The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 23 authored by Sens. Becker and Crider on damages to a fire suppression system. Sen. Becker testified that this bill is a direct result of inmates damaging sprinkler heads in the Vanderburgh County Jail resulting in significant expense and disruption to the facility’s operation. Amendment #1, adopted by consent, increased the penalty to a Level 5 felony for damages to sprinkler systems in an adult or juvenile penal facility.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff testified in support of the bill. The Indiana Public Defender Council testified in opposition to the bill. The amended bill was passed, 5-2.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/23/