Rep. Sheila Klinker

Provides that, for each school year beginning after June 30, 2024, a school corporation shall, if the school corporation determines that the school corporation cannot establish a minimum salary of $50,000 for each full-time teacher, submit a report to the department of education explaining the school corporation's inability to meet the minimum threshold requirement. (Current law establishes this requirement if a school corporation determines that the school corporation cannot establish a minimum salary of $40,000 for each full-time teacher.)

Establishes the epilepsy foundation trust license plate as a special group recognition license plate. Establishes the epilepsy foundation trust fund.

Provides a property tax deduction for an individual or surviving spouse of a veteran who has been rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as individually unemployable.

Requires the superintendent of the state police department (superintendent) to adopt certain guidelines concerning medical forensic examination kits for victims of a sex crime (kits) and to obtain data from law enforcement agencies concerning kits in the agencies' possession. Requires the superintendent to provide certain information to the interim study committee on corrections and criminal code concerning kits. Requires a forensic medical services provider to notify a law enforcement agency regarding the completion of a kit not later than 24 hours after the kit is completed. Requires the department of homeland security to develop practices and guidelines designed to assist crime labs and law enforcement agencies with the elimination of untested kit backlogs. Requires that a notification be provided to a victim who has registered for notifications through the web based claims reimbursement and sexual assault examination kit tracking system not more than 30 days after a change in status to the kit. Makes conforming changes.

Provides that a massage therapist who is licensed, certified, or registered in another state may receive an Indiana license by endorsement if the other state's credentialing standards are substantially equivalent to or exceed the credentialing standards in effect in Indiana at the time that the individual's license, certification, or registration was granted in the other state.

Beginning in taxable year 2024, increases the credit provided for a contribution to a college choice 529 education savings plan against a taxpayer's adjusted gross income from $1,500 to $2,000 (and from $750 to $1,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return), subject to other requirements.

Amends the membership and duties of the early learning advisory committee. Makes changes to the definition of "school resource officer". Provides that, after June 30, 2023, if a school corporation or charter school enters into a contract for a school resource officer, certain school corporations or charter schools must enter into a memorandum of understanding with the law enforcement agency that employs or appointed the law enforcement officer who will perform the duties of a school resource officer. Provides that certain parties are prohibited from incentivizing the enrollment, reenrollment, or continued attendance of a student or prospective student by offering or giving an item that has monetary value. Requires the Indiana charter school board (board) to appoint an executive director to carry out the duties and daily operations of the board. Establishes the executive director's duties. Provides that the board shall establish certain processes. Establishes the Indiana charter school board fund and provides that money in the fund is appropriated continuously for purposes of the board. Provides that the department of education (department) may grant an accomplished practitioner's license under certain conditions. Establishes: (1) a definition for "virtual student instructional day"; and (2) requirements for virtual student instructional days. Provides that a public school may conduct not more than three virtual student instructional days that do not meet the established requirements. Provides that a public school that does not comply with these provisions may not count a student instructional day toward the 180 day student instructional day requirement. Allows the department to waive these requirements. Provides that the instructional days tuition support distribution formula take into account only certain schools and grades within a school corporation if fewer than all the schools fail to conduct the minimum number of student instructional days. Authorizes the department to study and, if recommended, use machine scoring. Provides that, after a school receives statewide assessment score reports, a teacher of a student shall discuss the student's statewide assessment results with a parent at the next parent/teacher conference or, if the school does not hold parent/teacher conferences, send a notice to a parent of the student offering to meet with the parent to discuss the results. Provides that the department may include in a contract entered into or renewed after June 30, 2022, with a statewide assessment vendor a requirement that the vendor provide a summary of a student's statewide assessment results that meets certain requirements. Changes the department's review period for certain funds. Provides that the state board of education shall assign to a school or school corporation (including adult high schools) a "null" or "no letter grade" for the 2021-2022 school year. Repeals a provision concerning staffing of the board.

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.

Repeals the statute specifying Medicaid eligibility for qualified pregnant women. Increases the Medicaid income eligibility requirements for pregnant women. Removes the Medicaid limitation for pregnant women of medical assistance coverage only for pregnancy related services. Provides that the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage for pregnant women shall be determined by the office of the secretary of family and social services and must be at least 60 days but not more than 12 months beginning on the last day of the pregnancy.

Reaffirming the commitment of sister ties between Indiana and Taiwan.