Byrne: Indiana needs safer communities

By State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville)

Our government should do everything it can to protect the people it governs. Good, hard-working Hoosiers should not have to worry about their safety when they go outside or go to sleep at night.

But our state has a serious problem. Time and time again we see dangerous suspects being let out on bail, only to commit more crimes and inflict more harm on our communities as they await trial.

I'm fed up with this, and I'm sure you are too. That's why I supported a joint resolution this year to amend our state constitution to give judges the power to deny bail to dangerous suspects who they believe pose a serious risk to the public.

To me, supporting this amendment was no-brainer. If someone poses a serious risk to our community, they should be kept in jail until their trial. It's that simple.

This amendment will now appear on the ballot during the upcoming General Election as Public Question 1 and it will ask if Indiana's Constitution should be amended to allow judges to deny bail to dangerous suspects. If the majority of Hoosiers vote for this amendment, it will become part of our constitution and Indiana will join over 30 states across the country with similar amendments.

This would not change how regular criminal cases are handled; this amendment would only apply to the worst cases. It also wouldn't violate anyone's rights. To ensure our individual liberties are not violated, I supported a companion law this year that ensures judges will not abuse this amendment. The law guarantees a speedy bail hearing, the right to an attorney and the right to appeal the bail decision.

Regardless of how Hoosiers vote in November, it will always be my goal to ensure people in Senate District 47 and across the state feel safe in the communities they call home.

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State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville) represents Senate District 47,
which includes Harrison and Washington counties, and most of Floyd County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.

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