INDIANAPOLIS — If you see purple paint on a fencepost or tree, that’s a sign to not enter the property, starting July 1.
Next week, a new law will go into effect in Indiana that makes purple marks the same as a “No Trespassing” sign, with a couple caveats.
The law allows landowners in Indiana to mark their property with purple paint to prevent trespassing and make sure their land is clearly marked. The signs are typically used near land reserved for hunting, so a landowner doesn’t have to keep replacing a sign that may have been vandalized or destroyed from the weather.
According to the law, HB 1233, the paint must be:
(A) on a tree:
(i) as a vertical line of at least eight (8) inches in length and with the bottom of the mark at least three (3) feet and not more than five (5) feet from the ground; and
(ii) not more than one hundred (100) feet from the nearest other marked tree; or
(B) on a post:
(i) with the mark covering at least the top two (2) inches of the post, and with the bottom of the mark at least three (3) feet and not more thanfive (5) feetsix (6) inches 19 from the ground; and
(ii) not more than thirty-six (36) feet from the nearest other marked post; and
The new law was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb on March 21, but he attended a ceremonial signing in June. It was authored by Rep. Dave Wolkins (R-Warsaw).
“This is an efficient, simple way for landowners to keep trespassers out,” Wolkins said, via IndianaHouseRepublicans.com. “It will also help minimize a property owner’s liability, prevent accidental trespassing and make it easier to prosecute trespassers. Because the paint cannot be easily removed, it can be effective for several years.”
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images.)
