This year, one of the goals for Indiana Senate Republicans was to fight the ongoing meth epidemic plaguing our state and our nation.

Senate Enrolled Act 80, which was recently signed into law, allows pharmacists to block ephedrine sales if they don’t think the customer has a legitimate medical need for the product.

This bill still allows law-abiding Hoosiers access to the cold medicines they need without requiring a prescription but targets those who purchase cold medicines for the purpose of making meth.

Click here to view a video of Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport), author of SEA 80, explaining the new law in detail.

Additionally, the General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1235 and Senate Enrolled Act 290, which provide tougher penalties for drug dealers.

• HEA 1235, which I sponsored, sets a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for the worst types of drug dealers, ensuring they stay behind bars longer.

• SEA 290, which I authored, allows prosecutors to charge drug offenders as dealers based on the amount of drugs in their possession.

These bills are designed to work together to help stop the growing drug problem in our state.                                         

Indiana is celebrating its Bicentennial, and many events have been planned throughout the year to commemorate 200 years of statehood.

As part of the year-long celebration, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development developed a “Bucket List” of 200 things to do in the state.

The list includes things to see, do, eat and drink throughout Indiana and is a great way to explore new areas of the state, as well as find local treasures in your backyard.

Items on the list include things like taking a trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, seeing the tree growing out of the courthouse in Greensburg, visiting the Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville, going skydiving in Michigan City and attending the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne.

The full list can be found here.