Latest news with #HouseBill1390
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Braun signs bill banning marijuana advertising
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- Indiana Governor Mike Braun signs a bill banning advertising marijuana in the Hoosier State. Former Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office employee pleads guilty to wire fraud The ban language was included in House Bill 1390, which primarily focused on legislation for Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana is surrounded by three states that have legalized marijuana for adult recreational usage: Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. Advertising for marijuana products and dispensaries within Indiana's borders has been a contentious issue, particularly for communities bordering these states, which advertise for visitors to partake during their time visiting, despite still being illegal in Indiana. The ban is effective immediately and includes advertising for marijuana 'by any medium' within Indiana's borders. In addition to physical advertising, ads for marijuana are also banned on social media, web ads, and geo-targeted promotions. Despite the signing of the law, advertising campaign agreements signed before the law will remain legal until 2035. The Indiana Attorney General's Office will enforce the law, with fines starting at $5,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marijuana isn't legal in Indiana. So should advertising be legal here? Lawmakers say no
Indiana lawmakers took action on marijuana policy during the 2025 legislative session, just not in the direction Hoosiers who favor legalizing weed in the state may hope. State lawmakers voted 81-9 on April 23 in the House and 31-19 in the Senate on April 24 to ban the advertising of marijuana products "by any medium" within Indiana. The ban language is tucked into House Bill 1390, which is generally a bill with directions for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The ban applies to signs on the interstate and flyers sent to mailboxes, both types of advertising that had already been popping up in Indiana as companies in neighboring states try to entice Hoosiers to cross state lines. The approval of the advertising ban follows a renewed push from Republicans for marijuana legalization, especially as Indiana is surrounded on its borders by states that have legalized it in some form. There were some signs of movement in that direction. A new Republican-led lobbying group, Safe and Regulated Indiana, formed earlier this year. Gov. Mike Braun on the 2024 campaign trail also signaled support for medical marijuana. But, as they typically do at the Statehouse, the bipartisan bills filed about legalization died without movement in either chamber. The advertising ban language stuck. Similar proposals banning advertising appeared in three different bills at the start of the legislative session: Senate Bill 166, from Republican Sen. Spencer Deery, House Bill 1327, from Republican Rep. Timothy Wesco and House Bill 1026, from Rep. Joanna King. All three bills died earlier this year after not receiving hearings in legislative committees. Language banning marijuana advertising hopped from bill to bill at the end of the legislative session. The language was added to HB 1390 and then removed and placed in Senate Bill 73. It was later eliminated from SB 73 and then added back to HB 1390 before lawmakers signed off on the final version of that bill. HB 1390 now heads to Braun's desk, where he can either sign or veto the bill. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar political and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana lawmakers approve marijuana advertising ban
Indianapolis Star
24-04-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Marijuana isn't legal in Indiana. So should advertising be legal here? Lawmakers say no
Indiana lawmakers took action on marijuana policy during the 2025 legislative session, just not in the direction Hoosiers who favor legalizing weed in the state may hope. State lawmakers voted 81-9 on April 23 in the House and 31-19 in the Senate on April 24 to ban the advertising of marijuana products "by any medium" within Indiana. The ban language is tucked into House Bill 1390, which is generally a bill with directions for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The ban applies to signs on the interstate and flyers sent to mailboxes, both types of advertising that had already been popping up in Indiana as companies in neighboring states try to entice Hoosiers to cross state lines. The approval of the advertising ban follows a renewed push from Republicans for marijuana legalization, especially as Indiana is surrounded on its borders by states that have legalized it in some form. There were some signs of movement in that direction. A new Republican-led lobbying group, Safe and Regulated Indiana, formed earlier this year. Gov. Mike Braun on the 2024 campaign trail also signaled support for medical marijuana. But, as they typically do at the Statehouse, the bipartisan bills filed about legalization died without movement in either chamber. The advertising ban language stuck. Similar proposals banning advertising appeared in three different bills at the start of the legislative session: Senate Bill 166, from Republican Sen. Spencer Deery, House Bill 1327, from Republican Rep. Timothy Wesco and House Bill 1026, from Rep. Joanna King. All three bills died earlier this year after not receiving hearings in legislative committees. Language banning marijuana advertising hopped from bill to bill at the end of the legislative session. The language was added to HB 1390 and then removed and placed in Senate Bill 73. It was later eliminated from SB 73 and then added back to HB 1390 before lawmakers signed off on the final version of that bill. HB 1390 now heads to Braun's desk, where he can either sign or veto the bill.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘Predatory' towing restrictions revived in Indiana Senate committee, despite mixed support
(Getty Images) After a failed attempt in the House, Indiana senators resurrected contentious bill language that intends to crack down on 'predatory' towing practices. Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, said the major add-in targets 'excessive' and unreasonable charges on towing invoices, especially for commercial vehicles like semitrailers. Numerous trucking company representatives who testified at the Statehouse on Tuesday described thousands of dollars billed for 'hidden' administrative fees and fuel surcharges — even when wrecked trucks were towed just a few miles down the road. Because law enforcement typically decides which towing companies are called to accidents, truckers aren't able to choose the service provider. And even when issues arise over unfair towing bills, logistics companies said they're forced to pay the high fees in order to regain possession of both their trucks and trailers, which often contain time-sensitive loads. 'When we are number one in the nation for predatory towing when it comes to commercial vehicles, that's not acceptable in my mind,' said Pressel, who authored the underlying bill. 'This bill really kind of gets us into a place where we can try and have a common sense approach that is fair with both parties,' he continued. 'It's a mediation tool.' House Bill 1390 originally just dealt with BMV agency matters, like insurance verification, specialty license plates and registration stickers. After multiple amendments approved Tuesday by the Senate transportation committee, the bill now wraps in towing, as well as a ban on 'outdoor' marijuana advertising. The legislation was OK'd 6-1 by the Senate panel and heads next to the Senate Appropriations Committee. There was hesitation from multiple senators, however, specifically around the bill's creation of a state board to handle towing complaints. Concerned lawmakers acknowledged 'serious issues' over unreasonable charges, but questioned whether the bill was 'the right answer.' 'I don't think this hits the target,' said Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, the lone 'no' vote on the bill. 'I'm a small business owner myself. I'm going to pay the bill. I'm going to deal with the company through the court system. … That can already happen. … I just believe that there're some other avenues besides creating this board.' Within the amended language are multiple provisions. One would mandate that local law enforcement agencies establish a 'towing rotation' policy to cycle through vetted and approved towing companies that are called to accidents, or enter into contracts with specific companies for emergency towing. Some local agencies already maintain lists of towing companies. When an accident occurs, police call the next tow truck in the rotation. The goal is to clear scenes quickly and prevent favoritism by randomly selecting tow companies. Under the bill, policies or contracts must define service rates, response times, storage requirements and conditions for suspension and removal of approved towing companies. Similar provisions apply to Indiana State Police — which already has a robust rotation system. The bill stipulates that the department would have to review its towing service rate sheet at least once per year. Another section sets fee regulations for emergency and private towing, with periodic rate reviews by law enforcement agencies to ensure 'reasonableness.' Additional fees beyond those outlined in contracts between companies and law enforcement would be prohibited, according to the bill. Contracts also can't include a minimum number of hours for a towing service to be invoiced. Other pieces of the updated bill would allow owners to retrieve vehicles after paying 70% of the towing invoice and filing a towing complaint. Storage fees charged by towing companies would also be limited. But most of the contention centered around a proposed 'Towing Complaint Advisory Board,' a seven-person, governor-appointed panel responsible for reviewing complaints, particularly those related to excessive charges. The Indiana attorney general would be tasked with creating a towing complaint form, and consumers would be able to challenge fees exceeding $1,000 for smaller vehicles and $20,000 for large ones. It would ultimately be up to the board to decide if charges are fair. The attorney general's office would oversee any payment remittance. Proponents of the bill said that board would address the few 'ineffective' and 'untimely' mechanisms that currently exist for refuting exorbitant charges. 'The states that seem to be ahead of us, much better than us, almost all of them have a process like is in here with the complaint board … to evaluate and determine what's fair and what's not,' said Gary Langston, president of the Indiana Motor Truck Association. 'The towing and recovery industry is vital to us, to the trucking industry. Just like any industry, there are people who do a good job, and people who don't. We're only focused on those who are taking advantage of the situation. Because these things are happening every day.' Three Hoosier trucking companies testified before the committee, detailing recent bills from towing companies. Jessica Warnke, president and CEO of Anderson-based Carter Express, recalled when her company had a preferred, nearby tow truck on scene shortly after one of her company's semis slid off the road. State police told Carter Express they couldn't use that towing company, though, because it wasn't next in the rotation. Carter Express was later charged more than $17,000 by another towing company for a two-hour job, including a roughly $5,700-minimum charge for labor and equipment; $2,100 in administrative fees; and $1,600 for four days of storage. She said the incident happened on a Saturday, but an invoice wasn't provided until the following Tuesday. The bill had to be paid before Carter Express could retrieve its truck and trailer. 'Really, the crux of the issue here is that the freight on our trailers is not ours: it's our customer's. We run mainly automotive freight, and we do just-in-time service, so those parts on those trailers are waiting to be put on a production line. I could shut down an entire production facility by having a trailer in an impound lot for four days,' Warnke said. 'I don't have a choice but to pay that invoice as soon as it's given to me so that I can get that freight back.' 'We operate very lean,' she added. 'I don't have extra people on my staff. I don't have general counsel. I don't have lawyers … to help me figure out how to file a complaint. And where do I even file that complaint? Is it worth an attorney's fee to go to small claims court? Some of these issues this bill would address will help me not have to worry about all that red tape.' Karrie Driscol, president of the Indiana Towing and Wrecker Association, offered the only oppositional testimony, maintaining that Pressel's bill 'is not the way to solve this problem.' Driscol cited state data showing 33,000 tows across Indiana each year. She said only 200 towing invoice complaints have been submitted to the attorney general's office since 2019. She said, too, that Hoosier towing companies are presently 'stuck with 50% of the vehicles that no one ever claims.' 'We're not getting paid on 50% of these accident calls … and we have to dispose of those loads. We have to pay to get rid of that stuff,' Driscol said. If 30% of fees are 'tied up' during the complaint process, 'that is going to affect towers across the state.' 'The problem that we're seeing isn't as large as what it is being put out here as,' she continued. 'I will tell you that there are problems in the towing industry. There are those out there that are doing silly things. But there are ways to solve it.' The problem that we're seeing isn't as large as what it is being put out here as. – Karrie Driscol, president of the Indiana Towing and Wrecker Association Driscol said her association would rather further collaborate with law enforcement to work out better rates. 'Why do we need a board to determine what's what's going to happen — and what not going to happen?' she asked. 'If we're going to create a board, we need to take the time and do it right. Don't make a sloppy mistake — that's what this board is going to do.' Earlier in the session, legislation regulating vehicle towing tripped up House Republicans for more than two weeks before it eventually died. House Bill 1493 would've forced towing companies to create service rate sheets, display them 'conspicuously' and show them to owners present when their vehicles are being towed. It also would've required that any property owner's future contract with a towing company contain removal and storage rates alongside other provisions, and mandated that towing companies give vehicles back within 24 hours of getting partial payment. Other pieces would've regulated emergency towing services, created a statewide towing complaint process, and banned overcharging and paid referrals. The measure made it through committee on a unanimous vote, but languished on the House's daily agenda for eight straight session meetings as House Republicans filed competing amendments. It wasn't taken up before a critical deadline. Another take on towing regulations, House Bill 1108, failed to get out of committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Indiana Senate committee OKs marijuana billboard advertising ban
A truck outside of the Indiana Statehouse promotes legalized marijuana as a potential revenue source. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Tuesday discussion around a Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) bill descended into impassioned debate over marijuana advertising, which Republican lawmakers said should be restricted. In contention was House Bill 1390, authored by Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie. The underlying legislation originally just dealt with BMV agency matters, like insurance verification, specialty license plates and registration stickers. But among multiple changes adopted by the Senate transportation committee on Tuesday — including a significant amendment addressing 'predatory' towing — was a ban on 'outdoor' marijuana advertising, notably on highway billboards. Specifically, the amended bill language seeks to prohibit outdoor advertisements for products containing marijuana or a variety of other controlled substances, including heroin, LSD and ecstasy. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Pressel — whose district extends to Indiana's northern border — described 'billboards all over the place that say, 'Come to my store and buy this,'' referencing dispensaries in Michigan, where recreational marijuana is legal. 'And we have trucks, mobile billboards, that drive around and sit in front of our parks. That's unacceptable, and it sends a mixed message to the consumer that this product is legal in Indiana, which it is not,' Pressel said, who unsuccessfully attempted to add the provision to a separate House bill earlier in the session. 'I think that's an unfair message,' he continued, 'and I believe that we should get in front of this to say that if it's an illegal substance, listed on our illegal substance list in the state of Indiana, you should not be able to advertise for that.' Multiple advertisers pushed back. Ron Breymier, executive director of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Indiana, cited First Amendment issues. He argued that policymakers can dictate the size and placement of billboards, but 'not the actual advertisement itself.' Phones and internet searches, Breymier said, are a 'greater threat' than billboards. Rather than a ban, he recommended a requirement for advertisers to include disclaimers on the billboards 'so citizens know that it's not legal to possess or consume' marijuana or other substances in Indiana. Jason Graham, vice president of Lamar Advertising, the state's largest billboard operator, wasn't opposed to regulation, but took issue with a ban 'that's directly targeted towards just one media.' 'If we feel this strongly … I don't think it should be just billboards,' he said. Pressel and other lawmakers said they'd be open to expanding the prohibition to other forms of advertising, too. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
