Provides that an executive branch state agency may allow a person to electronically file or submit a document to the state agency as an option in addition to any other means of filing or submitting a document that is required or allowed by statute or rule. Provides that methods to collect electronic filings or submissions must be approved by the office of technology.
Changes the name of the governor's commission on minority and women's business enterprises to the governor's commission on supplier diversity (commission). Relocates provisions concerning small businesses owned and operated by Indiana veterans to the commission's statutes. Makes conforming changes.
Makes the following changes for purposes of a statute that subjects a water or wastewater utility organized after June 30, 2018, to the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) with regard to certain aspects of the water or wastewater utility's operations for a period of 10 years: (1) Provides that the term "water or wastewater utility" includes a municipally owned utility that provides water service to less than 8,000 customers. (2) Deletes references to organization of a water or wastewater utility as a legal entity. Requires the IURC, in a rate case for a water or wastewater utility that extends service to an infrastructure development zone at the request of the governmental entity that established the infrastructure development zone, to approve inclusion in the water or wastewater utility's rate schedule of a surcharge payable only within the geographic area of the infrastructure development zone. (Under current law, such a surcharge must apply within the entire jurisdiction of the governmental entity.) Provides that, with respect to any water main extension or wastewater main extension, a utility shall comply with the IURC's rules governing water main extensions or wastewater main extensions, regardless of whether the utility is subject to the IURC's jurisdiction for the approval of rates and charges. Provides that a dispute arising over a water main extension or wastewater main extension may be submitted as an informal complaint to the IURC's consumer affairs division, regardless of whether the person requesting the extension is a customer of the utility involved. Provides that, if the IURC determines that it requires additional staff to handle the volume of informal complaints submitted, the IURC may impose a fee on a party against whom a decision is rendered. Provides that the fee may not exceed: (1) the IURC's actual costs in administering the informal complaint; or (2) $750. Provides that certain procedures for acquisition by a municipal utility of property of another utility apply to acquisition by a nonmunicipal utility of property of another utility, and prescribes requirements regarding appraisal of the value of utility property acquired by a nonmunicipal utility. Provides, for purposes of the factors the IURC must consider in determining whether a utility that acquires property of an offered utility may include the cost differential of the offered utility's property as part of the acquiring utility's rate base, that an offered utility is too small to capture economies of scale or is not furnishing or maintaining adequate, efficient, safe, and reasonable service and facilities if the IURC finds that the offered utility serves fewer than 8,000 customers (rather than 5,000 customers under current law). Provides: (1) that a city meeting certain population parameters may annex territory: (A) that is not contiguous to the city; (B) that is south of the southernmost boundary of the city; (C) the entire area of which is not more than four miles from the city's boundary; and (D) that does not extend more than one mile to the east of a state highway; (2) that the annexed territory is not considered a part of the city for purposes of annexation of additional territory; and (3) that the city may not require connection to a sewer installed to provide service to the annexed territory. Provides that certain provisions regarding approval of sewage disposal and treatment fees apply to a sanitation district that: (1) is located in a county that meets specified population parameters; and (2) is under an order or party to an agreement with one or more state or federal agencies to remediate environmental conditions.
Requires employees and volunteers of a child care facility who may be present on the premises of the child care facility during operating hours to submit to a national criminal history background check. (Under current law, employees and volunteers who have direct contact with children must submit to a national criminal history background check.) Specifies that results of the background check may be used as grounds for denial or revocation of a child care license or registration or eligibility for a child care and development fund voucher payment. Makes technical corrections.
Designates an Indiana first responder to include the following employees and volunteers of state and local public safety agencies: (1) Law enforcement officers. (2) Firefighters, including volunteer firefighters. (3) Corrections officers. (4) Public safety telecommunicators. (5) Providers of emergency medical services. (6) Providers of emergency management services. (7) Any other individuals whose duties in serving a public safety agency include rapid emergency response. Provides that the designation of an individual as an Indiana first responder does not affect an individual's terms of employment or volunteer service with the public safety agency. Provides that a certified emergency medical technician or a licensed paramedic is not liable for transporting any person to an appropriate health care facility when the emergency medical technician or the licensed paramedic makes a good faith judgment that the emergency patient or the emergency patient's primary caregiver lacks the capacity to make an informed decision about the patient's: (1) safety; or (2) need for medical attention; and the emergency patient is reasonably likely to suffer disability or death without the medical intervention available at the facility.
Provides that a public utility that owns and operates a reliable capacity electric generation resource shall operate and maintain the unit using good utility practices and in a manner reasonably intended to support the availability of the unit for dispatch and for providing reliable service to customers of the public utility. Prohibits a public utility from terminating a power agreement with a legacy generation resource in which the public utility has an ownership interest unless the public utility provides the utility regulatory commission (IURC) with at least three years advance notice of the termination. Provides that the IURC shall determine the reasonable costs incurred by the public utility under the power agreement and allow the public utility to recover those costs in a fuel adjustment charge proceeding. Provides that a public utility may not retire, sell, or transfer a reliable capacity resource with a capacity of at least 80 megawatts before May 1, 2021, unless: (1) the public utility first provides written notice to the IURC of the public utility's intent to do so; and (2) the IURC conducts a public hearing to receive information concerning the reasonableness of the planned retirement, sale, or transfer. Requires the IURC to conduct the required hearing and issue its analysis and conclusions concerning the reasonableness of the planned retirement, sale, or transfer not later than 120 days after the date of the IURC's receipt of the public utility's written notice to the IURC. Provides that if the planned retirement, sale, or transfer: (1) was included in the public utility's preferred portfolio in the public utility's most recent integrated resource plan, the public utility may proceed with the planned retirement, sale, or transfer after the commission issues the commission's analysis and conclusions; or (2) was not included in the public utility's preferred portfolio in the public utility's most recent integrated resource plan, the public utility may not proceed with the planned retirement, sale, or transfer until at least six months have elapsed from the date of the commission's receipt of the public utility's written notice of the planned retirement, sale, or transfer. Provides that if a public utility cites a federal mandate as the basis, in whole or in part, for the planned retirement, sale, or transfer of the reliable capacity resource, the IURC may consider as part of its analysis and conclusions whether the cited federal mandate: (1) is in force; (2) has not expired or been revoked; and (3) is not merely anticipated to be enacted; at the time of the public utility's notice. Provides that these provisions expire May 1, 2021. Provides that in awarding high value workforce ready credit-bearing grants, the commission for higher education, in conjunction with the department of workforce development, shall give priority to an applicant who is a coal transition worker. Defines a "coal transition worker" as an individual who is laid off or terminated from the individual's employment: (1) at a commercial coal mine in Indiana; (2) at a coal fired electric generating unit in Indiana; or (3) in an Indiana based manufacturing or transportation supply chain serving: (A) a commercial coal mine; or (B) a coal fired electric generating unit; in Indiana.
Provides that the New Harmony and Wabash River bridge authority (bridge authority) and its members, officers, and employees are immune from civil liability resulting from any act or omission related to implementation of the statute that establishes the bridge authority. Provides that the immunity does not extend to a person who commits an act or omits to do an act that amounts to gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct. Requires the attorney general to defend the bridge authority and its members, officers, and employees if any of these are made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of an act or omission of any of these authorized or required under the bridge authority law or any other law. Repeals an existing statute in the bridge authority law relating to civil immunity.
Prohibits an employer from requiring a candidate for employment or an employee to have a device implanted or otherwise incorporated into the candidate's or employee's body as a condition of employment, as a condition of employment in a particular position, or as a condition of receiving additional compensation or benefits.
Provides a new schedule of rates for calendar years after December 31, 2020. Specifies that Schedule C applies for calendar years 2021 through 2025. Provides new contribution rates for calendar years after 2020.
Amends the definition of "inventory" for purposes of property tax. Amends the definition of "land developer" for purposes of provisions that apply to reassessment of undeveloped land. Provides that, if a taxpayer believes that the taxpayer has overreported a personal property assessment that is discovered in the course of a review of the taxpayer's personal property assessment for which the assessing official fails to make an adjustment to correct the error, the taxpayer may: (1) initiate an appeal with the county property tax assessment board of appeals for a credit to offset any resulting overpayment; or (2) file a claim for refund with regard to any resulting overpayment. Authorizes an appeal to the Indiana board of tax review of the denial of the refund claim with regard to a resulting overpayment. Provides that a: (1) township fire protection and emergency services area; or (2) fire protection district; that experiences more than 6% population growth during a 10 year period may increase its maximum property tax levy for 2021 or any year thereafter by an amount based on the population growth that exceeds 6%. Provides, however, that the township or fire protection district may not increase the tax levy based on the population growth by a total rate of more than 0.15 per $100 of the net assessed value of the fire protection and emergency services area or fire protection district area within a 10 year period. Adds provisions concerning a school corporation's establishment of a school improvement fund if payments for loans or advances from the common school fund are suspended and related provisions. Amends the definition of "qualified higher education expenses" for the purpose of the 529 college savings contribution tax credit to exclude qualified education loan repayments. Amends the definition of "taxpayer" for the purpose of the 529 college savings contribution tax credit to include a married individual filing a separate return. Amends the industrial recovery tax credit to: (1) provide that qualified expenses must be certified by the Indiana economic development corporation before the taxpayer is entitled to the credit for a taxable year; and (2) specify that a taxpayer may make more than one assignment of any part of the credit, but may not assign the same part of a credit more than once. Amends the definition of "qualified redevelopment site" for purposes of the redevelopment tax credit to include a mine reclamation site. Provides that a local income tax council (LIT council) for a county with a single voting bloc must vote as a whole in order to exercise its authority to increase (but not decrease) a local income tax rate in the county. Defines a "county with a single voting bloc" as a county in which one city or one town that is a member of the LIT council is allocated more than 50% of the total votes allocated to the members of the LIT council. Sunsets this provision on May 31, 2021. Provides that actions taken by a member of a LIT council, or a LIT council, for a county with a single voting bloc after December 31, 2019, and before April 1, 2020, on a resolution or proposed ordinance to increase a local income tax in the county are void. Retroactively amends local income tax provisions that authorize Monroe County and Howard County to impose a special purpose rate to fund operation and maintenance of a juvenile detention center to remove provisions referring to property tax credits that were inadvertently included in those special purpose rate provisions when the local income tax law was enacted. Imposes a nonprofit agricultural organization health coverage tax on an organization that provides nonprofit agricultural organization coverage in Indiana. Defines "nonprofit agricultural organization coverage" for purposes of the tax. Provides that the tax is equal to 1.3% of gross premiums collected in the previous calendar year. Provides that a charter school may elect to distribute a proportionate share of the charter school's operations fund to the school corporation in whose district the charter school is located. Provides that a school corporation may distribute money that is received as part of a referendum tax levy to a charter school, excluding a virtual charter school, that is located in the attendance area of the school corporation. Provides that the resolution adopted by a school corporation to place a referendum on the ballot must indicate whether proceeds collected from the tax levy will be used to provide a distribution to a charter school or charter schools, excluding a virtual charter school, as well as the amount that will be distributed. Removes the cap on the amount of career and technical education enrollment grants that may be distributed per state fiscal year. Provides that Spencer County is subject to a provision of the area planning law concerning urban areas. Makes certain changes to provisions that permit a redevelopment commission to establish a program for residential housing development and a tax increment funding allocation area for the program, including the following: (1) Provides that the threshold condition for establishing a residential housing development program (program) does not apply for purposes of establishing a program in an economic development target area. (2) Requires the department of redevelopment to consult with officials of all school corporations within the proposed allocation area before formal submission of the program. (3) Requires the department of redevelopment to provide notice of the public hearing on the program to all affected taxing units and officials of all school corporations within the proposed allocation area. Revises the definition of "income tax base period amount" in the context of the certified technology park statute. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate interim study committee during the 2020 legislative interim the task of studying tax credits and other fiscal incentives for a film and media production program.
Requires the natural resources commission to establish a roster of low head dams in the state that are capable of creating hazardous currents that pose safety issues. Establishes requirements concerning low head dams for the department of natural resources (department) and owners of low head dams. Provides that an owner of at least two low head dams is exempt from certain requirements if that owner has previously installed warning signs, in coordination with the department, and maintains and repairs the existing signs. Except for purposes of an inspection, maintenance, or removal, prohibits a person from accessing a low head dam. Prohibits wading, boating, swimming, or accessing the waters within 50 feet of a low head dam when warning signs are present. Provides that the state is not liable for any death or injury that occurs on or resulting from a low head dam that is not owned by the state. Provides for a penalty for violations. Requires the department to prepare a report that includes recommendations concerning the creation of a low head dam removal program and any recommendations concerning low head dam safety legislation.
Amends the definition of "genetic counseling" for purposes of the genetic counselor licensing laws. Requires the genetic counselor master's degree training program to be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counselors. (Current law requires accreditation by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.) Updates references to the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics. Amends requirements for a temporary license. Requires an applicant to complete the continuing education requirements of certain certifying organizations to renew a license. Provides that a genetic counselor may not be required to perform, participate in, or provide a service that violates any sincerely held ethical, moral, or religious belief held by the genetic counselor, and allows for a civil action for damages or reinstatement of employment for a violation. Repeals the law concerning education hardship waiver provision.
