Rep. Sharon Negele

Provides for the uniform partition of heirs property.

Provides an affordable housing tax credit against state tax liability to a taxpayer for each taxable year in the state tax credit period of a qualified project in an aggregate amount that does not exceed the amount of the taxpayer's aggregate federal tax credit for the qualified project. Provides that an eligible applicant must apply to the Indiana housing and community development authority for an award of affordable housing tax credits.

Provides that a sexual assault or domestic violence victim has the right to the presence of a victim advocate during legal proceedings and during an investigation by law enforcement.

Provides that the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) may adopt rules necessary to administer the Indiana universal service fund (IUSF), including rules to: (1) adjust the amount of the surcharge percentage required to be collected by communications service providers and remitted to the IUSF; and (2) establish the types of communications service providers that are required to assess a surcharge for remittance to the IUSF. Provides that the IURC may, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, require a provider of interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service to collect and remit to the IUSF a surcharge on the provider's revenue from intrastate use of the provider's interconnected VOIP service. Provides that a communications service provider, including a provider of broadband service through fiber optic cable, has access to public rights-of-way as a public utility for purposes of federal law exempting public utilities from payment of fair market value for use of public rights-of-way acquired with federal mass transportation funds. Allows use of the I-Light network for provision of communications service to unserved areas, subject to rules adopted by the office of community and rural affairs to: (1) define unserved areas for purposes of the rules; and (2) establish an application process to receive and evaluate proposals by communications service providers for use of I-Light to provide communications service to unserved areas. Provides that a fee owner of a right-of-way or a possessor of an easement: (1) is not entitled to compensation; (2) may not charge a fee of any kind; and (3) may not unreasonably deny authorization; for construction, operation, or maintenance of infrastructure by public and municipally owned utilities, including communications service providers, to the extent that the construction, operation, or maintenance does not interfere with the ordinary and normal use of the right-of-way or easement. Provides that the department of transportation, when issuing a permit for excavation or obstruction of a street, highway, or right-of-way: (1) may not require provision of a bond or cash deposit in an amount greater than $10,000 for each area designated in the permit; and (2) must accept a blanket bond in satisfaction of the bond requirement. Makes a technical correction.

Recognizing FIRST Indiana Robotics and FIRST Indiana Robotics teams.

Defines "consent" for an offense involving a sex crime. Provides that a person commits rape if the person engages in sexual activity with another person and the other person: (1) has not given consent; or (2) submits to the sexual activity under the belief that the person committing the act is someone the victim knows, other than the person committing the act, and such belief is intentionally induced by any artifice, pretense, or concealment practiced by the person.

Provides that a person who, with the intent to arouse or satisfy the person's own sexual desires or the sexual desires of another person: (1) touches the other person's genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or breast; and (2) knew or reasonably should have known it was against the consent of the other person; commits sexual battery, a Level 6 felony.