People experiencing homelessness have fewer options today as a statewide ban on public "camping," which makes sleeping on city streets and other public property illegal, takes effect.

Why it matters: Critics say the measure punishes homelessness and will further compound the challenges facing an already marginalized group of people, while proponents of the law say it will connect people with the help and services they need.

Zoom in: Senate Enrolled Act 285 makes camping or sleeping on public property illegal.

• After an initial warning and information on available services, offenders could face a misdemeanor charge, a maximum $500 fine, and up to 60 days in jail.
• There is an exemption if local shelters are full.

The big picture: That's one of dozens of new laws taking effect Wednesday, the start of Indiana's new fiscal year.

Here are seven more:

📵 Cell phones are banned in Indiana schools, bell-to-bell. Senate Enrolled Act 78 expands an earlier ban on cell phones in classrooms, aimed at eliminating distractions and disruptions to learning.

🩺 Fewer Hoosiers now have access to Medicaid and SNAP benefits. Reforms that Republican sponsors of Senate Enrolled Act 1 say are aimed at controlling costs and rooting out "waste, fraud and abuse" will likely result in some eligible people losing benefits, advocates say.

• Stricter eligibility and more immigration enforcement rules take effect today.

🚨 Local law enforcement agencies are now required to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement requests that were previously voluntary.

• Senate Enrolled Act 76 also prohibits employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

Four more laws

👋 Arika here, personally inviting you all to my hometown to experience the nation's best botanical garden.

Why it matters: A 20-year-old garden in a small northern Indiana city — population roughly 50,000 — has felt like a well-kept secret to locals, but now it's getting recognized for punching way above its weight, beating out far larger and more widely known institutions across the country.

Driving the news: The Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart took the top honor in a survey by outdoor apparel brand KÜHL that evaluated 407 public gardens nationwide based on visitor review scores and sentiment analysis.

How it worked: The analysis combined star ratings with sentiment in actual comments to identify which places meet visitor expectations. To qualify for consideration, gardens were required to have at least 500 recent reviews.

• Wellfield earned an overall score of 95.9 out of 100, with a 4.79 average rating across and a 96.6% positive sentiment across more than 1,000 visitor reviews, which the analysis says reflects a sustained, meaningful pattern of visitor satisfaction.

Zoom in: Wellfield sits on 36 acres, half of which are water. Its two dozen themed gardens include an English cottage garden, a waterfall garden, a Japanese-style island garden, and a children's garden.

💭 Arika's thought bubble: Just a few minutes from my parents' home, I've been visiting Wellfield for years, whether it was for a morning walk, the annual plant sale or its holiday light display.

• During my most recent visit, on a sunny Saturday morning with my mom, I hesitated about writing this story.
• Here we were in the country's best botanical garden, and it was so quiet.
• It wasn't empty, by any means. There was a yoga class in one area, a birdhouse-making class under a pavilion and a couple of young families playing with the water toys in the children's garden.
• But it was peaceful and nothing like an overcrowded tourist attraction. It felt like what it is — something built by and for the community. And that's something I don't want to spoil.

Yes, but: It's also a true gem, and more people should get to experience the beauty that so many in my hometown have worked so hard to create.

If you go

💡 AES Indiana is temporarily suspending residential disconnections for nonpayment as Central Indiana endures a dangerous heat wave, with Marion County under a National Weather Service extreme heat warning through at least 8pm tomorrow. (FOX59)

💰 Gov. Mike Braun's administration has been ordered to repay local governments for gas tax money lost as a result of his suspension of Indiana's fuel taxes since May. (WRTV)

🔎 The search for the next Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission member is officially on.

• Following the resignation of David Veleta, effective Aug. 31, and Anthony Swinger replacing Andy Zay as IURC chairman, a job posting to fill the upcoming vacancy was posted yesterday and will accept applications through July 7. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

🏀 The Indiana Pacers have finalized the roster for the team's first summer league outing on July 10, and it's headlined by Purdue All-American Braden Smith. (IndyStar)

🏠 The Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership has broken ground on its first affordable home developments in Beech Grove on a former hospital site that closed in 2012. (WTHR)

With the World Cup in full swing, Watch Party Radar shows you where to catch the latest match from anywhere in the world.

Context: Stefan and Dennis Tan built the database and map because they often travel for work and found it difficult to find a place to watch sporting events with fellow fans.

• "The World Cup felt like the perfect moment to fix [that], because cheering alongside fellow countrymen makes it come alive even more," Stefan tells Axios.

How it works: Watch Party Radar aggregates websites, social media posts, and articles about venues offering viewing opportunities and makes them accessible on a map.

• No business has to sign up or pay, and it's open to users.
• Search for your city, and if it's not there, the Watch Party Radar will add it.

🐾 Jimin here!

I'm an approachable pup who is already a pro at making new friends.

De-tails: I'm 1 year old and 58 pounds.

• Whether it's relaxing at home, going on walks or just being someone's little shadow, I'm ready to trade shelter life for a family of my own.

What they're barking: "Since arriving at the shelter, he has continued showing soft, social behavior, greeting staff with low fast tail wags and calmly approaching for sniffs and attention," the folks at IACS said.

• "Sometimes the simplest notes tell you the most about a dog, and Jimin's notes consistently paint the picture of an easygoing, people-friendly companion."

Dig deeper: Fill out an application for Jimin and see other adoptable pets online.