Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, an electric or gas utility may not, from June 21 through September 23 (in addition to the period from December 1 through March 15, under current law), terminate residential electric or gas service for an individual who is eligible for and has applied for assistance from a home energy assistance program administered by the lieutenant governor. Prohibits an electric, gas, or water utility from terminating service for any residential customer on any of the following days: (1) A Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. (2) A legal holiday. (3) Any day, or after noon on the day preceding any day, during which customer service representatives of the utility are not available to respond to customer inquiries during regular business hours. Repeals a provision that authorizes the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to establish a reasonable rate of interest that a utility may charge on the unpaid balance of a delinquent customer bill. Prohibits an electric, gas, or water utility from charging or collecting a deposit or reconnection fee as a condition of, or in connection with, restoring service to a residential customer after a termination of service for nonpayment. Requires the IURC to amend, not later than December 31, 2026, its administrative rules as necessary to conform the rules to these provisions. Requires a utility to: (1) amend its residential tariffs as necessary to bring the tariffs into conformance with these provisions; and (2) file with the IURC a petition for approval of each amended tariff; not later than June 15, 2026. Requires a utility that: (1) is under the jurisdiction of the IURC for the approval of rates and charges; and (2) provides residential electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater utility service at retail to customers and low income customers in Indiana; to report to the IURC on a quarterly basis certain data concerning customer accounts and low income customer accounts. Provides that the first reports submitted to the IURC must include the required information with respect to the third calendar quarter of 2026. Provides that: (1) a utility shall report all required information in the aggregate and in a manner that does not identify individual customers and low income customers; and (2) the IURC may not require utilities to disclose confidential and proprietary business information without adequate protection of the information. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions. Provides that, beginning in 2027, the IURC shall annually compile and summarize the information received from utilities for the previous calendar year and include the summary in the IURC's annual report.
Allows an electric or gas utility to establish a customer assistance program for qualified residential customers. Requires the approval of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) before a public utility may sell stock, enter into certain contracts, effect a reorganization, or acquire control of another public utility. Provides that if a public utility requests IURC approval of the sale, assignment, or transfer of the public utility's franchise, works, or system, the IURC shall grant a right of first refusal to: (1) a municipality in which the public utility's works or system is located; or (2) a public charitable trust; for the purchase or acquisition of the public utility's franchise, works, or system. 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 (energy utility); to recover through the energy 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. Requires an energy utility, beginning in 2026, to file with the IURC an annual report that includes specified information concerning costs to: (1) the energy utility; or (2) an affiliate of the energy utility; that are related to these expenses or activities and that are directly billed or allocated to the energy utility. Requires the IURC to make available on the IURC's website a direct link to the annual reports provided by all energy utilities under these provisions. Provides that on any customer bill issued by an energy utility after December 31, 2026, the energy utility must include a break down of the charges and fees that make up the total amount owed, including a description of the service or cost associated with each charge or fee. Sets forth certain charges and fees that must be delineated as specific line items on each customer bill.
Makes it an aggravating circumstance for purposes of sentencing that the person: (1) committed a sex offense; and (2) used an online platform designed for dating to meet the victim.
Establishes the Lake County rounding of local taxes pilot program. Requires a local unit to round a tax amount payable to the local unit: (1) downward in the case of a tax amount with one, two, six, or seven in the second decimal place to the next amount divisible by $0.05; or (2) upward in the case of a tax amount with three, four, eight, or nine in the second decimal place to the next amount divisible by $0.05.
Phases down in equal reductions over four years the state gross retail tax rate imposed on the sale of the following utility services to a person for domestic consumption: (1) Electrical energy. (2) Natural or artificial gas. (3) Water. (4) Steam. (5) Steam heating service.
Provides that an insurer may not adjust a subsequent claim filed by a provider as a method of obtaining reimbursement of an overpayment made by the insurer on a prior claim by the provider. Provides that a health maintenance organization may not adjust a subsequent claim filed by a provider as a method of obtaining reimbursement of an overpayment made by the health maintenance organization on a prior claim by the provider. Provides that an insurer may not, more than one year after the date on which an overpayment on a provider claim was made to the provider by the insurer, request that the provider repay the overpayment (current law is two years). Provides that a health maintenance organization may not, more than one year after the date on which an overpayment on a provider claim was made to the provider by the health maintenance organization, request that the provider repay the overpayment (current law is two years). Makes conforming changes.
Establishes the Hoosier family leave insurance program (program) to provide wage replacement benefits to covered individuals during periods of qualified family leave. Establishes the Hoosier family leave insurance trust fund. Requires the department of workforce development to administer the program.
Changes references relating to military discharges to require discharges under honorable conditions. (Current law provides that a veteran is eligible for benefits except under certain conditions designated by the Indiana department of veterans' affairs.) Excludes references used to determine eligibility for grants from the military family relief fund.
Provides additional considerations that a local public works board may consider in determining the lowest responsible and responsive bidder for a public work project costing at least $300,000.
Requires a landlord to provide notice at least five days before filing an eviction that includes the following: (1) The amount owed. (2) A calculation of late fees. (3) Acceptable methods of payment. (4) The date the landlord intends to file an eviction if charges remain unpaid. Provides methods of written notice. Provides that notice is not required to terminate a lease if the landlord has met other notice requirements. Requires a landlord to complete required repairs issued by an eligible enforcement authority and meet standards required by a county health department. Repeals a provision concerning refusal or neglect to pay rent and corresponding notice requirements.
Creates the crime of excessive speeding, a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the person has a prior unrelated conviction and provides that two convictions within five years shall result in the court's recommendation for immediate suspension of driving privileges. Provides that a sentencing court shall impose a fine of $5,000 and recommend the suspension of driving privileges for six months for a person convicted of resisting law enforcement using a vehicle. Provides that a sentencing court shall impose a fine of $10,000 and recommend the suspension of driving privileges for one year if a person uses a vehicle to commit the offense and the person has a prior unrelated conviction.
Requires a party to a protective order proceeding to inform the court of any military protective orders issued by a military commander in effect between the parties. Allows a party to file a military protective order as evidence in a protective order proceeding and provides that the court may issue an ex parte protective order based upon this evidence.
