House Judiciary advances changes to public‑camping, unsafe‑building and dumping rules in SB197

The Indiana House Judiciary Committee on April 7 voted 7‑3 to pass Senate Bill 197 after adopting a series of amendments that add new rules on camping on public property, shorten notice periods for unsafe buildings and create a class C misdemeanor for certain dumping and camping violations.

Representative Alex Meltzer, sponsor of several changes, described amendment 6 as a package about “the use of public lands.” He said the amendment sends language to the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to pursue a Medicaid waiver for the Healthy Indiana Plan and creates an enforcement structure for camping on public rights‑of‑way and parks. “If you are in the public right of way, you'll have 24 hours to move. If you're in the park, you'll have 72 hours to move,” Representative Meltzer said. He added that, after outreach and offers of shelter or mental‑health services and a crisis hotline contact, refusal to accept those services would be a class C misdemeanor and the individual could be referred to a problem‑solving court.

The committee approved that amendment by roll call, 7‑3.

A separate amendment that Representative Meltzer described as amending the unsafe‑building law resets an administrative deadline from 90 days to 10 days and requires the enforcement authority to give notice and the date, time and location of a hearing under the statute before a potential civil penalty is placed on a property tax bill. Meltzer said that the change aims to ensure property owners have a hearing before a potential $2,500 civil penalty ultimately appears on a tax bill. That amendment was taken by consent.

Representative Zach Ireland offered amendments addressing illegal dumping and municipal benchmarking. Amendment 5 creates a class C misdemeanor for illegal depositing of contaminants or solid waste on land; Ireland said the change would “give law enforcement one tool in the toolbox” to address illegal dumping. Amendment 7 would preempt local ordinances that require commercial buildings over 50,000 square feet to report tenant utility usage for benchmarking, citing practical difficulties for landlords and apartment buildings; the committee approved that preemption amendment by roll call, 7‑3.

After debate and the adopted amendments, the committee moved to pass SB197 as amended and recorded final passage in committee at 7‑3. Chairman Jeter said the committee would hold the measure open for Representatives Prescott and Lopez in case they returned before final transmittal.

Why it matters: The amendments combine public‑safety and code‑enforcement changes with criminal penalties and preemption language that affect cities’ energy‑benchmarking ordinances. Supporters said the measures create pathways to services and due‑process protections for property owners; opponents raised concerns about germaneness, stakeholder input and the implications for cities and housing providers.

Votes at a glance: Amendment 6 (camping/public lands; referral to problem‑solving court) — moved by Representative Alex Meltzer; roll call 7 yes / 3 no — passed. Amendment (unsafe‑building timeline, hearing before tax placement) — moved by Representative Meltzer — taken by consent — passed. Amendment 5 (illegal dumping, class C misdemeanor) — moved by Representative Zach Ireland — taken by consent — passed. Amendment 7 (preemption of tenant utility benchmarking requirements for large commercial buildings) — moved by Representative Ireland; roll call 7 yes / 3 no — passed. Final: SB197 passed as amended in committee, 7 yes / 3 no.

Clarifying details recorded in committee: the camping amendment sets 24‑hour move time for public rights‑of‑way and 72 hours for parks; alleged civil penalty referenced in unsafe‑building code is described in committee as roughly $2,500 before it could be placed on taxes if not resolved; committee discussion specified that shelters used for diversion must be “within 5 miles” of the location of the violation; the camping penalty is a class C misdemeanor under the amendment; committee members raised concerns about germaneness and stakeholder notice for amendments added on short notice.

What’s next: SB197 will move out of committee to the full House calendar; the committee said it would hold the bill open briefly for absent members to return and vote.

Sources: Committee proceedings and roll calls recorded April 7 during the Indiana House Judiciary Committee meeting.