Rep. Heath VanNatter

Prohibits a county, municipality, or township (unit) from adopting or enforcing an ordinance that would have the effect of prohibiting, restricting, or impairing an individual's or a business's ability to: (1) use digital assets to purchase legal goods and services; (2) accept digital assets as a method of payment for legal goods and services; (3) use a hardware wallet or self-hosted wallet to store the individual's or business's digital assets; (4) take custody of digital assets by using a hardware wallet or self-hosted wallet; or (5) operate a node for the purpose of connecting to a blockchain protocol and participating in the blockchain protocol's operations. Provides that use of a property for a digital asset mining business is a permitted industrial use under any applicable zoning ordinance of a unit and may not be disallowed by a zoning ordinance in a zoning district that permits industrial use. Prohibits a unit from applying the unit's zoning ordinances in specified ways to regulate digital asset mining.

Provides that individuals and entities that participate in designated and approved course sequences, career courses, apprenticeships, and programs of study leading to industry recognized credentials or work based learning courses (participating entities) may be awarded a contract for a public works project at any contractor tier. Prohibits a public agency from imposing certain contract conditions on participating entities.

Reduces the number of hours an applicant for a cosmetology license must have in order to take the cosmetology licensure examination from 1,500 to 1,000. Reduces the number of hours an applicant for a beauty culture instructor license must have in order to take the beauty culture instructor licensure examination from 1,000 to 500. Reduces the number of hours an applicant for a barber license must have in order to take the barber licensure examination from 1,500 to 1,000. Makes corresponding changes.

Maddy summaryHR 2 is a symbolic resolution urging Indiana's U.S. congressional delegation to support the Susan Muffley Act. It does not create new laws or affect any specific people or programs itself. The resolution was introduced by Representatives Karickhoff, VanNatter, and Pierce K on January 13, 2025, and passed its first reading. It serves only as a formal request for Indiana's federal lawmakers to back the Susan Muffley Act, which is not described in this bill's context.

Freezes an individual's property tax liability attributable to the individual's homestead based on the date on which the individual acquired an ownership interest in the homestead.

Requires a court in certain circumstances to make decisions to promote continuity of relationship by both parents with the child through maximum practical parenting time with each parent. Provides that the ability of the parties to encourage the sharing of love, affection, and contact between the child and the other party is a permissible factor to consider in weighing the best interests of a child. Provides that: (1) parents must be encouraged to develop the parents' own parenting plans and parenting time calendars, but if the parents cannot agree to a part of the plan, the court shall provide the required components according to the best interests of the child; (2) if the parents cannot agree at all, the parenting time guidelines apply; and (3) the court must make specific findings of fact and conclusions of law on the record to support any deviation of parenting time that falls below the minimum standards in the parenting time guidelines.

Maddy summaryHB 1145 decriminalizes the possession of two ounces or less of marijuana by removing criminal penalties for this offense. It directly affects individuals caught with small amounts of marijuana, replacing potential jail time or criminal records with possible civil fines. The key provision eliminates misdemeanor charges for simple possession within the specified limit, shifting enforcement to a civil penalty system. This bill does not legalize marijuana use or sales, only changes the legal consequences for personal possession of small quantities.

Defines "antisemitism", specifies that the public policy of the state is to provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination, and provides that antisemitism is discrimination on the basis of race, creed, religion, or national origin.

Provides certain exemptions from the employment of minors law. Repeals a provision concerning conditions for the employment of a minor as a performer. Provides exemptions from certain hour and time restrictions for the employment of a minor who is at least 14 years of age and less than 16 years of age. Removes language providing that a minor who is at least 14 years of age and less than 16 years of age may only work until 7 p.m. on a day that precedes a school day from June 1 through Labor Day. Repeals provisions concerning hour and time restrictions for the employment of a minor who is at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age. Specifies that the prohibition on a minor from working in a hazardous occupation does not apply to a minor who is at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age who is employed in agriculture. Repeals a provision concerning restrictions on an employer who employs a minor to work after 10 p.m. and before 6 a.m. Makes corresponding changes.

Provides that a state employee may affirmatively elect to enroll in the deferred compensation plan prior to the auto enroll date on day 31 of the state employee's employment. Removes a provision that sets a maximum employer surcharge for the legislators' defined benefit plan, state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan, public employees' retirement fund, and Indiana state teachers' retirement fund (fund). Requires the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system (board) to develop the technological and administrative capabilities sufficient to categorize fund members into separate groups in which: (1) certain members receive a service based thirteenth check; and (2) certain members receive a cost of living adjustment. Requires the board to set the surcharge rates at a level to actuarially prefund: (1) annual indexed thirteenth checks for all current retired members and beneficiaries retired before July 1, 2025; and (2) 1% annual cost of living adjustments to future in-payment members and beneficiaries retired on or after July 1, 2025. Provides that the board shall not reduce the surcharge rates from the prior year. Allows the board to increase the surcharge rates by not more than 0.1% of payroll from the prior year. Requires certain political subdivisions to present to the interim study committee on pension management oversight regarding a delinquent employee retirement plan offered by the political subdivision. Requires, effective July 1, 2025, the trustee of the state police pension trust to maintain two supplemental allowance reserve accounts for the purpose of paying postretirement benefit adjustments. Increases the maximum date that a member or participant of certain retirement funds can participate in the deferred retirement option plan from 36 to 60 months. Requires the member or participant to notify their employer if the member or participant elects to enter or extend the deferred retirement option plan. Provides for a thirteenth check in 2024 for certain members, participants, or beneficiaries of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) Indiana public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system.