Rep. Ethan Manning

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.

Provides that a person that: (1) owns, operates, or leases electric vehicle (EV) supply equipment; and (2) makes the EV supply equipment available for use by the public for compensation; may charge the public for such use based in whole or in part on the kilowatt hours of electricity sold. Specifies that a person that makes EV supply equipment available for use by the public for compensation, regardless of whether the person charges the public for such use based on: (1) the kilowatt hours of electricity sold; (2) the amount of time spent by an EV at a designated charging space; or (3) a combination of both; is not a public utility solely by reason of engaging in this activity. Authorizes the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to approve: (1) time-varying price structures and tariffs; or (2) other alternative pricing structures and tariffs; for retail energy service. Defines a "public use electric vehicle" (public use EV) as any of the following electric vehicles that is used primarily to serve the public: (1) An electric school bus. (2) An electric transit bus. (3) An electric vehicle used by a public or private commercial enterprise primarily to deliver goods or services to the public. Authorizes an electric utility (defined as a public utility that is subject to the jurisdiction of the IURC) to request approval from the IURC to implement a public use EV pilot program (pilot program) to do any of the following: (1) Install, own, or operate charging infrastructure or make-ready infrastructure to support public use EVs. (2) Provide incentives or rebates to customers to encourage customer investment in public use EVs and in associated EV supply equipment. Sets forth certain required information that an electric utility's request for approval of a pilot program must include. Provides that an electric utility's request for approval of a pilot program may include a request for: (1) assurance of cost recovery for pilot program capital costs, up to the amount of an approved cost estimate; and (2) deferral of pilot program capital costs. Sets forth the processes by which an electric utility may request the IURC's approval of a pilot program. Provides that the IURC shall approve an electric utility's request for approval of a pilot program if the IURC determines that the proposed pilot program is reasonable, just, and in the public interest. Sets forth certain factors that the IURC must consider in making this determination. Specifies that an electric utility is not prohibited from: (1) installing, owning, or operating charging infrastructure or make-ready infrastructure for electric vehicles; and (2) seeking to include the associated capital costs in the electric utility's basic rates and charges by initiating a proceeding before the IURC. Provides that in such a case, the IURC shall approve the inclusion of the capital costs in the electric utility's basic rates and charges if the IURC finds that the capital costs incurred are reasonable, just, and in the public interest. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions.

Establishes certain requirements for the temporary licensure of retired or inactive emergency medical services personnel, retired or inactive health care professionals, out-of-state health care professionals, or recently graduated students who have applied for certain licenses. Allows a health care provider or an officer, agent, or employee of a health care provider who has a temporary license to qualify for coverage under the Medical Malpractice Act. Provides that the state board of nursing (board) shall issue by endorsement a license to practice as a registered nurse or practical nurse to an applicant who is a graduate of a foreign nursing school and provides certain documentation. Allows: (1) an eligible associate degree or bachelor's degree registered nursing program to increase enrollment at any rate deemed appropriate by the program; and (2) a nursing program that is not an eligible program but meets specified requirements to increase enrollment by not more than 100%. Allows a nursing program to substitute a certain number of simulation hours for clinical hours in certain circumstances. Establishes requirements for clinical preceptors. Provides that a majority of the faculty is not required to be full-time employees of a state educational institution that operates a nursing program that predominantly issues associate degrees.

Amends the statute concerning the required annual report by the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to the governor and the legislative council as follows: (1) Requires the IURC to present the annual report to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications (committee) before October 1 of each year. (2) Provides that the annual report must include certain information concerning: (A) the energy utility industry; (B) the water and wastewater utility industries; (C) the communications services industry; and (D) Indiana's pipeline safety program. Makes conforming amendments to the statutes requiring the IURC to report annually to the committee concerning: (1) the energy utility industry; and (2) communications services. Makes other conforming amendments to Indiana Code sections referencing the IURC's annual report to the committee concerning communications services. Repeals Indiana Code provisions requiring the IURC to report annually to the committee concerning: (1) acquisitions under the statute concerning acquisitions of offered water or wastewater utilities; and (2) the Indiana voluntary clean energy portfolio standard program. Requires the IURC to adopt rules as the IURC determines necessary to implement Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order No. 2222 concerning distributed energy resources and distributed energy resource aggregators.

Specifies that the amount of excess combined reserves that may be transferred to the pre-1996 account in 2022 may not exceed $2,500,000,000. Reduces the individual adjusted gross income tax rate from 3.23% in 2022 to 3.15% in 2023 and 2024. Phases down the individual adjusted gross income tax rate after 2024 depending on certain conditions being met. Allows a taxpayer to elect a special property tax valuation method for mini-mill equipment. (Current law allows the method to be used only for certain integrated steel mill and oil refinery/petrochemical equipment.) Repeals the utility receipts and utility services use taxes. Requires a utility that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for the approval of rates and charges to file a rate adjustment with the IURC that adjusts the utility's rates and charges to reflect the repeal of the utility receipts tax. Requires a utility that is subject to the utility receipts tax and not under the jurisdiction of the IURC to adjust the utility's rates and charges to reflect the repeal of the utility receipts tax. Requires each utility to provide notice to the utility's customers that the adjustment in rates and charges reflects the repeal of the utility receipts tax. Specifies taxpayer procedure for the repeal of the utility receipts and utility services use tax. Provides that the office of the secretary of family and social services may not enter into a final contract that would implement a risk based managed care program or capitated program for the specified Medicaid population before January 31, 2023. Makes conforming changes.

Reaffirming the commitment of sister ties between Indiana and Taiwan.

Amends and updates certain terms involving direct placement in a community corrections program. Updates the definition of "community corrections program". Specifies that a court may suspend any portion of a sentence and order a person to be placed in a community corrections program for the part of the sentence which must be executed. Provides that a person placed on a level of supervision as part of a community corrections program: (1) is entitled to earned good time credit; (2) may not earn educational credit; and (3) may be deprived of earned good time credit. Provides that when a person completes a placement program, the court may place the person on probation. Provides that a court may commit a person convicted of a Level 6 felony for an offense committed after June 30, 2022, to the department of correction (department), and that, consistent with current law, a court may commit a person convicted of a Level 6 felony for an offense committed before July 1, 2022, to the department only if certain circumstances exist. Establishes certain conditions of parole for a person on lifetime parole and makes the violation of parole conditions and commission of specified other acts by a person on lifetime parole a Level 6 felony, with an enhancement to a Level 5 felony for a second or subsequent offense. Provides that, for purposes of calculating accrued time and good time credit, a calendar day includes a partial calendar day. Makes conforming changes.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Indiana War Memorials Commission to study and propose the construction of a suitable monument to the men and women of Indiana who died in the service of their country in the global war on terrorism.

Provides that the Indiana finance authority (authority) shall serve as the executive branch coordinator for funds allocated or made available to the state or local communities from federal, state, and other sources for purposes related to drinking water, wastewater, or storm water infrastructure and systems. Sets forth the duties of the authority with respect to this role. Specifies that the authority shall coordinate the executive branch activities related to the state's drinking water and wastewater programs. (Current law provides that the authority shall serve such a role with respect to the state's water programs.) Authorizes the establishment of a drinking water and wastewater infrastructure research and extension program (program) to provide data collection and information, training, and technical assistance concerning: (1) drinking water infrastructure; (2) wastewater infrastructure; and (3) storm water infrastructure; in Indiana. Provides that the authority may: (1) contract with a state supported college or university in Indiana to provide the program; and (2) financially support the program from existing funds appropriated to the authority. Provides that the program may be housed within, or share staff with, the existing research and highway extension program at Purdue University. Provides that the program may provide the following services and programs to, or for the benefit of, utilities providing drinking water, wastewater, or storm water service in Indiana: (1) Assisting utilities in the development of asset management programs. (2) Serving as a central repository for data concerning infrastructure used to provide drinking water, wastewater, or storm water service in Indiana. (3) Providing training and technical assistance to utilities and Indiana's drinking water, wastewater, and storm water utility industry workforces. Requires the authority to make, not later than July 1, 2023, all: (1) utility asset management programs; and (2) information concerning utility asset lifecycle management costs; submitted to or reviewed by the authority available on an Internet web site maintained by the authority or the program. Requires that in carrying out all information gathering and reporting duties under the bill's provisions, the authority and the program shall use any data the authority or the program acquires in a manner that: (1) protects the confidential information of individual utilities and customers; and (2) is consistent with applicable statutory exclusions from disclosure under the state's public records act. Provides that as a condition for receiving a loan, grant, or other financial assistance after June 30, 2023, through the wastewater revolving loan program, the drinking water revolving loan program, the water infrastructure assistance program, or the water infrastructure grant program, a participant must do the following: (1) Submit the participant's required asset management program to the authority not later than the time of submission of the participant's preliminary engineering report for any project for which the loan, grant, or other financial assistance will be provided. (Current law does not specify when the asset management program must be submitted.) (2) Submit to the authority information on the estimated and actual life cycle management costs over the useful life of the asset financed. (3) In the case of a participant that is not under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC), regularly report to all: (A) customers; (B) counties; and (C) municipalities; within the participant's service territory information concerning the participant's asset management program. Provides that money in the: (1) supplemental drinking water and wastewater assistance fund; (2) water infrastructure assistance fund; and (3) water infrastructure grant fund; may be used to provide grants, loans, or other financial assistance for the planning, designing, acquisition, construction, renovation, improvement, or expansion of septic relief systems, in accordance with guidelines of the authority. Provides that the authority's project prioritization system for awarding assistance from the water infrastructure assistance fund and the water infrastructure grant fund must include as a variable the effect of a project on the environment. Provides for the following with respect to a wastewater utility that is not subject to the jurisdiction of the IURC for the approval of rates and charges and that has been issued one or more enforcement orders (orders) relating to environmental or health and human safety issues by the department of environmental management (department) after June 30, 2022: (1) For the first order, the utility is subject to an informal review of its: (A) rates and charges; and (B) asset management program; by the IURC, in accordance with procedures determined by the IURC. (2) For a second order that is issued within two years of the first order, the utility is subject to rate regulation, following two base rate cases, by the IURC for a minimum period of: (A) five years from the IURC's order in the first base rate case; and (B) one year from the IURC's order in the second base rate case. (3) For any order issued during the required rate regulation period, the IURC may, in consultation with the department, initiate a receivership proceeding with respect to the utility. Requires the state board of education (state board) to approve, for purposes of the state's career and technical education graduation pathway, a utility career cluster that allows students to acquire knowledge and skills related to employment in the electric, natural gas, communications, water, and wastewater utility industries. Requires the governor's workforce cabinet, in consultation with the state board, the department of education, and the department of workforce development, to create course sequences for the utility career cluster.

Allows the secretary of family and social services (secretary) to issue a waiver of human services statutory provisions and administrative rules if the secretary determines that the waiver is necessary to claim certain enhanced federal matching funds available to the Medicaid program. Allows the secretary to issue an emergency declaration for purposes of participating in specified authorized federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments. Requires the secretary to prepare and submit any waivers or emergency declarations to the budget committee. Allows the state health commissioner of the state department of health or the commissioner's designated public health authority to issue standing orders, prescriptions, or protocols to administer or dispense certain immunizations for individuals who are at least five years old (current law limits the age for the commissioner's issuance of standing orders, prescriptions, and protocols for individuals who are at least 11 years old). Defines "Indiana governmental entity" and specifies that an Indiana governmental entity (current law refers to a state or local unit) may not issue or require an immunization passport. Provides that an individual is not disqualified from unemployment benefits if the individual has complied with the requirements for seeking an exemption from an employer's COVID-19 immunization requirements and was discharged from employment for failing or refusing to receive an immunization against COVID-19. Provides that an employer may not impose a requirement that employees receive an immunization against COVID-19 unless the employer provides individual exemptions that allow an employee to opt out of the requirement on the basis of medical reasons, religious reasons, or immunity from COVID-19 acquired from a prior infection with COVID-19.