The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 547 on veterans and courts. Author Sen. Zakas testified that the bill makes appropriations to the Indiana Judicial Center to assist in the development of veterans’ courts statewide. The bill also authorizes (1) veterans’ courts to accept individuals from another county, (2) mandates the establishment of a veterans’ court in each judicial district, (3) requires the Judicial Conference of Indiana Board of Directors to adopt rules governing the transfer of veterans among jurisdictions for the purposes of participation in a veterans’ court, (4) requires designated state agencies to seek funding for veterans’ courts, and (5) authorizes courts to consider as a mitigating factor that an individual convicted of a crime is a veteran who has certain conditions that favor suspending the sentence. Jane Seigel, Executive Director, and Mary Kay Hudson, Director of Court Services, of the Indiana Judicial Center provided the Committee with the current status of veterans’ courts in Indiana. Madison Circuit Court Judge Clem, the Indiana Bar Association, the Military and Veterans Coalition of Indiana and the Disabled American Veterans testified in support of the bill. The bill passed 8-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/547.