Latest news with #Alting
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State senator pledges to fight against criminalizing homelessness in bill
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's Senate Bill 197 as it stands Wednesday afternoon makes "street camping" illegal and a jailable offense, said state Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette. "It's coming out," Alting said Wednesday afternoon about the House's amendment to make sleeping on public land or on sidewalks a Class C misdemeanor. "(The bill's author) agrees with me that is not the correct way to handle homelessness. "We're a society of compassion." As the bill currently reads, sleeping or camping on publicly owned property becomes a Class C misdemeanor. An officer can warn those found sleeping or camping on publicly owned land. If the person is living on a sidewalk or a public right of way, they have 24 hours to move, based on the current version of the bill. If they are camped on publicly owned lands that are not on a right of way, the person must move within 72 hours of being warned. Failure to move is a Class C misdemeanor, and a conviction can carry a possible sentence up to 60 days in jail and a fine up to $500, according to Indiana law. Officers who sense there is a mental health issue can take the person to be evaluated. They also can give the homeless a ride to facility that will help the person such as a crisis intervention center, according to the version of the bill as of Wednesday afternoon. Originally, the bill addressed problems surrounding unsafe buildings and the property owners' responsibilities. But after the House amendment, it criminalizes homelessness, Alting said. "For whatever reason, these folks are homeless," Tippecanoe County Sheriff Bob Goldsmith said Wednesday morning. "Now they want to criminalize homelessness. "I foresee this being a problem when we're filling our jails with homeless people," Goldsmith said. "That's not good use of our resources." Alting said the Senate likely will vote in the coming days to remove the "street camping" portion of the bill. When that happens, the bill will go to reconciliation, where members of both chambers of the General Assembly will hammer out their differences so that the bill can be approved and sent to the governor's desk for his signature or his veto. Alting is on the reconciliation committee for the Senate. He said he's hearing that the House members on the reconciliation committee might push for wording that makes it illegal to sleep on the street or sidewalk, while not pushing the issue of homelessness camps on publicly owned lands. Alting said we're a free society, and homelessness should not be criminalized. Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@ Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Sen. Alting pledges to fight against criminalizing homelessness in bill
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
6 months after Helene moved through metro Atlanta, some homeowners are still waiting for repairs
Several people whose homes flooded when Helene blew through metro Atlanta six months ago say they are frustrated and still not back in their homes. 'We have not started construction yet,' Elisabeth Anderson, who is currently in a rental, told Channel 2′s Candace McCowan. Pictures of her home show the walls partially ripped out down to the studs. The water rose so quickly that she, her husband and their 7-week-old baby had to be rescued during the storm. 'We've done remediation work, but now we're dealing with just making sure the house is buildable to move back in,' said Anderson. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Nearby, Simone Alting's home hasn't been touched even though she has flood insurance. 'I thought at least I would get money within three weeks or four weeks,' said Alting. 'So far, I just got a little down payment, but nothing to be able to repair the house or do anything to the house.' Most of the contents are destroyed. After weighing the cost, Alting and her family are going to tear their dream home down. 'It turned out that it would have been almost the same price, lifting the house, doing all the repairs and building new,' said Alting. She hopes to be back in her home by Christmas. Those who are rebuilding, have a Facebook group to support each other. Many are surprised they haven't gotten further in rebuilding. 'It's been six months. Imagine six months,' added Alting. RELATED STORIES: Georgia lawmakers approve $300M in farm and timber tax breaks after Hurricane Helene FEMA begins home inspections for post-Hurricane Helene assistance This is what you need to know if you applied for FEMA assistance in GA FEMA shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News saying they are still helping survivors get access to the resources they need. We know recovery after Helene has been tough, and we want to make sure survivors get the help they need. Rental Assistance is still available for survivors who have been displaced from their homes. We urge survivors to keep in contact with FEMA as their situations may have changed. Calls from FEMA may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. FEMA spokesperson They went on to say that you can reach out to their Georgia Call Center at 678-547-2861 or connect with resources online here. FEMA added that, to date, more than $337 million has been approved for Georgia disaster survivors. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Panel seeks to block charities from operating like true casinos
Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, presents legislation in committee on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (Courtesy Indiana Senate Republicans) Less than three months after Hoosier regulators busted a northern Indiana charity casino, lawmakers added anti-fraud measures to legislation loosening spending rules for charity gambling revenue. Charitable, civic, veteran and other groups can earn money off bingo, raffles, and more. But some have gone too far. The Indiana Gaming Commission in December accused a Fort Wayne charity casino, run by an Elks Lodge, of racketeering and seized more than $100,000, WANE reported. 'We're just putting in some safety nets, if you will, to make sure that some of these charitable events like bingo, up north, doesn't turn into full-time casinos with profits like a full-time casino,' Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, told his Public Policy Committee on Wednesday. The substantial amendment, Alting said, is from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. It begins by renaming popular 'casino game nights' to 'card, dice and roulette games events.' And starting next year, a single location wouldn't be able to host bingo or such 'games events' more than three days a week — no matter how many charities with gambling licenses are using the location. A group conducting bingo and other games events — and that rakes in at least $1 million close to their license's expiration — would have to get an independent financial audit done. CONTACT US And people operating festivals, bingo and other games events would have to wear 'legible identification card(s)' on their clothes. It has to have a first name, last name and the name of the charity group licensed to put on the event. Alting's committee accepted the changes without discussion. The amendment comes just a week after the Senate voted to legalize electronic pull tabs for charity gambling — despite skepticism. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, alleged that 'figurehead' charities are running multiple gambling organizations to operate more days of the week than is allowed, and Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, complained that groups are holding on to the money raised instead of spending it on charitable purposes. The underlying proposal, Alting's Senate Bill 108, expands uses for charity gambling revenue. Current law indicates groups can use the money 'only for (their) lawful purposes,' including repairs, maintenance and improvements for property they own. The legislation recasts the restrictions to 'any lawful purpose' and nixes the list. Alting said he'd spoken with veteran service organizations struggling to use their revenue. The committee advanced the bill on a unanimous, 9-0 vote. It next heads to the Senate chamber. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
