Amends the definition of "domestic or family violence" to include additional acts or behaviors that are not necessarily physical. Prohibits a court from returning certain children to the child's parent, guardian, or custodian unless appropriate safety conditions are ordered. Requires the office of judicial administration to develop a training program, which must include certain topics relating to domestic or family violence. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Defines "sex" and "gender" for purposes of the Indiana Code. States that the definitions of "sex" and "gender" are meant to be synonymous in the Indiana Code unless specifically defined otherwise and is clarifying language. Sets forth requirements of a short form birth certificate and a long form birth certificate. Specifies when a short form birth certificate may be amended. Requires the Indiana department of health to: (1) update the definition of "sex" used by the agencies; (2) identify birth certificates issued with a change in sex classification by court order; (3) change the sex on the birth certificate back to the originating sex and reissue the birth certificate; and (4) void the superseded document. Allows for the sharing of certain information among specified agencies for the purpose of reissuing a birth certificate. Requires public buildings, certain schools, state educational institutions, and certain businesses to designate multiple occupancy restrooms or changing areas for the exclusive use of the male sex or the exclusive use of the female sex and provides, with exceptions, that an individual may only use a multiple occupancy restroom or changing area designated for the individual's sex. Provides specified remedies for a violation of these requirements, including criminal penalties or civil actions. Provides that a school may not promote or encourage the use of, or require, compel, or coerce a student, an employee of the school, or a staff member of the school to use: (1) a pronoun, title, or other word to identify a student, school employee, or other individual that is inconsistent with the student's, employee's, or individual's biological sex; or (2) a name or nickname to identify a student that is inconsistent with the student's name on the student's birth certificate. Creates an exception. Prohibits the department of correction (department) and each county jail from housing incarcerated individuals in a facility that does not align with the incarcerated individual's sex. Creates a civil cause of action for the department's or a county jail's failure to comply with the prohibition.
Authorizes the fiscal body of a county, city, or town (municipality) to reduce its homestead property tax cap. Requires the reduced property tax cap to apply only in determining the net property tax revenue of the municipality that adopted it and not to any other taxing unit within the taxing district. Authorizes a municipality that has adopted a reduced homestead property tax cap to adopt any of the following local option taxes, either singly or in combination, the revenue from which must be used as property tax replacement revenue due to the reduced homestead property tax cap: (1) Local option sales tax. (2) Supplemental local income tax. (3) Supplemental innkeeper's tax. (4) Supplemental food and beverage tax. Makes conforming changes and removes obsolete provisions. Makes an appropriation.
SB 217 would cap annual property tax increases for homeowners' primary residences at 4%. It directly affects residents living in their main home by preventing their tax bills from rising more than 4% from one year to the next. The key provision sets a maximum 4% yearly increase on the actual tax amount, regardless of property value changes. This policy change ensures predictable annual tax costs for eligible homeowners without requiring new tax payments or credits.
Provides (with certain exceptions) that a person who knowingly or intentionally manufactures, sells, offers to sell, possesses, operates, or uses a motor vehicle key programming device commits unlawful use of a motor vehicle key programming device, a Class A misdemeanor.
Requires the state board of accounts to act as the economic development ombudsman (ombudsman) for the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) and a nonprofit subsidiary of the IEDC (nonprofit subsidiary) and to designate an individual to serve as the ombudsman. Sets forth the ombudsman's duties, including the recommendation of policies to the general assembly concerning economic development and transparency matters. Allows the ombudsman (subject to the state examiner's approval) to employ or contract with assistants necessary to assist the ombudsman in carrying out the ombudsman's duties. Establishes circumstances under which the ombudsman is required to adopt a budget before the ombudsman's costs, including the costs of any assistants, in carrying out the ombudsman's duties are paid from appropriations made to the IEDC and when the ombudsman may bill the IEDC for those costs without using the budget procedure added by this bill. Provides for appointment to the board of the IEDC of two nonvoting, advisory members who are members of the general assembly. Requires the IEDC to establish a dashboard that includes longitudinal representations of certain economic development data derived from elements required to be included in the economic incentives and compliance report. Requires the IEDC to analyze the potential impact of a proposed economic development investment on the costs to provide the following utility services to ratepayers: (1) Water. (2) Wastewater. (3) Electricity. (4) Natural gas. Specifies that in performing the analysis, the IEDC must consider each of the following: (1) The existing utility infrastructure available to serve the project. (2) Any new utility infrastructure needed to serve the project. (3) Water resource availability for the project. Provides that if a proposed economic development investment is projected to negatively impact ratepayers, the IEDC is required to develop and implement a mitigation plan. Allows the IEDC to consult with certain state agencies, utilities providing utility services to the project area, local units of government, and consumer and ratepayer advocates in performing the analysis and mitigation requirements added by this bill.
Provides that it is a deceptive consumer sales act to display or advertise a purchase price for the subject of a consumer transaction that does not include all fees and charges other than: (1) taxes or fees imposed on the purchase by a unit of government; or (2) reasonably expected shipping or handling charges; that are required to be paid by the consumer to complete the consumer transaction.
Provides that a person may not receive compensation for: (1) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of; or (2) advising, consulting, or assisting an individual regarding; a veterans' benefits matter, except as permitted under federal law. Provides that a person may not receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to provide services related to veterans' benefits matters. Provides that a person may not receive excessive or unreasonable fees for services related to veterans' benefits matters. Provides that a person may not condition the repayment of fees: (1) upon the opening of a joint account with the recipient of veterans' benefits from which the person may make withdrawals; (2) upon the use of electronic funds transfers; or (3) by requiring an individual to act, in any manner, in violation of federal requirements relating to preauthorized transactions. Provides that a person may not collect, or attempt to collect, any fee for services rendered after receipt of benefits by a veteran or any other individual eligible for the benefits, if the person participated in the veterans' benefits matter prior to the issuance of veterans' benefits, and if the transaction was structured with an intent to avoid prohibited acts. Provides that a person seeking to receive compensation for services related to veterans' benefits matters must, before rendering any services, enter into a written agreement that is signed by both parties and that complies with federal regulations, including all terms regarding the payment of fees for services rendered. Requires a person to provide certain disclosures when entering into a business relationship with an individual or advertising for compensation services. Provides that a violation constitutes a deceptive act under the law concerning deceptive consumer sales and senior consumer protection provisions.
Provides that certain conditions must be met before a person may sign a sales contract to purchase an interest in a time share unit. Provides that a purchaser has the right to cancel a camping club membership or time share purchase within 14 days after the execution of the sales contract, excluding Sundays and legal holidays (current law is 72 hours). Prohibits a notary public from performing a notarial act for a transaction when the notary public is an: (1) interest holder; or (2) officer, director, manager, or other agent; of a party to the transaction.
Defines "decision", "PFAS chemicals", and "state prioritized PFAS chemicals". Prohibits the department of environmental management (department) from basing a decision primarily on federal risk values that have not been promulgated through federal rulemaking. Instructs the department to avoid the use of federal risk values that are at or below background concentrations in air, water, soil, or sediment. Provides that the department shall focus on state prioritized PFAS chemicals when PFAS chemicals are relevant to carrying out the department's duties.
Provides that any standard tariff offered by an energy utility after March 14, 2026, to a large load customer of the energy utility must include a provision that requires reimbursement by the large load customer of all project costs reasonably allocable to the large load customer, regardless of whether the large load customer ultimately takes service in any anticipated amount and within any anticipated time frame. Makes a conforming amendment to the existing statute that allows an energy utility to petition the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for approval of a project to serve a large load customer. Provides that in a proceeding that is filed with or pending before the IURC after December 31, 2025, for a change in an energy utility's basic rates and charges, the IURC may not issue an order in the proceeding that would result, upon full implementation, in an increase in the energy utility's basic rates and charges, for any customer class, that exceeds the average monthly percentage increase in seasonally adjusted electricity prices for the United States over the course of a specified period that ends with the last month of the energy utility's 12 month test period used in the proceeding. Provides that the IURC may not authorize a public utility that: (1) provides retail electric or natural gas service; and (2) is under the IURC's jurisdiction for the approval of rates and charges; (utility) to recover through the utility's retail rates and charges any direct or indirect costs associated with specified expenses and activities related to lobbying, legislative action, political activities, charitable giving, litigation, investor relations, and other specified activities and expenses. Beginning in 2026, requires a utility to file with the IURC an annual report that includes specified information concerning costs to: (1) the utility; or (2) an affiliate of the utility; that are related to these expenses or activities and that are directly billed or allocated to the utility. Requires the IURC to make available on the IURC's website a direct link to the annual reports provided by all utilities under these provisions. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications the task of studying, during the 2026 legislative interim, the use of trackers by public utilities providing electric or natural gas service.
Requires the state health commissioner to issue a standing order, prescription, or protocol to allow a pharmacist to test, treat, or prescribe, if specified requirements are met. Provides a pharmacist with civil immunity in the testing, treating, or prescribing unless the pharmacist's actions constitute gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, or intentional wrongdoing. Requires the Indiana board of pharmacy to adopt rules concerning a pharmacist testing, treating, or prescribing for individuals.
