Allows the department of natural resources and the state board of animal health to establish a pilot program to combat chronic wasting disease in deer.
Defines "revocation of a license". Creates a process in which the director of the Indiana grain buyers and warehouse licensing agency (agency) determines whether a building or other protected enclosure constitutes a single warehouse that requires one or more licenses. Specifies the documents a person who desires to conduct business as a grain buyer, warehouse operator, or buyer-warehouse (licensee) must submit to the agency to renew a license to operate. Specifies how a business as a licensee may renew its license. Specifies the types of licenses the agency shall issue and how a license may be relinquished. Establishes what information must be included in a financial statement submitted by a licensee to the agency. Removes the ability of the agency to temporarily suspend a licensee's license. Specifies various matters related to on-premises inspections. Permits the director of the agency (director) to call an informal meeting with a licensee. Provides how the director may begin an enforcement action and what information the director must send to the licensee. Provides when the director may revoke a licensee's license and what information the director must share with the licensee. Establishes various notice requirements. Permits the agency to adopt rules. Requires the director to inspect and test all equipment used to test the moisture content of grain purchased from producers once per year. Requires the Indiana grain indemnity corporation board to elect a chairperson and vice chairperson and take on various new responsibilities. Addresses various issues with producer premiums. Provides that a grain buyer shall keep accurate and correct records of grain purchased from producers documenting the producer premiums paid by producers. Establishes storage fees to determine storage loss.
Requires the department of natural resources to provide free admission to state parks to a Gold Star family member. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles to update the Gold Star family member license plate form.
Establishes the ethics implementation fund (fund) for the purpose of providing grants to course providers that offer ethics training courses for teachers. Charges the department of education (department) with administering the fund. Requires the department to create authorization and approval processes. Requires the department to create guidelines to provide professional development credit to teachers who have successfully completed an ethics training course. Makes an appropriation.
Requires the department of natural resources to create the landowner forest management program. Requires the Indiana state department of agriculture to: (1) conduct an inventory of all forest land lost in Indiana from 2010 to 2024; and (2) conduct an economic impact study based on the findings of the lost forest land report. Makes an appropriation.
Establishes the Indiana nonprofit security grant fund for the purpose of funding physical security improvements, security personnel improvements, and other protective measures for nonprofit organizations in Indiana that are at high risk due to the nature of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. Makes an appropriation.
Maddy summaryHB 1556 requires the Department of Natural Resources to provide free admission to all state parks for veterans who present valid identification proving their service. This bill directly affects eligible veterans by eliminating park entry fees, making state parks more accessible to them. The key provision is the mandatory free access for veterans with proper ID, shifting the cost from the veteran to the state park system. It does not alter existing fee structures for non-veterans or specify funding mechanisms. The bill is currently under review by the Natural Resources Committee.
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.
Pauses all tax sales on mineral interests for one year. Increases the maximum dry weight for a "recreational off-highway vehicle". Provides that certain fees established by the natural resources commission (commission) do not constitute a rule. Adds language to youth hunting and trapping license provisions providing that the nonresident youth turkey licenses include all yearly stamps to hunt wild turkeys and that the resident and nonresident youth license remains valid for the remainder of the license period even after the license holder turns 18 years of age. Provides that certain licenses may still be used if the license holder moves out of state. Provides that a person may perform certain activities without obtaining a permit from the department of natural resources (department). Allows the commission to adopt rules regarding certain activities that are permitted without a license. Establishes requirements for constructing certain structures in a floodway. Requires the department to take certain steps before: (1) making a determination when the department is reviewing the department mapping data being applied to a parcel of real property; and (2) submitting department mapping data in preparation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood hazard map. Allows certain persons to request a review by the department of the department mapping data applying to the parcel of real property. Requires the department, in reviewing the department mapping data applying to a parcel of real property, to use a detailed hydrologic modeling method and perform a site investigation. Requires the department to notify certain persons within 90 days after determining that a parcel of real property: (1) is included in a flood plain or floodway; or (2) is no longer included in a flood plain or floodway. Establishes the STREAM act fund. Makes technical and conforming changes. Makes an appropriation.
Provides that a person may perform certain activities without obtaining a permit from the department of natural resources (department). Provides certain guidelines for cutting, relocating, or removing logs that are crossways in a channel. Provides that a person who removes a logjam from a river or stream: (1) is not required to cut a log or separate a tree from its root system if, in the opinion of the person, the cutting would create an unreasonable risk of bodily harm to the person; and (2) need not remove the dislodged logs from the floodplain if the logs are dried and burned so completely as to eliminate the potential for a new logjam. Permits a person to remove a logjam or mass of wood debris from a river or stream with mechanical equipment appropriate to the task of removing logjam or debris. Authorizes a person to remove debris from a stream under certain conditions without needing a permit from the department. Exempts the state and a county, city, or town from submitting various documents when applying for certain floodway permits. Requires the Indiana state department of agriculture to oversee and take all actions necessary to prepare and publish an updated version of the Indiana Drainage Handbook.
