State, school officials remind students of Lifeline Law

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indiana officials are working to get out the message about the state’s new lifeline law.

That law gives immunity to an underage person who is intoxicated if they’re calling for help for a medical emergency.

State Senator Jim Merritt sponsored the bill; he and the state’s attorney general are heading out this month to college campuses, to remind students to call for help if needed.

Monday, they stopped at both Indiana University and Indiana State University.

“This is not an incentive to drink. This is not to promote binge drinking. It’s so if someone makes a mistake, there is a way to save a life. To make a call and save a life,” said Senator Merritt.

It’s not only state officials making sure students know about this. Some college officials and students are passing along the word.

This week is homecoming week at Butler University. Tuesday, students and school leaders put on an event, discussing the consequences of binge drinking, and urging other students to have a “healthy” homecoming.

“Homecoming is a very high risk situation, and we wanted the campus to be aware of situations with alcohol that could be dangerous and the resources they have to make healthy choices,” said Butler student Erin Holm, a member of the group that put on the event.

“I’m going to touch a little bit on the lifeline law, so students aren’t apprehensive about calling us if someone needs help,” said Andrew Ryan, Assistant Police Chief of Administration for Butler University Police Department.

The lifeline law went into effect in July in Indiana. Butler University has made an effort to let students know, through freshman orientation as well as within Greek life. School officials say they've been following a similar procedure on campus, even before the law went into effect.

“It is something we wouldn’t have known about otherwise, if they hadn’t told us first,” said student Camryn Walton, who heard through her sorority about the law. “It’s something good to know on a college campus.”

Indiana University’s Student Association has also been very proactive when it comes to the lifeline law.

Senator Merritt says he and the attorney general are planning to head to other college campuses across Indiana. They’re handing out bracelets in memory of Brett Finbloom, the Carmel teen who died in August after drinking too much underage.

Merritt says he will also speak to some high schools, as well.