. This would have you upload a sensitive document like a driver’s license in order to do that. It also requires porn websites to then delete such information once a person’s age has been verified.
The law has the heavy backing of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita who has said several times that the goal of the law is to protect children on the Internet.
But, the law has received heavy criticism as well, mainly from free speech advocates and the adult entertainment industry. The parent company of PornHub sued the state along with the Free Speech Coalition saying that the law violated parts of the First Amendment.
Critics also said the law would put Hoosiers in a vulnerable spot when it comes to the security of their sensitive information. Websites, such as PornHub, also said they can’t verify a person’s age without holding onto the sensitive information uploaded, which puts them in a tough spot.
A federal judge stepped in on Friday and granted an injunction on the law as requested by the lawsuit. The judge said the law is “facially unconstitutional” which means it cannot be enforced. For now, the law is on hold pending further litigation.
Land Ownership By Foreign Adversaries:
A new law taking effect on Monday will ban people or entities associated with foreign adversaries from owning farmland in certain parts of the state.
The law states that individuals or entities associated with the governments of countries like Russia, China, or North Korea, will not be able to own land within 50 miles of military bases or other U.S. government facilities located in Indiana. It also bans these countries from owning water or mineral rights in the state.
“Foreign adversaries like China or Russia should not be able to buy up Hoosier land, which could compromise our ability to protect our food and national security,” said State Rep Kendall Culp (R-Renssalear. “This legislation draws a line in the sand and stops this type of activity.”
Those against the law said it will be tough to differentiate between agents of foreign adversaries and those who are simply escaping the oppression of their home countries.
Establishment Of A Green Alert:
You already know of alerts like a Silver Alert for missing people and an Amber Alert for children taken by their families. Now, the state will be enacting what is known as “Green Alert.”
This alert is specifically for veterans who have gone missing
The bill will apply to those deemed “at-risk veterans” who are both veterans and active-duty military members who are known to have physical or mental health conditions. The alert will be released if law enforcement is searching for a missing veteran.
Cell Phones In The Classroom:
For the upcoming school year, students in public school systems will not be allowed to use their cell phones during classroom instruction.
Senate Bill 185 was signed into law by Gov. Holcomb on March 11th. It will require public school districts to come up with “wireless communication device” policies that make it against the rules for students to have their cell phones during instruction times.
The law does not make it illegal for students to have their cell phones at school. In fact, the law makes it clear that teachers can allow their students to use their phones for educational purposes and in emergency situations.
School districts will also be required to post their new wireless device policies on their websites in order to show compliance with the law.
