Establishes the zero cost adoption fund (fund). Allows for a credit against a qualified taxpayer's state tax liability in an amount equal to 50% of the qualified taxpayer's contribution to the fund.
Allows the judges of the Daviess circuit and superior courts to appoint a full-time magistrate. Allows the judges of the Delaware circuit court to appoint a full-time magistrate. Establishes a second superior court in the Dubois County judicial district. Allows the judges of the Elkhart circuit and superior courts to appoint four full-time magistrates (effective July 1, 2023) and two additional full-time magistrates beginning January 1, 2024. (Current law allows for the appointment of two magistrates.) Allows the judge of the Spencer circuit court to appoint a magistrate. Allows Vigo superior court to appoint six judges. (Current law allows for the appointment of five judges.) Makes conforming changes.
Requires the election division to create an electronic roster of local elected officials that contains certain information about all individuals who hold a local or school board office. Requires circuit court clerks and town clerk-treasurers to enter information into the roster not later than January 1 after an election and whenever an individual is selected to fill a vacancy in a local office.
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. Provides that a school may not require an employee or a staff member of the school to adopt, support, or promote gender fluidity.
Allows the judges of the Elkhart circuit and superior courts to appoint four full-time magistrates and beginning January 1, 2024, to appoint two additional full-time magistrates. (Current law allows for the appointment of two magistrates.)
Repeals the law that requires a person to obtain a license to carry a handgun in Indiana. Specifies that certain persons who are not otherwise prohibited from carrying or possessing a handgun are not required to obtain or possess a license or permit from the state to carry a handgun in Indiana. Prohibits certain individuals from knowingly or intentionally carrying a handgun. Creates the crime of "unlawful carrying of a handgun" and specifies the penalties for committing this crime. Allows particular individuals who do not meet the requirements to receive a handgun license and are not otherwise prohibited to carry a handgun in limited places. Allows a resident of Indiana to obtain in certain circumstances a license to carry a handgun in Indiana. Makes theft of a firearm a Level 5 felony. Defines certain terms. Makes conforming amendments and repeals obsolete provisions.
Requires the director, assistant director, or co-director of a board of elections and registration (rather than a member of the board) to attend a meeting called by the election division. Allows a member of a county election board to attend a meeting called by the election division. Provides reimbursement for the individuals who attend the meeting (current law only provides reimbursement for those required to attend). Makes changes to the county election officials instructional meeting, including duration, compensation, and expenses. Provides that record retention under seal does not prevent counties from conducting audits after an election as authorized by statute. Provides that a voter with print disabilities who chooses to vote by electronic mail must have the voter's absentee ballot application submitted to the circuit court clerk not later than 11:59 p.m. 12 days before election day. Provides that except for casting a replacement ballot under election law, a voter who knowingly or intentionally votes more than one ballot in the same election commits a Level 6 felony. Makes a technical correction.
Provides that a state educational institution may not: (1) designate an outdoor area on campus as an area where protected expressive activities are prohibited; (2) deny any benefit or privilege to, or discriminate against, a religious, political, or ideological student organization for its protected expressive activity; and (3) deny a benefit to or discriminate against a religious, political, or ideological student organization based on the protected expressive activity or a requirement of the student organization. Allows a state educational institution to enforce reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that comply with certain requirements. Requires a state educational institution to create and publish protected expressive activity policies. Provides that a student or student organization may bring a cause of action for a violation of free speech rights. Allows a court to award injunctive relief, compensatory damages, reasonable court costs, and attorney's fees to an aggrieved student or student organization if the court finds that a violation occurred. Allows a court to award compensatory damages up to $50,000. Provides that a state educational institution is not immune from certain liability. Requires the commission for higher education to create a form for a state educational institution to submit information on an alleged violation of this chapter. Makes conforming changes.
Changes the date by which a county must provide a voter verifiable paper audit trail for electronic voting systems from December 31, 2029, to July 1, 2024. Provides that, after July 1, 2022, a county must meet certain requirements when using any direct record electronic voting system that does not include a voter verifiable paper audit trail for an election. Provides that the security agreement that counties are required to enter into with the secretary of state must be funded by money received from the federal government or from money appropriated by the general assembly. Specifies requirements of a statement that must be printed on the envelope of an absentee ballot application. Provides that before an individual can access an absentee ballot application that is submitted in an electronic format using a module of the computerized list, the individual must provide either the individual's Indiana driver's license number or the last four digits of the individual's Social Security number. Requires that voting before an absentee voter board at the circuit court clerk's office or at a satellite office be referred to as "early voting" on all forms prescribed by the election division and in all communications with voters. Requires an electronic poll book to have the capacity to transmit certain information that a voter cast a provisional ballot. Requires certain information to be included in the computerized list concerning a voter's casting of a provisional ballot. Repeals language that requires the circuit court clerk to provide notice containing certain information to each voter who casts a provisional ballot. Changes the term "risk-limiting audit" to "post-election audit". Removes the word "pilot" from the chapter concerning post-election audits. Provides that the secretary of state shall determine the number of elections that are subject to a post-election audit.
Specifies that "agritourism activity" includes camping, canoeing, kayaking, tubing on a river, and winter sports activities, including activities that take place on a facility or on grounds used for or in connection with winter sports activities. Provides that failure to post a warning sign or provide a warning notice does not create a cause of action against an agritourism provider. Allows the use of an electronic signature to sign a contract or release in connection with engaging in an agritourism activity.
