New Indiana and Kentucky Laws Set to Take Effect at Midnight in 2025
What changes are coming in the new year for the Commonwealth and Hoosier States? Well, quite a few, and several have become hot topics in households, especially for those who consume vape products, automobile drivers, and medical cannabis supporters. Let's dive into what some of these new laws are looking like for all of us.
Kentucky Law's Going into effect in 2025
Commonwealth lawmakers had a productive legislative season in 2024, signing nearly 200 bills into law. While several were activated through the summer, many won't be completely active until 2025. Here's a summarized rundown of what will be beginning on January 1st.
Vaping Products
The way people consume their nicotine is changing thanks to House Bill 11. In the coming year, the FDA is beginning its unprecedented crackdown on the vaping scene in a staggering way. At the onset of 2025, retailers will only be able to distribute, approved products from select manufacturers.
Note that out of over a million submitted applications, only 23 were approved. This will severely limit the market availability for consumers, there has been a lot of negative feedback as one could imagine. The overall goal is to sever the link for such readily available options for underage and youthful vape smokers.
Medical Marijuana
On the other hand, Kentuckians are just days away from being able to legally possess and market medical cannabis at dispensaries that are licensed. There is a stipulation, that all medical-grade cannabis must be grown in the state of Kentucky. It will be unlikely that dispensaries will have legally obtained stock on hand right out of the gate. You must be an eligible candidate to partake in the sales of marijuana however with written authorization from a medical physician.
Qualified patients can soon start the application process on January 1st to procure the product. Multiple dispensaries around the state have already been approved with the correct licenses ahead of the passing bill to preemptively start preparing products and storefronts for the expected influx of consumers. Take a look at the interactive map where storefronts are planning to open and operate.
Requirements for driver's license renewal in Kentucky
Initially, House Bill 439 was passed back in 2021 but will take full effect in the coming year. This new law will require all licensed state residents to undergo a vision screening at the time of renewal. The vision tests will be conducted in the office of all regional driver licensing offices. Drivers can also submit an optometrist signed form stating that they have undergone an eye exam within the last year.
Indiana's Incoming Laws for 2025
Indiana residents are not exempt from changes in the law coming in just a couple of days, much like its southern neighbor. See what the new year has in store for the Hoosier State.
Child Labor Laws
Updates that are being made to laws protecting minors in the workplace, the changes taking place will be relaxing some of the set standards. Hour restrictions are being lifted for teens that are 16 and 17 years old, they will now be able to work the same hours as their adult co-workers, supervised or unsupervised by someone 18 or older.
Fourteen and 15-year-olds still have hourly limitations that they can work on school days. They will be allotted a maximum of three hours on school days and capped at 8 hours on non-school days. Teens in this age category may not be allowed to start their work day before 7 am or for it to extend past 7 pm while school is in session. The time will extend to 9 pm at the latest in summer when school is out for the season.
Federal law will still mandate that those who are in the 14-15-year-old age range, are not legally allowed to hold positions where they would come into contact with hazardous or unsafe environments.
Call Before You Dig
New procedures will be placed on any work that requires excavation, with the time requirement increasing to, two full business days from the placed call to locate utility lines, to the start of the dig project. Digging before 7 am will become against the law in Indianapolis. There is also a new stipulation being initiated, after the 10-day mark post-utility survey, if the excavation project has not begun a new request must be made through the utility company and the process must be repeated.
The new law is also tightening up on machinery proximity to power lines, excavators must keep a minimum of two feet away from all marked lines. The final addition to the dig laws is that utility companies are now given a strict deadline of two days once the request for the utility survey has been submitted.
New Tax Rate For Indiana Tax Payers
New tax rates are greeting state residents once the clock chimes in the midnight hour! The current income tax rate of 3.05% will decrease to an even 3%. For those on payroll, your paychecks might just see a slight increase due to the new rate.
Sources: WHAS11 & South Bend Tribune
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