Rep. Ed Soliday

Maddy summaryHR 12 is a ceremonial resolution celebrating Indiana's cultural and economic connections with Ireland. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or affect any specific policies or groups. The bill formally recognizes these ties through a congressional resolution, as is standard for such commemorative measures. It was introduced on February 10, 2025, by Representative O'Brien and multiple co-authors, and passed its first reading. This is a procedural measure with no concrete policy impact.

Maddy summaryHCR 15 is a ceremonial resolution passed by both chambers to honor the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, funding, or specific groups. The resolution formally recognizes Carter's legacy through a symbolic gesture of respect, consistent with standard legislative tributes for notable figures. This is a non-binding, procedural action with no direct impact on constituents or legislation.

Provides that nothing in provisions concerning the right to work is intended or should be construed to change or affect certain laws in the building and construction industry, construction material production industry, building and construction suppliers industry, or construction related vendors industry.

Requires an absentee ballot application from an overseas voter to include: (1) photo identification; and (2) a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document; that includes the name of the voter and the address where the voter resided before leaving the United States.

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 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.

Specifies that the existing Indiana statute concerning the awarding of grants by the office of community and rural affairs for certain eligible broadband projects does not apply to subgrants awarded by the Indiana broadband office (office) under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program (program). Establishes a new Indiana Code chapter governing the administration of the program by the office. Requires the office to administer the program in Indiana in compliance with all mandatory provisions set forth in: (1) the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Act); and (2) the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (BEAD NOFO); with respect to the program. Provides that before awarding a subgrant to an eligible broadband service provider during any round of funding under the program, the office shall submit to the budget committee for review the proposed amount and terms of the subgrant. Provides that in awarding subgrants for the deployment of a broadband network using program funds, the office may not exclude cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, public-private partnerships, private companies, public or private utilities, public utility districts, or local governments from eligibility for those funds, as set forth in the Act. Provides that the final proposal submitted by the office to the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) with respect to the program must include the specifications for the required low cost broadband service option that are set forth in the office's initial proposal, as submitted to and approved by NTIA.

Repeals the Indiana Code provisions concerning the following obsolete programs and funds administered by the Indiana office of energy development (office): (1) The alternative fuel fueling station grant program. (2) The alternative fuel vehicle grant program for local units. (3) The Indiana coal research grant fund. (4) The office of alternative energy incentives. (5) The alternative energy incentive fund. (6) The center for coal technology research. Makes conforming amendments to other sections of the Indiana Code that reference the repealed provisions. Repeals, in the Indiana Code chapter governing the Indiana recycling market development board (board), a provision that authorizes the office to establish and administer a revolving loan program to make low interest loans for energy efficiency or recycling market development projects. Relocates that provision to the Indiana Code chapter governing the office and removes from the provision language authorizing the office to consult with the board in establishing and administering the program. Provides that, notwithstanding the statutory requirements for a local unit to be certified as a commercial solar energy ready community or a wind energy ready community, the commercial solar and wind energy ready communities development center may make a reasonable determination to certify a unit as a commercial solar energy ready community or a wind energy ready community if the unit: (1) has adopted a commercial solar or wind power regulation and the unit's regulation does not: (A) materially differ from applicable industry or regulatory standards; or (B) otherwise materially affect the ability of a project owner to develop a commercial solar project or wind power project in the unit; or (2) has other clear standards for the construction, installation, siting, modification, operation, or decommissioning of commercial solar or wind power systems and the unit's clear standards meet specified requirements. Amends the Indiana Code section concerning a rate case in which a utility seeks an increase in revenues exceeding $2,500,000, and with respect to which a public hearing is required, to provide that the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) shall conduct at least one public hearing in one of the following, as determined by the IURC: (1) The largest municipality located within the utility's service area. (2) The municipality containing the largest number of customers served by the utility. (3) The county containing the largest number of customers served by the utility. (Current law requires the IURC to conduct the public hearing in the largest municipality located within the utility's service area.) Makes a corresponding change to the statute concerning rural electric membership corporations. Repeals a provision in the statute concerning incentives for clean energy projects that requires eligible businesses under the statute to file with the lieutenant governor a monthly report concerning purchases of: (1) Illinois Basin coal for energy production or generation; and (2) fuel or energy produced by a coal gasification facility or by a nuclear energy production or generating facility.

Provides that the commissioner of the department of environmental management (department) may, not later than 10 days after the last day of a public comment period, decide to hold a public hearing or meeting before the issuance or denial of a permit. Requires the department to provide notice if a public hearing or meeting will be held.

Amends the statute concerning the acquisition by a utility company of a water or wastewater utility to provide that if: (1) the appraised value of the utility property to be acquired does not exceed $3,000,000; and (2) the purchase price for the utility property is less than the appraised value of the utility property; the acquiring utility company may submit to the Indiana utility regulatory agency (IURC) a filing under a procedure, based on the procedures set forth in the IURC's rules governing 30 day administrative filings, to include in the acquiring utility company's rate base specified costs associated with the acquisition. Sets forth certain information that must be included in an acquiring utility company's filing. Provides that if the IURC approves an acquiring utility company's filing, the IURC: (1) may only authorize that: (A) the full purchase price; and (B) estimated: (i) incidental expenses; and (ii) other costs of acquisition; be recorded as the acquiring utility company's net original cost of acquisition; and (2) shall provide that any estimated: (i) incidental expenses; and (ii) other costs of the acquisition; are subject to a reasonableness review as part of the acquiring utility company's next base rate case. Adds language specifying that the Indiana Code chapter that governs the transfer, acquisition, and improvement of utilities by municipalities applies to a municipally owned natural gas utility (in addition to a municipally owned electric, water, wastewater, or combined water and wastewater utility).