Future Legislation Aims to Rescue Abandoned Homes and Neighborhoods

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Legislators are looking to introduce a bill to help address the urban blight that is plaguing cities and communities across the Hoosier state. With an estimated 30 percent of the state’s foreclosed homes abandoned, according to the financial news and opinion website 24/7 Wall Street, State Senator Jim Merritt said this issue hurts property values and can drain municipal resources.

“Local governments want property taxes coming out of that home, if you will,” he explains. “Vacancy is a poison in communities and blight is a mark against society and against the community.”

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Law Tightened Regarding Synthetic Drugs

Posted on Author WKVI

Indiana Governor Mike Pence
Indiana Governor Mike Pence
The law is once again being tightened regarding dangerous synthetic drugs, this time closing a critical loophole in the state’s previous ban by illegalizing the possession of or dealing in “look-alike” synthetic drugs. State Senator Jim Merritt’s legislation, Senate Enrolled Act 536, was signed into law this month by Governor Mike Pence and Merritt said he is glad to see the legislation passed as it was one of his top priorities this session.

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Lawmakers to Review Senate Bill that would end the Sale, Manufacturing of Synthetic Drugs

Posted on Author WKVI

Lawmakers are looking to end the manufacturing, distributing and use of synthetic drugs.

State Senator Jim Merritt has authored a proposal that would add more than 60 chemical compounds found in synthetic drugs like Spice and bath salts to the state’s list of illegal substances. He says his bill would also ban molecules similar in structure to those illegal compounds to prevent drug manfacturers from slightly changing ingredients and skirting laws in the future.

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