With many new laws effective this week, State Rep. Steve Davisson (R-Salem) said several important changes support Hoosier teachers, patients and farmers.

“July first marked the start date for a number of new laws helping Indiana’s education system, addressing health care costs and supporting our rural communities,” Davisson said. “In Indiana, lawmakers work together on the behalf of all Hoosiers. In fact, 98 percent of the new laws enacted by the General Assembly during the 2020 legislative session passed with bipartisan support, and I want to continue this teamwork and build on our state’s strengths.”

Here’s a look at notable new laws Davisson said Hoosiers should know about:

Teachers, Students and Schools

Davisson said as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, standardized test scores will no longer be required to be a part of teacher performance evaluations. He said this should reduce the pressure educators often feel to teach to the test and, as a result, make teaching more attractive as a career.

To help cut red tape, House Enrolled Act 1003 went into effect earlier this year to allow the State Board of Education to streamline the timing and frequency of required teacher training and grant waivers for schools to bypass over 1,500 regulations. As Indiana continues to transition to the new ILEARN exam, lawmakers passed Senate Enrolled Act 2 so that school accountability grades cannot be negatively impacted by student scores for two years.

Davisson said House Enrolled Act 1283 supports students with mental health issues, including those involved in bullying, and experiencing behavioral problems or physical illnesses. The new law ensures aspiring educators receive training on best practices to recognize students’ behavioral reactions to trauma so they can address these issues in their classrooms with increased understanding and insight.

Patients

Under House Enrolled Act 1004, patients will be protected from receiving surprise medical bills from out-of-network providers, and, in the case of an elective procedure, the patient will have the right to receive an upfront, good-faith estimate of expected charges. In addition, Senate Enrolled Act 5 requires hospitals, outpatient surgery centers and urgent care clinics to publish their average prices online, and Davisson said a new HIPAA-compliant database of all health insurance claims will empower consumers by providing information about cost and quality.

Farmers and Rural Communities

Senate Enrolled Act 184 allows the Indiana Farm Bureau to offer a health benefits plan to its members.

Davisson said this plan is not health insurance but would provide similar benefits to help many farmers who have limited access to affordable health care options.

Other states, such as Kansas and Tennessee, have implemented similar programs through their Farm Bureaus.

To support rural communities, House Enrolled Act 1370 allows cities and towns to band together and enter into regional land banks to acquire tax-delinquent and blighted properties to restore them.

For more information on these and other new laws effective July 1, visit iga.in.gov.

During Governor Holcomb’s Wednesday press conference, Dr. Dan Rusyniak, chief medical officer for FSSA, announced that the state will begin reporting facility-specific COVID-19 data for long-term care centers.

Members of the media have asked for this information since the beginning of the pandemic, and Democratic members of the Senate Health Committee sent a letter to the governor urging the reporting of this data and proposing legislation to add such a requirement to state statute.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) had the following statement to the state’s promise to report this facility data:

“I want to thank all those who put pressure on the governor and the state to get this data available to the public. Our media outlets didn’t let this important issue die down. And, our own Democratic Senators on the Health Committee showed great leadership in their call to require the state to collect and publish this information.

“Frankly, it took far too long for the state to do what the majority of other states have already been doing. Now that the promise has been made to release this data, we won’t be completely satisfied until we see the entirety of the public dashboard published online. Hoosier families are counting on this information to be released as soon as possible.”

July 1 

Salem Police Department

Ruth Ellen Tankersly, 53, Jeffersonville

• Theft

Washington County Sheriff’s Department

Brian M. Lathery, 30, Scottsburg

• Domestic Battery 

According to a recent survey, Indiana farmers planted 950,000 acres of cover crops in 2019. 

Cover crops are known for their environmental benefits and, with the exception of corn and soybeans, are planted on more acres than any other commodity crop in Indiana.

They are typically planted in the fall after harvest and designed to keep roots in the ground throughout the winter, which improves soil health and helps filter water off of the farm.

Due to the late spring planting in 2019 and the subsequently delayed harvest, some cover crops were not able to be planted due to time constraints and unfavorable weather.

As a result of the cover crops planted last year, it is estimated that 1.2 million tons of sediment were prevented from entering Indiana’s waterways, along with 3 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.5 million pounds of phosphorus. That’s enough sediment to fill more than 350 Olympic-size swimming pools.

No-till or strip-till acres leave residues and soils undisturbed which allow the soil to hold in vital nutrients. The fall transect data for 2019 shows 71% of Indiana’s corn acres were no-till or strip-till and 76% of soybean acres were no-till or strip-till. This fall transect data doesn’t quantify any spring tillage that may occur. 

“When we talk about soil health we are talking about a fundamental shift in the way we think about and care for our soil,” said Jerry Raynor, Indiana NRCS State Conservationist.

“Soil health alone does not necessarily treat resource concerns. It’s the continued use of a suite of soil health practices as part of a conservation cropping system that leads to long-term benefits.  We are seeing that fundamental shift in our Indiana farmers each year and our transect data proves it.” 

ISDA Director Bruce Kettler is looking forward to the years ahead for conservation in Indiana.

“Indiana is one of the top conservation-minded states and each year Hoosier farmers go above and beyond to increase soil conservation on their farms,” said Kettler.

“It is vital that Indiana remains strong in this area, and thanks to our committed farmers and the Indiana Conservation Partnership, I am confident that it will.”

Roger Wenning is a Decatur county farmer who keeps soil conservation top of mind. Wenning operates his farm utilizing 100% no-till practices and cover crops.

“When you combine cover crops and no-till, one plus one doesn’t equal two; it equals three. What I mean is that the systems feed off each other,” Wenning explains. “No-till preserves organic matter in the soil and cover crops continue to build organic matter. Put the two together and you keep what you already have and actually multiply it.”

The cover crop and tillage transect is a visual survey of cropland in the state. It’s conducted every year in the fall and following spring by members of the Indiana Conservation Partnership, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Purdue Extension, as well as Earth Team volunteers, to show a more complete story of the state’s conservation efforts.

Due to the implications of the novel coronavirus some of the 92 Indiana counties were missing cover crop data for the 2019 year, in those counties the data used was their individual five-year averages.  

Click here or visit www.isda.in.gov to see the results from the survey.

Beginning today Hoosiers under the age of 21 can no longer legally buy smoking or vaping products under state law.

The law also focuses on harsher penalties for retail establishments that sells or distribute tobacco, e-liquids, or electronic cigarettes to a person less than 21 years of age.

The measure also doubles the fines for retailers who sell to underage buyers, with penalties up to $2,000 if they’re caught doing it three or more times in one year.

And it requires sellers to card anyone who looks younger than 27. 

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will begin chip seal operations as early as Monday, July 6, on S.R. 62 and S.R. 462 in Crawford and Harrison Counties.

Work will take place on S.R. 62 from S.R. 66, near Leavenworth, to S.R. 135, near Corydon. Crews will be active on S.R. 462 in Harrison County, from three miles west of S.R. 62 at Old Forest Road to S.R. 62, west of White Cloud.

Chip seal operations typically last around three to four days per location depending upon the weather. Work is completed under lane closures with flagging to prevent damage to both vehicles and the roadway.

During operations, the existing pavement is coated with liquid asphalt, which seals cracks and provides waterproof protection. This extends the service life of the roadway and lowers maintenance costs.

Once the seal coat is complete, loose aggregate is applied and then swept from the road. After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface.

Chip seal is a cost-effective pavement preservation technique that is utilized across the state of Indiana, saving an estimated six to 14 dollars in taxpayer expenditures for every dollar invested in extending the life of a roadway.

Motorists should slow down, watch for stopped traffic, and drive distraction-free through all work zones. All work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change.

On Wednesday, the state launched a new campaign urging all Hoosiers to wear face masks amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It’s called Mask Up Hoosiers.

One of the biggest goals of the campaign to encourage Hoosiers to wear their masks out in public is to reach the younger generation. Leaders hope by putting the video out on social media our youth will see it and be encouraged to do their part to keep everyone safe.

The campaign features several people, including RTV6’s Rafael Sanchez, holding signs that say why they are wearing a mask and who they are wearing it for, whether its to protect their parents, friends or family.

State leaders are asking Hoosiers to not just think about your own life but all the people you love and don’t want to lose.

Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner, said wearing masks and practicing social distancing can help protect you and others from the virus.

“One thing I hope is individuals watch the news every night they see what has happened in other states,” Box said. “There hasn’t been social distancing and there hasn’t been mask-wearing. I hope we start to take to heart Indiana could very easily be in that situation in the next two to four weeks or four to six weeks if we don’t take this to heart.”

Leaders said they hope when Hoosiers hear reports about hospitalization rates starting to increase and see other states experiencing a surge in cases it will encourage them to do their part, work together and wear a mask.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said he hears it over and over that wearing a mask is inconvenient. His message is it may be inconvenient but it could help save lives.

“The steps that Hoosiers take every time they are around others, be it friends, co-workers, family or strangers, have a direct impact on the spread of COVID-19 and our state’s continued phased re-opening,” Holcomb said. “I thank you for wearing a mask when you are in public and encourage you to reflect on the lives you may be saving.”

If rain or as some have said over the years, “a heavy dew” can’t stop the Pekin Fourth of July, neither can Covid-19.

Gov. Eric Holcomb announced today that Indiana would not be moving to Stage 5 but instead what he called, “Stage 4.5.” 

Pekin Community Betterment Organization President Taylor Humphrey said the Oldest Continuous Celebration of our Nation’s Independence will continue as planned. 

Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced the state will modify the Back On Track Indiana plan through at least July 17 and extended the public health emergency through Aug. 3.

While a few restrictions will lift on July 4 in version 4.5 of the plan, most will stay in place.

Elkhart County will remain fully in Stage 4 until at least July 17.

Local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines.

It is not known at this time if this affects the Pekin Fourth of July Parade and activities planned right afterward or the Firecracker 150 to be held on Saturday afternoon at Salem Speedway. 

Over the past couple of weeks, 22 US states reported record increases in new cases, often multiple times, including Alaska, Arkansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Utah.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN the public’s flouting of guidelines such as social distancing, mask-wearing and avoiding large crowds was responsible for the uptick in cases. 

“There are crowds. They are not physically distancing, and they are not wearing masks. That’s a recipe for disaster,” Fauci said in the interview broadcast on Monday.

“While most of our health indicators remain positive, our data indicate a need to be extra cautious, which is why we will pause much of our Back on Track roadmap,” Gov. Holcomb said. “I urge Hoosiers to maintain vigilance in social distancing and wearing masks so we can continue to reopen our state for business.”

Gov. Holcomb has used data to drive decisions since the state’s first case of the novel coronavirus in early March and he continues to do so as the state continues a sector-by-sector reset.

The state will move to reopen while continuing to monitor and respond to these four guiding principles:

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide has decreased for 14 days
• The state retains its surge capacity for critical care beds and ventilators
• The state retains its ability to test all Hoosiers who are COVID-19 symptomatic as well as health care workers, first responders, and frontline employees
• Health officials have systems in place to contact all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and expand contact tracing

Through at least July 17, the following restrictions will continue:

• Social gatherings following the CDC’s social distancing guidelines will be limited to up to 250 people. This limit applies to wedding receptions, parties, and other events where people are in close physical contact for extended periods of time, particularly indoors.
• Dining room food service may continue operations at up to 75 percent capacity as long as social distancing is observed. Bar seating in restaurants may continue operations at 50 percent capacity. Bars and nightclubs may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity as long as they adhere to social distancing guidelines.
• Cultural, entertainment and tourism sites may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity.
• Movie theaters, bowling alleys and similar facilities may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity.
• Amusement parks, water parks and similar facilities may continue operations open at 50 percent capacity. Reservations are encouraged to limit the number of customers at any one time.
• Raceways may continue operations open at 50 percent grandstand capacity.

Beginning July 4, fairs, festivals and other similar outdoor events may open.

Pari-mutuel horse racing and county and state fair racing may begin with 50 percent spectator capacity.

Youth overnight camps may open.

K-12 school operations may begin the 2020-21 academic year on July 1. Extra-curricular, co-curricular activities may resume July 6.

Outdoor visitation is required at assisted living facilities and nursing homes beginning July 4 and indoor visitation may begin. Hospital visitations with precautions are encouraged.

Hoosiers 65 and over and those with high-risk health conditions – who are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus – should adhere to social distancing guidelines and remain cautious. Face coverings in public places are highly recommended.

Gov. Holcomb and Indiana State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, today announced a statewide initiative to encourage Hoosiers to wear masks to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The #MaskUpHoosiers initiative is launching with videos and photos of state government leaders, celebrities, and Hoosiers from all walks of life sharing their heartfelt reasons for wearing a mask in public, which is one of the strongest steps possible to limit the spread of COVID-19, saving lives and allowing the state to continue its phased re-opening. Additional photos and videos will be featured as the educational campaign progresses. Visit www.coronavirus.in.gov/maskuphoosiers to learn more.

To learn more about the different stages and the associated dates to get a better understanding about where we’re going as a state, click here to see the full plan: BackOnTrack.in.gov

The Governor signed an executive order implementing these changes to the Back on Track Indiana roadmap.

The executive orders can be found here: https://www.in.gov/gov/2384.htm