Rep. Tim Wesco

Adds the U.S. Space Force to the definition of "uniformed services" in election law. Provides that electronic signatures may be used for the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures. Provides that election form approval procedures do not apply to a form incorporated only into the statewide voter registration system. Makes other technical changes relating to approval of election forms. Provides that a statute prohibiting the use of the circuit court clerk's name on a ballot if the clerk is a candidate for an office on the ballot does not apply if the only office for which the individual is a candidate is a political party office. Requires a candidate to specify on the candidate's candidacy document each designation that the candidate wants to use on the ballot. Requires the election division to design all candidacy documents so that the form of the document enables the candidate to insert in a separate field of the document each of the separate designations that a candidate is permitted to use under election law. Provides that an individual is considered to have resigned as an elected official of a unit when the person becomes an employee of the unit the individual serves as an elected official. Provides that certain mailings required by election law be sent by first class mail with tracking rather than by certified mail. Provides that a statute that permits removal and fining of a precinct election officer who fails to perform duties is applicable to an absentee voter board member and to an absentee ballot counter. Authorizes a county election board to permit individuals who are candidates for certain political party offices and relatives of such individuals to serve as precinct election officers if the county election board finds that enough individuals are not available to serve as precinct election officers. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles commission to forward the voter registration part of an application and any declination to register to the election division for transmittal to the appropriate county voter registration office. Adds law enforcement agencies that receive voter registrations to the list of voter registration agencies that are not subject to certain requirements relating to filing voter registration applications. Provides that the statewide voter registration system must contain a feature that identifies potential nonresidential addresses submitted on voter registration applications. Provides additional procedures for updating a copy of a voter's original signature in the statewide voter registration file. Adds judges of city and town courts to the list of officials that must file a statement of economic interest before filing a candidacy document. Provides that an officeholder is not entitled to salary until a statement of economic interest is filed, if required. Provides that, for purposes of determining whether a candidate is affiliated with a particular major political party, the candidate must have voted in that party's two most recent primary elections. (Under current law, a candidate is required to have voted in the political party's most recent primary election.) Provides that if an election district is included entirely within one precinct, and does not include the entire precinct, the petition of nomination must be signed by at least five voters of the election district. Provides that if a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of United States Representative is held on the same day of the election to elect the individual to serve in the succeeding term, an individual may appear on the ballot as a candidate in both elections. Provides that in such an election for United States Representative, the ballot must list the election to fill the office vacancy immediately after the election for the next term of the office. Requires the chair of a political committee to file a final report for a treasurer if the treasurer has died or is otherwise unable to file the report. Provides that the statute requiring reporting of "large" campaign contributions does not require the reporting of a contribution unless it is accepted by the candidate's candidate committee. Provides language for printing on ballots when no candidate has filed for the office. Eliminates the requirement that counties send duplicate copies of state election returns to the election division. Provides that a county executive is not required to establish precincts so that a precinct contains not more than 2,000 active voters or 2,300 active voters if the precinct is in a county designated as a vote center county. Provides that in addition to precinct boundaries, the name of a precinct as included in the federal decennial census data becomes the official name of the precinct. Requires that a ballot be arranged so that all candidates for the same office appear on the same page or the same screen. Permits the use of an electronic device at a precinct or vote center to display a sample ballot. Provides procedures for ballot layout when a candidate dies or is no longer eligible to appear on the ballot. Requires a circuit court clerk who receives an absentee ballot application from a voter who is not registered to vote in the county to send the application to the circuit court clerk of the county in which the voter is registered. Provides that the designation of a voter as an absent uniformed services voter, an overseas voter, or a voter with print disabilities expires January 1 after such a voter has submitted an absentee ballot application indicating such designation. Provides that, after December 31, 2024, all absentee ballots must be printed on security paper that incorporates features that can be used to authenticate the ballot. Provides that a voter must file residence documentation before 6 p.m. on election day. Provides that only the individuals who are permitted to be in the polls on election day are permitted to be in the room where early absentee voting is occurring. Provides that a county election board may send a signed form from a public test to the election division by electronic mail or fax. Provides that an application fee for certification of a voting system does not apply if the application is for a de minimis change. Authorizes the repurposing of an electronic poll book unit as a device to display sample ballots if the electronic poll book software is deleted from the unit. Requires absentee ballot counters to begin counting absentee ballots beginning at 6:00 a.m. on election day if certain conditions are met. Provides that if there is a discrepancy on political party primary ballot choice between the federal write-in absentee ballot and the federal post card application, the federal post card application supersedes the federal write-in absentee ballot. Provides that if an individual who holds a local office is elected to another term in that office and subsequently dies or is disqualified before the next term is scheduled to begin, a vacancy is created that must be filled as otherwise provided by law. Adjusts the schedule for conducting a post-election audit if a contest or recount has been filed affecting the county. Provides that a notice of death of a local office holder is required to be filed only with the circuit court clerk. (Under current law, notice must also be filed with the prosecuting attorney.) Exempts a member of a fiscal or legislative body from assuming certain duties during a vacancy. Requires a magistrate to deposit a copy of the magistrate's oath in the office of the circuit court clerk of the county in which the magistrate resides or serves. Requires the certification of a question on a referendum to occur not later than noon 74 days before a special election. Provides that a personal representative of a decedent who was a treasurer or candidate for office may disband the committee associated with the decedent's office or campaign. Removes references to "independent tickets" in election law. Makes several other technical changes. Repeals the law concerning the affidavit eligibility of a precinct election officer.

Modifies the date associated with references in the election code to a federal statute or regulation. Removes and updates obsolete date references from Indiana election law. Specifies additional requirements for a certificate of ascertainment of presidential electors. Modifies the day of the week that presidential electors must assemble to elect the President and Vice President of the United States.

Provides that an agency of the state or a political subdivision may not provide an individual with an application for an absentee ballot unless requested by the individual or a member of the individual's family. Provides that an absentee ballot application must request that the applicant include: (1) certain identification numbers; or (2) a photocopy of: (A) the applicant's Indiana driver's license, (B) the applicant's Indiana identification card number for nondrivers, or (C) other specified proof of identification. Provides that the application form must state that an applicant may include only one of the identification numbers or one of the documents, but the application may be delayed if the county election board cannot match at least one of the numbers with the voter's registration record. Allows an individual to provide, for purposes of accessing an absentee ballot application submitted in an electronic format: (1) the individual's Indiana identification card number for nondrivers; or (2) the unique identifying number assigned to the voter's registration record in the computerized list; as an alternative to the options available under current law. (Current law requires the provision of the individual's Indiana driver's license number or the last four digits of the individual's Social Security number.) Specifies that certain information and documentation is confidential. Specifies when a county voter registration office is required to redact particular confidential information. Requires a county election board to implement specified procedures if the county election board cannot match at least one of the numbers with the voter's registration record. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles (BMV) to provide particular information each day to the secretary of state (secretary) and the election division. Requires the secretary and the election division to provide specified information to each county voter registration office. Specifies that if certain information provided by the BMV is not a part of the voter's registration record, the county voter registration office shall update the voter's registration record to include this information. Requires a circuit court clerk or director of a board of elections and registration (clerk) to transmit certain information to an applicant who submits an application to receive an absentee ballot by mail if the application does not fully comply with particular laws. Specifies a process by which a clerk may: (1) deliver a second absentee ballot application; (2) approve a second absentee ballot application; and (3) provide an absentee ballot; to a voter who timely submits a defective application to receive an absentee ballot. Provides that a voter who receives an absentee ballot under certain provisions may return the voted ballot: (1) in person to the absentee voter board; or (2) to the county election board; before the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots. Requires uniform application if a clerk uses this provision. Makes conforming changes.

Congratulating Vice Admiral Sean Buck on his retirement from the United States Navy.

Congratulating the NorthWood High School boys' basketball team on their championship victory.

Recognizing Officer Dustin Moody.

Provides that a towing service is subject to the same public notice advertising rates as a government agency if the service: (1) acts as an agent of a government agency; and (2) provides the notice required to dispose of abandoned vehicles or parts. Provides for the creation of a public notice task force (task force) to study notice publication statutes for the purpose of streamlining the process and maximizing value to Indiana citizens. Provides the following: (1) The task force must publish a report with its determinations and recommendations for legislation not later than December 1, 2023. (2) The task force expires December 31, 2023.

Changes the time frame that a candidate for a school board office is required to file the candidate's petition of nomination. Modifies deadlines concerning a statement questioning the validity of a petition of nomination or contesting the denial of certification.

Requires the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to issue an order granting or denying an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (certificate) not later than 240 days after the filing of the application and the submission of the applicant's case in chief. Authorizes the IURC to issue a general administrative order establishing guidelines regarding the information to be included in an applicant's case in chief. Amends the statute providing certain financial incentives for energy utilities in connection with clean energy projects as follows: (1) Provides that a "clean energy project" includes a project to construct or repower, after July 1, 2011, a natural gas facility to displace electricity generation from an existing coal fired generation facility. (2) Provides that an "eligible business" for purposes of eligibility for incentives authorized under the statute includes a joint agency created under the Indiana Code chapter authorizing municipal electric utility programs. (3) Provides (through an amendment to a cross-referenced definition in the Indiana Code chapter governing the Indiana voluntary clean energy portfolio standard program) that for purposes of a clean energy project involving a renewable energy resource project, a "renewable energy resource" includes gas that is derived from the decomposition of organic matter and that: (A) is fully interchangeable with; or (B) can be combined with; conventional natural gas for purposes of generating electricity. (4) Provides that the IURC may provide an incentive under the statute for a project that the IURC finds to be just and reasonable (rather than "reasonable and necessary" under current law). (5) Provides that the IURC may not approve the timely recovery of costs and expenses incurred during the construction and operation of a project unless the IURC finds that recovery of the costs and expenses: (A) is just and reasonable; and (B) will result in a gross financing costs savings over the life of the project. (6) Eliminates the incentive authorizing up to three percentage points on the return on shareholder equity that would otherwise be allowed to be earned on certain clean energy projects. (7) Amends the language prescribing the time frame within which the IURC must issue a determination as to a project's eligibility for the available financial incentives to require the IURC to issue the determination not later than: (A) 120 days after the date of the application; or (B) the time frame prescribed in the bill for the IURC to grant or deny a certificate if a certificate is required for the project. Provides, for purposes of the oil and gas law (which requires the natural resources commission to adopt rules to prevent waste and prohibits actions in the extraction of coal bed methane that would waste commercially minable coal resources), that the term "waste" does not include capturing and destroying coal bed methane for a commercial purpose, including the generation of carbon credits.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename the bridge on State Highway 27 over I-70 as the "Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge".