Counties, cities and towns throughout Indiana had to pass an anti-nepotism ordinance prior to Sunday, July 1.

The ordinance was required because a new state law prohibits the hiring of family members by the government bodies that would oversee those jobs.

The law only applies to counties, cities and towns, not school boards. How it will be interpreted and enforced, however, is up to local attorneys such as Lawrenceburg’s Joe Votaw.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance was charged with implementing the law, and any unit of government without an anti-nepotism ordinance in place would not have it’s budget approved by the DLGF nor any additional appropriations, according to a memo sent out by the DLGF in May.

While there are grandfather clauses covering current elected officials or those who filed for election prior to the new law taking effect as well as current employees, exactly how long the clause is good for and who and what it covers is questionable, according to Votaw and county attorney Andy Baudendistel.

In Lawrenceburg, for example, councilwoman Jane Pope’s husband is Lawrenceburg parks’ supervisor, so