INDIANA — In a major move for victims’ rights and public safety, Governor Mike Braun signed House Bill 1250 into law this week, establishing strict new notification requirements for the release of serious violent felons in Indiana. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2026.
Commonly referred to by supporters as “Susan’s Law,” the legislation aims to close communication gaps between the Department of Corrections (DOC) and local communities.
Under the new law, which passed with unanimous approval in both the House and Senate, the Indiana DOC must provide electronic notification at least seven days in advance to the following individuals when a serious violent felon is set for release:
- The County Sheriff
- The County or Community Prosecuting Attorney
- The Chief of Police in the municipality of release
- Registered victims of the offender
The requirement also extends to juveniles adjudicated for acts that would be considered serious violent felonies if committed by an adult.
The bill was authored by Representative Tim O’Brien following the brutal murder of 74-year-old Evansville realtor Susan Haynie in August 2025.
Haynie was found dead in the basement of her Gum Street home. Investigators later arrested Jamerus Parkman, a convicted felon who had been released on parole just months earlier after serving 13 years of a 35-year sentence for rape and robbery. Evansville police noted at the time of the arrest that they were never notified of Parkman’s presence in the city following his release.
Jamerus Parkman, who is currently being held without bond and faces a potential sentence of life without parole, is scheduled to appear in court for a review hearing on March 30, 2026.
“It won’t undo what happened to our mother, but it can help prevent another family from receiving the call we received,” Susan’s sons, Ken Haynie III and Matt Haynie, said in a joint statement.
The bill received overwhelming support from the public, including a petition signed by thousands of residents. Former Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, a close friend of Haynie, praised the signing as a significant milestone for those seeking justice in her memory.
“I think it gives those of us who are really close to Susan a sense of accomplishment out of something that was so horrendous,” Winnecke said.
