What is 'spinning,' and why are lawmakers talking about it? (No, it's not a cardio class.)

Jenny Porter Tilley and Sarah Nelson, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·2 min read

UPDATE: Senate Bill 240 will not be voted on in time for the House committee deadline, so the bill is dead. House Courts and Criminal Code committee chair Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, took the bill off the schedule for Monday, Feb. 26, and said it wasn't ready.

IndyStar previously reported on organized "spinning contests" and other reckless driving leading to serious injuries and property damage around the city. Now lawmakers in the Senate are taking aim at the trend with new legislation.

A bill on spinning passed 5-1 in the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law committee Tuesday with minimal discussion.

Here's what to know about the 'spinning' bill.

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What is spinning?

The bill being discussed at the statehouse defines "spinning" as "the repeated or continuous operation of a motor vehicle with the intent of causing the vehicle to perform a rotational skid."

A spinning event that occurred in March 2023 in a private parking lot near 34th Street and Lafayette Road in Indianapolis. Police said three separate spinning events that night resulted in nine arrests.
A spinning event that occurred in March 2023 in a private parking lot near 34th Street and Lafayette Road in Indianapolis. Police said three separate spinning events that night resulted in nine arrests.

What would Senate Bill 240 do?

If passed, the bill would mean "spinning," under the definition above, would be a Class B misdemeanor; or a Class A misdemeanor if it endangered a person.

If a person is charged with a Class A misdemeanor for the crime, the bill also allows civil forfeiture of the vehicle.

Who authored SB 240?

  • Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis (author)

  • Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis (co-author)

Read the full text of Indiana SB 240

Here's the Introduced Senate Bill. Visit iga.in.gov for updates.

What's the status of Indiana Senate Bill 240?

The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law committee heard the bill Tuesday. Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, was the only lawmaker to vote no, saying he took issue with an amendment to the bill that would increase the penalty for resisting law enforcement if it endangers another person to a level 5 felony, up from a lower, level 6 felony.

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State government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer contributed to this article. Contact her at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana SB 240 outlines penalties for 'spinning.' Here's what it is.