Rep. Ed Soliday

Provides for the election and appointment of members of certain school corporations in which members of the governing body are appointed. Specifies that: (1) three members of the governing body are appointed from a city within the school corporation; and (2) two members are elected from the unincorporated area within the school corporation. Establishes a commission to nominate the candidates for the governing body.

Authorizes the city of Hammond to impose a food and beverage tax.

Defines "core public health services" for purposes of public health laws. Adds members to the executive board of the Indiana department of health (state department). Removes a provision allowing the state department to establish branch offices. Provides that the state department may provide services to local health departments. Requires each local board of health to establish a local public health services fund to receive state funding. Provides a method of allocation of state funding to local boards of health, subject to state appropriations. Specifies the percentage of how additional funding may be expended on core public health services. Allows the local health department to enter into contracts or approve grants for core public health services. Allows the state department to issue guidance to local health departments. Requires the state department to make annual local health department reports available to the public. Changes the qualification requirements for a local health officer and requires certain training. Requires the state department to identify state level metrics and county level metrics and requires certain local health departments to report to the state department activities and metrics on the delivery of core public health services. Requires the state department to annually report on the metrics to the budget committee and publish information concerning the metrics on the Internet. Requires that a local health department post a position or contract for the provision or administration of core public health services for at least 30 days. Requires a local health department to provide certain education before administering a vaccine. Requires a multiple county health department to maintain at least one physical office in each represented county. Provides that a new city health department cannot be created after December 31, 2022, but allows current city health departments to continue to operate. Creates the Indiana trauma care commission. Allows a school corporation that cannot obtain an ophthalmologist or optometrist to perform the modified clinical technique vision test to conduct certain specified vision screenings. Requires the school to send to the parent of a student any recommendation for further testing by the vision screener. Allows for standing orders to be used for emergency stock medication in schools. Allows the state health commissioner or designee to issue a statewide standing order, prescription, or protocol for emergency stock medication for schools. Removes the distance requirement for an access practice dentist to provide communication with a dental hygienist. Repeals provisions concerning the Indiana local health department trust account.

Provides that a person may not: (1) construct a new utility scale battery energy storage system (BESS); or (2) expand the capacity of an existing BESS by more than 10% of the system's original capacity; without the prior approval of the department of homeland security (department). Sets forth information that must be included in an application to the department for approval of the construction or expansion of a BESS. Provides that: (1) a BESS for which installation is subject to department approval; and (2) an installation added to an existing BESS in an expansion for which department approval is required; must comply with the National Fire Protection Association's standard concerning stationary energy storage systems (NFPA 855). Provides that the total capacity of the batteries contained within a single enclosure in: (1) a BESS for which installation is subject to department approval; and (2) an installation added to an existing BESS in an expansion for which department approval is required; may not exceed 10 megawatt hours unless authorized under rules adopted by the fire prevention and building safety commission (commission). Provides that if a BESS installed after June 30, 2023, is located less than 1/2 mile from the nearest 100 year flood plain, all of the system's equipment must be located at least two feet above the 100 year frequency flood elevation. Requires the operator of a BESS to: (1) provide a copy of the operator's emergency response plan for the BESS; and (2) offer training to enable effective response to a fire or contaminant discharge at the BESS; to the fire department responsible for providing fire protection services in the area in which the BESS is located. Authorizes the commission to adopt rules to specify standards for the installation and operation of a BESS. Provides that the commission's rules: (1) must be consistent with NFPA 855; and (2) must include standards for: (A) chemical spill prevention and control; and (B) appropriate setbacks from surface water resources. Requires the department to issue to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunication, not later than November 1, 2023, a report regarding the progress of the commission in adopting rules addressing the installation and operation of a BESS.

Specifies certain entities, actions taken, or factors considered to which the ESG commitment provisions do not apply. Provides that if the treasurer of state concludes that the service provider has made an ESG commitment, the treasurer of state shall provide the name of the service provider and research supporting the conclusion to the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system (board). Prohibits the board from making an investment decision with the purpose of influencing any social or environmental policy or attempting to influence the governance of any corporation for nonfinancial purposes. Prohibits the Indiana public retirement system (system) from making an ESG commitment with respect to system assets. Provides that in making and supervising investments of the system, the board shall discharge its duties solely in the financial interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the system for the exclusive purposes of providing financial benefits to participants and beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the system. Provides that the board, in accordance with certain fiduciary duties, shall make investment decisions with the primary purpose of maximizing the target rate of return on the board's investments. Prohibits the board from entering a contract or modifying, amending, or continuing a contract with a service provider that has made an ESG commitment unless taking the action violates the board's fiduciary duty to the system's participants and beneficiaries. Requires the board to continue contracting with a service provider that has made an ESG commitment if the board determines that there is not a comparable service provider to replace the service provider. Requires the board to, at least annually, tabulate and report all proxy votes made by a service provider that is not a private market fund in relation to the administration of the system. Specifies certain persons and entities that are immune from civil liability and entitled to indemnification. Requires the board to: (1) ensure that reasonable efforts are made during the due diligence process before an investment is made and in monitoring investments in the public employees' defined contribution plan, an annuity savings account for the public employees' retirement fund or the Indiana state teachers' retirement fund, the teachers' defined contribution plan, the legislators' defined contribution plan, and a private market fund to determine whether any investments would violate the requirement that the board discharge its duties solely in the financial interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the system; and (2) take appropriate action, if necessary, consistent with the board's fiduciary duties. Defines terms and makes conforming amendments.

Establishes the blighted property demolition fund (demolition fund). Provides that money in the demolition fund is to be used for costs associated with demolishing a qualified property located in the territory of a current or future transit development district or in the area surrounding the Gary Metro Center. Allows the Lake County fiscal body to adopt an increase in the county innkeeper's tax. Establishes the Lake County economic development and convention fund (convention fund). Provides that money in the convention fund may be used for purposes related to a convention center in Lake County. Establishes a local county fund known as the Lake County convention and event center reserve fund (reserve fund). Provides that the revenue received from an increase in the innkeeper's tax is deposited in the reserve fund. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2023, proposals may be submitted for construction and operation of a Lake County convention and event center to the Lake County board of commissioners. Provides minimum requirements for a proposal. Provides that if a proposal is approved, the Lake County convention center authority is established to provide general oversight. Establishes the Gary Metro Center station revitalization fund (metro center station fund). Establishes the Gary Metro Center station revitalization project board to provide oversight of the ongoing maintenance and operation of the Gary Metro Center station. Beginning after June 30, 2025, requires the department of state revenue to deposit certain amounts in each state fiscal year of the riverboat wagering tax revenue collected from a riverboat operating within the city of Gary in the demolition fund, the convention fund, and the metro center station fund.

Amends the definition of "athletic trainer" to include an individual employed by an occupational facility to practice athletic training. Amends the definition of "athletic training" to include the diagnosis and rehabilitation of athletic injuries under the direction and supervision of a licensed physician, osteopath, podiatrist, or chiropractor, including the use of manual therapies related to the reconditioning of athletes, but not including joint manipulation of the spinal column. Defines "manual therapies" and "supervision". Changes the education standard for licensing by the board as an athletic trainer from the satisfactory completion of an academic program including certain accredited courses to: (1) obtaining a professional athletic training degree from a postsecondary educational institution that meets the academic standards established by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE); and (2) the successful completion of a Board of Certification, Inc. (BOC) examination. Provides that an individual may be exempted by the board from the examination requirement if the individual is certified by the BOC (instead of by the National Athletic Trainers Association) and authorizes the board to issue a temporary permit to practice as an athletic trainer to an individual who is practicing in a state that does not license or certify athletic trainers but is certified by the BOC (instead of by the National Athletic Trainers Association). Eliminates the requirement that the board contract with the National Athletic Trainers Association to conduct and score the qualifying examination for athletic trainers.

Amends the chapter in the Indiana Code concerning electric transmission facilities as follows: (1) Specifies that the term "electric transmission facility" does not include a line installed solely for the purpose of connecting an electric generation facility to facilities owned by a public utility. (2) Repeals the definition of "local reliability electric transmission facility" and makes conforming changes. (3) Amends the provisions concerning an incumbent electric transmission owner's right of first refusal to construct, own, operate, and maintain certain electric transmission facilities, or upgrades to certain electric transmission facilities, as follows: (A) Specifies that the right of first refusal applies with respect to: (ii) the construction; or (ii) upgrades; of electric transmission facilities if the construction or upgrades have been approved through a regional transmission organization (RTO) planning process. (B) Provides that if an electric transmission facility has been approved for construction through an RTO planning process: (i) each incumbent electric transmission owner that has a right to construct, own, operate, and maintain the electric transmission facility shall give written notice to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), not later than 90 days after the construction is approved, regarding the incumbent electric transmission owner's intent to construct, own, operate, and maintain the approved electric transmission facility; and (ii) if an incumbent electric transmission owner gives notice of intent not to construct the approved electric transmission facility, another entity may seek to construct the approved electric transmission facility in accordance with the RTO planning process and the bill's provisions. (C) Provides that if an incumbent electric transmission owner gives to the IURC during a calendar year notice of its intent to construct, own, operate, and maintain an approved electric transmission facility, the incumbent electric transmission owner shall, not later than May 1 of the subsequent calendar year, provide the IURC with certain specified information. (D) Provides that an incumbent electric transmission owner that exercises its right to construct an approved electric transmission facility must, to the extent commercially practicable, use competitively bid engineering, procurement, or construction contracts that meet the specifications required by the incumbent electric transmission owner with respect to the facility.

Exempts military pay for members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard from the individual income tax. (Current law provides an individual income tax exemption for members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard for the period the member is mobilized and deployed.) Exempts military pay earned by members of an active component of the armed forces of the United States from the individual income tax. (Current law exempts from the individual income tax the military pay earned by members of the National Guard and reserve components of the armed forces of the United States while serving on active duty.)

Allows a utility company that: (1) provides both water and wastewater service; and (2) has acquired wastewater utility property; to request, in the context of a petition by the utility company to the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for preapproval of a plan for proposed service enhancement improvements to the utility company's wastewater utility property, authorization from the IURC to allocate a portion of the eligible costs of the utility company's wastewater utility property to the utility company's water customers. Provides that if the petition includes such a request for an allocation of costs, the utility company shall provide a copy of: (1) the petition; and (2) the utility company's case in chief; to each intervenor in the utility company's last general rate case. Provides that the IURC may approve the request if the IURC finds that: (1) because of reasonable and necessary improvements that are proposed for the wastewater utility property, the resulting rates charged to wastewater customers would reach levels necessitating the provision of financial assistance to those customers; (2) the total rates charged by the utility company for water service will not increase unreasonably as a result of the allocation; (3) the utility company has included information in its proposal regarding the availability of grants or low interest loans and whether the utility company considered using grants or low interest loans to help finance or reduce the cost of the service enhancement improvements; and (4) the utility company has developed an asset management program. Provides that an increase in the total rates charged for water service by the utility company as a result of the allocation is not unreasonable to the extent the allocation results in an increase in authorized total revenues of 2% or less. Provides that if the IURC approves a utility company's request for an allocation of costs, the utility company shall include a notice on or with water customer monthly bills specifying the amount of the service enhancement improvement adjustment rider approved by the commission that recovers necessary wastewater utility improvements.