Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed into law several bills authored or sponsored by State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, dealing with police and firefighter pensions, political signage and emergency workers.

A statement issued by Tallian said that the Indiana General Assembly concluded its work on March 13 by sending a total of 115 bills to the governor’s desk.

The public can track what bills Daniels has signed into law by going to www.in.gov/gov/billwatch.htm. Among the bills that Tallian worked on that are now law are:

SEA 172 allows for a member of the 1977 Police Officers and Firefighters Pension and Disability Fund to designate one or more beneficiaries to receive the member’s contributions to the fund plus interest if the member dies without collecting benefits. This initiative will help those who have not collected benefits or designated a beneficiary like a child, spouse or parent, according to Tallian. The new law takes effect immediately.

SEA 64, which was authored by Tallian, will prohibit a homeowners association from prohibiting homeowners from displaying political signs on the member’s property. The bill will allow political signs 30 days before and five days after the date of the election to which the sign relates. The new law takes effect July 1.

SEA 87, also authored by Tallian, will entitle EMS personnel to a hearing and an appeals process if a medical director refuses to supervise that individual or suspends the individual without just cause. The law also requires the commission hearing the appeal to consult with an independent medical expert, who must be a physician trained in emergency medical services and unaffiliated with the same hospital as the medical director whose opinion is being challenged. The new law takes effect July 1.

HEA 1021 deals with bankruptcy matters. The law will allow a debtor’s Indiana Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to be considered exempt property under the bankruptcy property exemption statute. Tallian said this state tax credit should be protected during these financially troubling times. The new law takes effect July 1.

Posted 3/17/2010