Vast majority of new laws passed by Indiana General Assembly take effect July 1

The vast majority of new laws passed by the Indiana General Assembly this year take effect July 1.

HEA 1001: State budget

The new state budget cuts spending nearly across the board, as almost every state agency received a 5 percent funding cut. And they have been ordered to withhold an additional 5 percent of their funding meant for salaries, wages and operating expenses.

Perhaps the most immediately visible part of HEA 1001 will be a $2 per pack cigarette tax increase. The American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network estimates it will help about 32,000 adults quit smoking and stop 7,000 youth from starting.

HEA 1041: Student eligibility in interscholastic sports

Every collegiate governing body bans transgender women from play. But lawmakers still passed their own ban for Indiana, HEA 1041, that now takes effect. Proponents argue it's about fairness. Critics charge that it does nothing to protect women from intrusive genital exams and that its grievance system is a license to discriminate.

HEA 1003: Health matters

HEA 1003, now in effect, tries to reduce health care costs by clarifying site of service language, prohibiting health provider contracts from containing provisions that limit competition and setting limitations on the physicians fee schedule.

READ MORE: What energy, environment legislation from the 2025 session is now law?
 

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SEA 289: Unlawful discrimination

A ban on diversity, equity and inclusion policies in state and local government in SEA 289 said public employers, including schools, cannot require training that asserts someone's personal characteristics are inherently superior or inferior; that a person, by virtue of their characteristics, should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or that a person's moral character is determined at all by their personal characteristics.

SEA 442: Instruction on human sexuality

School boards now have to approve and publish online all materials used for human sexuality instruction. Schools must also indicate whether male and female students will be taught together and whether the instructor will be male or female. There are also requirements in SEA 442 about using a video that shows fetal development and making consent education age appropriate.

SEA 74: Extension of lifeline law immunity

Previous law provided immunity from underage drinking charges to someone who seeks police or medical help for another person. Now, because of SEA 74, an underage drinker experiencing a medical issue themselves receives the same immunity.
 

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.