Rep. Jim Pressel

Requires an adult oriented website operator that displays material harmful to minors to use a reasonable age verification method to prevent a minor from accessing an adult oriented website. Creates a cause of action to permit: (1) the parent or guardian of a child harmed by a violation of the age verification requirement to obtain monetary damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney's fees; and (2) any other person to bring an action to obtain injunctive relief and reasonable attorney's fees. Prohibits a person that conducts age verification from retaining the identifying information of an individual seeking to access an adult oriented website that displays material harmful to minors, and permits an individual whose identifying information is retained to bring an action to obtain monetary damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney's fees. Requires adult oriented website operators to use commercially reasonable methods to secure all information collected and transmitted. Provides that the attorney general may bring an action to obtain an injunction, a civil penalty of not more than $250,000, or the attorney general's reasonable costs in investigating and maintaining the action. Provides that when the attorney general has reasonable cause to believe that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in a violation, the attorney general is empowered to issue civil investigative demands under IC 4-6-3-3 to investigate the suspected violation. Requires verification information of minors to be kept confidential with certain exceptions. Adds verification information to the definition of "personal information". Adds a violation of IC 24-4-23 as a deceptive act.

Reduces the membership of the board of directors of the Indiana stadium and convention building authority (board) from seven members to three members. Provides that the director of the budget agency or the director's designee serves as chair of the board. Authorizes the solid waste management district of Vanderburgh County to make grants and loans for certain purposes. Provides that with certain exceptions a governmental entity is prohibited from requiring that a Class 2 structure or a residential onsite sewage system be inspected when a property is sold or transferred. Allows a governmental entity to require certain inspections of properties located in that part of St. Joseph County containing a designated sole source aquifer only if it has been more than 15 years since: (1) the property was last sold or transferred; or (2) the Class 2 structure or system was constructed or installed. Provides, for purposes of posting a license bond, that a political subdivision may not impose any requirement for the political subdivision to be identified as an obligee on the license bond other than the requirement in statute. Provides that certain obligors may initiate a civil action against a political subdivision that does not recognize or does not allow an obligor to post a license bond that satisfies certain requirements. Provides that, if the obligor prevails in the action, the obligor shall be awarded an amount equal to: (1) 300% of the cost of obtaining the license bond; (2) compensatory damages; and (3) reasonable attorney's fees. Provides that if a contractor: (1) has posted a license bond to obtain one license from a political subdivision; and (2) is required to obtain another license from the political subdivision to perform work that the contractor intends to perform; the contractor may not be required to post a second license bond as a condition of obtaining the second license if the type of work that the first license authorizes the contractor to perform is so closely related to the type of work that the second license will authorize the contractor to perform that both types of work are typically involved in a single residential construction project. Provides that a city, town, or county that requires a building permit for the construction of a Class 2 structure may provide for the inspection to be conducted by: (1) an individual employed by the city, town, or county, or by another city, town, or county, as a building inspector; (2) a registered architect; (3) a registered professional engineer; (4) a certified building official; or (5) a licensed home inspector.

Changes the name of the northwest Indiana law enforcement academy and the northwest Indiana law enforcement training center. Removes the research and information consortium from the composition of the Indiana criminal justice institute (institute). Provides that the board of trustees of the institute shall designate four subcommittees. Provides for the continued existence of the institute's division of victim services. Provides that the board of trustees for the criminal justice institute must approve certain official actions. Repeals a provision concerning certain joint applications for a particular federal grant. Allows the institute to refer a matter to the inspector general. Changes requirements for a state entity purchasing or leasing a vehicle. Allows for advances of certain grant funds administered by the institute to be awarded before July 1, 2025. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the definition of "eligible student" to include a sibling of a student with a disability with regards to the education scholarship account program (ESA). Provides that the sibling may not use the ESA account for certain ESA qualified expenses. Provides that an annual grant amount awarded under the career scholarship account (CSA) program may be used for costs related to obtaining a driver's license if certain conditions are met. Establishes conditions regarding the amount of funds that may be used from CSA annual grant amounts for transportation costs. Amends certain requirements regarding ESA and CSA participating entities regarding providing evidence of unencumbered assets. Changes certain CSA application time frames from seven days to 30 days. Requires each state educational institution to provide to the commission for higher education (commission) certain information regarding degrees, degree completion, faculty members, administrative support staff, costs, compensation, and debt loads. Requires the commission to prepare longitudinal analysis regarding certain data. Requires each private postsecondary educational institution and each out-of-state public and nonprofit degree granting institution that offers instructional or educational services or training in Indiana to provide to the department of education information to carry out certain reporting requirements and requirements related to the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard. Allows for the revocation of an out-of-state public or nonprofit degree granting institution's authorization if the institution fails to provide the information. Adds teaching to the employment sectors eligible for the next level jobs employer training grant program. Amends requirements regarding: (1) eligibility for career coaching grants; and (2) instruction on career awareness.

Provides that a state employee may affirmatively elect to enroll in the deferred compensation plan prior to the auto enroll date on day 31 of the state employee's employment. Removes a provision that sets a maximum employer surcharge for the legislators' defined benefit plan, state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan, public employees' retirement fund, and Indiana state teachers' retirement fund (fund). Requires the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system (board) to develop the technological and administrative capabilities sufficient to categorize fund members into separate groups in which: (1) certain members receive a service based thirteenth check; and (2) certain members receive a cost of living adjustment. Requires the board to set the surcharge rates at a level to actuarially prefund: (1) annual indexed thirteenth checks for all current retired members and beneficiaries retired before July 1, 2025; and (2) 1% annual cost of living adjustments to future in-payment members and beneficiaries retired on or after July 1, 2025. Provides that the board shall not reduce the surcharge rates from the prior year. Allows the board to increase the surcharge rates by not more than 0.1% of payroll from the prior year. Requires certain political subdivisions to present to the interim study committee on pension management oversight regarding a delinquent employee retirement plan offered by the political subdivision. Requires, effective July 1, 2025, the trustee of the state police pension trust to maintain two supplemental allowance reserve accounts for the purpose of paying postretirement benefit adjustments. Increases the maximum date that a member or participant of certain retirement funds can participate in the deferred retirement option plan from 36 to 60 months. Requires the member or participant to notify their employer if the member or participant elects to enter or extend the deferred retirement option plan. Provides for a thirteenth check in 2024 for certain members, participants, or beneficiaries of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) Indiana public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system.

Amends the definition of "operation of aircraft" or "operate aircraft" for purposes of the aircraft financial responsibility act. Increases the minimum amount of loss resulting from bodily injury, death, or property damage in an aircraft accident required to be reported to the Indiana department of transportation (department) from $100 to $7,500. Requires certain information to be included in a report of an aircraft accident. Requires the owner or operator of an aircraft to provide the information required to be reported to the department to a damaged or injured party or a damaged or injured party's representative upon request. Removes the department from a provision allowing certain entities to maintain an action to enjoin a person from engaging in the operation of an aircraft for failure to comply with the aircraft financial responsibility requirements. Specifies how payments shall be made from a security deposit. Specifies the fee for service of process on the secretary of state. Adds an additional insured to certain provisions in the aircraft financial responsibility act. Makes corresponding changes. Makes technical corrections.

Provides that a conveyance to the state is excepted from the definition of a "conveyance document" requiring a sales disclosure form. Amends the annual reporting requirements for the Indiana department of transportation. Requires a unit to hold a public hearing before agreeing with a railroad to the closure of a public railroad crossing within the unit's jurisdiction. Allows evidence of a failure to comply with passenger restraint system statutes to be admitted in a civil action as to mitigation of damages for a plaintiff who is at least 15 years of age or older. Provides that an engineering and traffic investigation is not required to decrease the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on a highway with a functional classification of minor collector or local road in an urban district.

Exempts the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) from providing a live transmission of hearings regarding which a stenographic record is required to be made and kept by statute. Adds language to the chapter in the Indiana Code governing the IURC to require the IURC to provide on a publicly accessible platform a live transmission of any IURC proceeding that will include: (1) an examination of witnesses; (2) a nonprocedural discussion between one or more parties to the proceeding; (3) questions from one or more of the commissioners regarding the substance of the case; or (4) a contested procedural matter. Requires the IURC to issue a general administrative order to implement a policy that governs the live transmission of IURC proceedings and that includes processes: (1) by which members of the public may request and access the live transmission of an IURC proceeding; and (2) for archiving the live transmission of an IURC proceeding.

Requires the owner of a pier or public access site on Lake Michigan to install public rescue equipment, including at least one ring life buoy, on the pier or public access site. Establishes requirements concerning ring life buoys installed on piers and public access sites. Provides that the end of the buoy line must not be secured to the shore. Requires a unit of local government that owns one or more piers or public access sites on Lake Michigan, at least twice per year, to publish on the unit's website a report on lakefront drownings that occur within 50 feet of the unit's piers or public access sites. Provides that if more than one fatal drowning occurs not more than 50 feet from a particular pier or public access site in a span of five years, the owner of the pier or public access site shall: (1) disseminate in the area of the pier or public access site a water safety plan pertaining to the pier or public access site; and (2) upgrade the public rescue equipment installed on the pier or public access site, such as by installing equipment that automatically contacts the local 911 service in an emergency.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename that portion of I-69 between the County Road 11A Exit and State Road 8, near mile marker 326, the "Master Trooper James R. Bailey Memorial Highway".