Provides that a public agency may not do any of the following: (1) Require a potential bidder on a public works project to provide any information that the potential bidder considers confidential or proprietary as a requirement for the public agency finding the bidder to be a responsive or responsible bidder. (2) By rule, ordinance, or any other action relating to contracts for public works projects for which competitive bids are required impose any requirement that directly or indirectly restricts potential bidders to any predetermined class of bidders defined by experience on similar projects, size of company, union membership, or any other criteria. (3) Take certain actions based on a bidder's, offeror's, or contractor's entering into, refusing to enter into, adhering to, or refusing to adhere to an agreement with a labor organization.
Sponsored bills
Makes changes to the categories used to determine special education grants.
Provides that an individual may be employed by a child care provider before the state-mandated criminal history check of the individual is completed if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The individual's: (A) fingerprint-based check of national crime information data bases; (B) national sex offender registry check; (C) in-state local criminal records check; and (D) in-state child protection index check; have been completed. (2) If the individual has resided outside Indiana at any time during the five years preceding the individual's date of hire, the individual's: (A) out-of-state child abuse registry check; and (B) out-of-state local criminal records check; have been requested. (3) The individual's employment before the completion of the state-mandated criminal history check is limited to training during which the individual: (A) does not have contact with children who are under the care and control of the child care provider; and (B) does not have access to records containing information regarding children who are under the care and control of the child care provider. (4) The individual completes an attestation, under penalty of perjury, disclosing: (A) any abuse or neglect complaints made against the individual with the child welfare agency of a state other than Indiana in which the individual resided within the five years preceding the date of the attestation; and (B) any contact the individual had with a law enforcement agency in connection with the individual's suspected or alleged commission of a crime in a state other than Indiana in which the individual resided within the five years preceding the date of the attestation. Establishes a process by which a child caring institution, group home, licensed child placing agency, or secure private facility (child services providers) may request a review of base rates and other cost-based rates approved by the department of child services (department).
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 department of education (department) to apply to the United States Department of Education for assessment flexibility. Requires the department to: (1) prepare a report that includes information and recommendations regarding establishing and implementing a parent-teacher compact program; and (2) submit the report to the legislative council not later than November 1, 2022. Provides that the state board of education (state board) shall, in consultation with postsecondary educational institutions and various businesses and industries, identify what skills or traits students need to be successful upon completion of high school. Requires the department to conduct a research study regarding academic standards. Requires the department to establish an online adjunct teacher portal. Provides that the governing body of a school corporation may issue an adjunct teacher permit to an individual who meets certain requirements. Establishes requirements for adjunct teacher employment agreements. Provides that the employment agreements are not subject to certain requirements regarding teacher salaries and school corporation local compensation plans. Provides that: (1) an adjunct teacher is not a school employee for purposes of collective bargaining; and (2) an employment agreement with an adjunct teacher is not subject to a collective bargaining agreement. Provides that the school employer shall discuss the use of adjunct teachers with the exclusive representative of certificated employees. Requires the governing body of a school corporation to announce any vacant adjunct teacher positions at meetings of the governing body. Amends the definition of "primary use of the building" for certain applicable high schools for purposes of occupancy classification requirements. Amends the definition of "appropriate vehicle". Provides that a special purpose bus or an appropriate vehicle may be used to transport students under certain circumstances. Provides that the state board may adopt emergency rules relating to school accreditation. Provides that the driver of a special purpose bus or an appropriate vehicle must pass an expanded criminal history check and an expanded child protection index check. Makes changes to visual acuity requirements for a bus driver. Establishes the Indiana student enrichment grant program (program). Provides that an enrichment student is eligible to establish an Indiana enrichment scholarship account. Provides that an enrichment student may receive $1,000 to be used for certain qualified expenses. Provides that the department shall administer the program. Provides that the program expires July 1, 2025.
Provides that, in determining whether at least 50% of the instructional services that a student receives from a school corporation is virtual instruction for purposes of the 2021 fall count of ADM, the department of education (department) shall review the attendance of each student on each school day from the school corporation's first day of school until the school corporation's last day of school of the 2021 fall semester. Makes an exception regarding the school days the department reviews for students who transferred to or from a school corporation during the 2021 fall semester. Provides that, if a school corporation's tuition support amount is adjusted as a result of the application of this provision, the department shall, after December 31, 2021, settle any overpayment or underpayment of state tuition support to a school corporation resulting from the adjustment of tuition support on the schedule determined by the department. Requires each school corporation and charter school to annually report to the department the number of students who, during the students' expected graduation year: (1) were enrolled in the school corporation on the September ADM count day; (2) completed graduation requirements before the February ADM count day; and (3) were not enrolled in the school corporation on the February ADM count day. Requires, not later than September 1 of each year, the department to: (1) compile and prepare a report regarding the information reported by school corporations and charter schools; and (2) submit the report to the legislative council.
Makes changes to the requirements necessary to obtain an initial practitioner license for an individual who completes an alternative teacher certification program and changes regarding teaching special education under the license. Provides that, for school years beginning after June 30, 2022, a school corporation may provide a supplemental payment to a teacher in excess of the salary specified in the school corporation's compensation plan. (Current law allows a school corporation to provide supplemental payment to a teacher in excess of the salary specified in the school corporation's compensation plan if certain circumstances apply.)
Provides that, for purposes of determining the funding floor for teachers of a school corporation, the amount a school corporation expends for full-time teacher salaries shall include the amount the school corporation expends for participating in a special education cooperative or a career and technical education cooperative that is directly attributable to the salaries of full-time teachers employed by the cooperative, as determined by the department of education (department). Requires the department to annually report to the legislative council and the state budget committee on certain matters regarding full-time teacher salaries and benefits and the issuance of waivers of the requirement that a school corporation expend a specified percentage of tuition support for full-time teacher salaries. Authorizes the treasurer of state (treasurer) to deduct up to 10% of funds made available for the Indiana education scholarship account program (program) to cover costs of administering the program in the first year and up to 5% of funds made available in each year thereafter. Establishes the Indiana education scholarship account administration fund (fund) to support the administration of the program. Requires any amounts deducted by the treasurer for administration costs to be deposited in the fund. Removes a requirement for certain participating entities in the program to post a surety bond. Makes technical corrections.
Requires, not later than December 31, 2022, the department of education (department) to: (1) issue a request for proposals for the purpose of contracting with a company to provide; or (2) enter into a memorandum of understanding with a statewide entity to facilitate the procurement of; adequate employer liability and worker's compensation insurance coverage for employers that employ students in work based learning courses. Specifies an exception. Provides that the total amount of funds that the department may expend to carry out the request for proposals or the memorandum of understanding must be less than $100,000. Provides that an employer: (1) may purchase the employer liability and worker's compensation coverage; and (2) is responsible for paying any costs associated with purchasing the coverage. Requires that, if the state board of education grants the designation of a transformation zone within a school corporation after June 30, 2022, the governing body of the school corporation may enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to manage and operate all of the schools included in the transformation zone. Provides that the governing body of a school corporation or entity that is a party to any agreement for the management and operation of a transformation zone may submit a complaint first to the governing body, and second to the department for an alleged violation of the agreement. Provides that, not later than 15 days after the date an entity submits a complaint to the department, the department shall issue a decision concerning the complaint. Provides that employees of a transformation zone may organize and create a separate bargaining unit to collectively bargain with the entity operating the transformation zone.
Establishes the insuring foster youth trust fund (fund). Provides that the department of child services shall administer the fund. Provides that the money in the fund may be used to provide payments to foster youth to help defray the cost of: (1) automobile insurance coverage for foster youth; and (2) not more than 44 of the 50 hours of supervised driving practice for foster youth. Provides that a state or local government agency, a foster parent, or an entity providing services shall not be liable for any damages resulting from a foster youth's operation of an automobile owned and insured by the foster youth. Makes conforming changes. Makes an appropriation.