Governor Braun celebrates public safety wins to protect Hoosier families

Wednesday, Governor Mike Braun held a ceremonial signing for two major public safety bills: Senate Enrolled Act 324 and House Enrolled Act 1014. 

“Keeping Hoosiers safe is our top priority, and we’ve secured several wins for public safety this session. These bills will increase the penalty for pushing fentanyl on our streets, help keep police officers safe, and make our communities safer for Hoosier families.”  — Governor Mike Braun

SEA 324 increases the penalty levels of crimes related to fentanyl and provides that a court shall consider requiring certain persons charged with a crime of domestic violence to wear a monitoring device as a condition of bail.

Governor Braun thanked bill author Senator Aaron Freeman and bill sponsor Representative Chris Jeter. 

HEA 1014 is a suite of solutions on public safety and common sense. 

The law makes being in the country illegally when you commit another crime an aggravating sentencing factor, as well as having distributed a controlled substance. 

The law makes clear that governments shouldn’t be organizing sexually explicit performances at taxpayer expense.  

The law protects police officers by making clear that force is never justified against a law enforcement officer while trying to resist arrest for a crime. 

The law also incentivizes treatment for substance abuse disorders by making successful completion of those programs a mitigating factor in sentencing for certain crimes. 

Governor Braun thanked bill author Representative Alex Zimmerman and bill sponsor Senator Sue Glick.