Establishes a procedure for the lawful production and sale of cannabis in Indiana. Makes conforming amendments.
Establishes the mastery based education pilot program (pilot program) to allow school corporations and charter schools selected by the department of education (department) to implement a mastery based education program. Establishes requirements and exemptions to certain laws and rules for schools participating in the pilot program. Changes the date by which formal collective bargaining may begin to October 1 and amends similar date requirement under the collective bargaining provisions to October 1. Establishes minimum minute instructional time requirements for each school year. Amends the instructional day and instructional time hour requirements for each instructional day. Provides that a governing body of a school corporation (governing body) may not enter into a contract with a superintendent on or after the date of the election for two or more members of the governing body (instead of one member) until January 1 of the year immediately following the year of the election. Establishes a minimum number of students that may receive an alternate diploma that may be counted for purposes of a school's or school corporation's graduation rate. Requires schools to adopt a teacher appreciation grant policy every four state fiscal years instead of every state fiscal year. Repeals or removes provisions that require: (1) a governing body to hold a public meeting on a proposed superintendent contract; (2) a governing body to post an employment contract entered into with a superintendent on the school corporation's website; (3) public schools to provide information concerning employees who are physically injured on the job by a student; (4) principals and school corporations to report aggregate results of staff performance evaluations; (5) principals to complete a survey; (6) certain teachers to complete a form after the initial year of teaching at a particular school; (7) the department to report to each teacher preparation program regarding certain surveys and evaluations; and (8) a public hearing before privately negotiating matters during the formal collective bargaining time period. Repeals provisions concerning the following: (1) Strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plans. (2) Cultural competency in educational environments. (3) The primetime program.
Defines "specie" as: (1) coin having gold or silver content; or (2) refined gold or silver bullion. Provides that the following specie are recognized as legal tender in Indiana ("specie legal tender"): (1) Specie coin that is issued by the United States government or by a foreign government at any time. (2) Any other specie that a United States court, in a final nonappealable judgment, determines to be within state authority to make or designate as legal tender under the Constitution of the United States. Provides that except as otherwise specifically provided by law or contract, a person may not compel any other person to tender or accept specie as legal tender. Provides that a prevailing party in an action for breach of any contract provision that specifically provides for a type or form of specie as tender, regardless of whether the specie is recognized as legal tender in Indiana, is entitled to specific performance of the contract provision. Provides that specie and specie legal tender: (1) are not subject to assessment and taxation under Indiana's property tax statute; and (2) are exempt from the state gross retail tax.
Provides that a candidate for a school board office may not be an employee or agent of that school corporation.
Authorizes funds from the: (1) Indiana secured school fund; and (2) school corporation and charter school safety advance program; to be used for the purpose of providing specialized firearms instruction to certain teachers, school staff, and school employees, and for providing counseling services to students, teachers, school staff, and school employees in the event of a school shooting. Creates a specialized firearms safety, education, and training curriculum (curriculum) for teachers, school staff, and school employees. Specifies curriculum requirements. Requires a charter school, accredited nonpublic school, or school corporation to ensure that a teacher, school staff member, or school employee who receives training funded by a grant from the Indiana secured school fund complies with certain requirements. Provides that the identity of any person who: (1) enrolls in; (2) participates in; or (3) completes; the curriculum is confidential. Requires the department of education, in collaboration with the state police department, to identify a set of best practices and develop a set of educational materials concerning the safe possession and storage of a firearm in a home with a child. Provides that the department of education shall provide the best practices and educational materials to certain schools for annual distribution to parents of students. Provides that a public school or a state accredited nonpublic school may not conduct a training or drill for an employee of the school that includes, as any part of the training or drill, the expelling of any type of projectile at the employee unless: (1) the school informs the employee of the use of projectiles in the training or drill; and (2) the employee provides written consent. Provides that certain schools may not conduct or approve a training or drill for a student of the school that includes, as any part of the training or drill, the expelling of any type of projectile at a student. Provides that the prohibition on the possession of a firearm in or on school property or on a school bus does not apply to certain qualified law enforcement officers and qualified retired law enforcement officers. Makes conforming and technical amendments.
Adds certain city facilities located in the city of South Bend to the tax area of the South Bend professional sports and convention development area (PSCDA). Increases the maximum amount of covered taxes that may be captured in the PSCDA from $2,000,000 to $5,000,000. Provides that the first $2,500,000 of captured taxes each year shall be transferred to the city of South Bend to be used for capital improvements for a facility owned by the city and used by a professional sports franchise. Provides that the remaining captured taxes each year shall be transferred to the city of South Bend to be used consistent with specified uses under current law. Provides that the South Bend PSCDA terminates not later than June 30, 2044. Increases the amount of revenue that may be captured in a PSCDA (other than a PSCDA in Allen County or South Bend) to an amount that may not exceed $10 (instead of $5 under current law) per resident. Authorizes the city of Fishers to establish a professional sports development area. Provides that, for a professional sports development area established in the city of Fishers, the maximum amount of covered taxes that may be captured is $2,000,000 per year. Specifies the uses of the captured tax revenue. Provides that the professional sports development area terminates not later than June 30, 2044.
Repeals teacher training requirements regarding: (1) criminal gang organizations awareness; (2) certain information concerning homeless students; and (3) recognizing the signs and symptoms of seizures and the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to the symptoms; and requires that information concerning these subjects be included within the curriculum of teacher preparation programs. Provides that the department of education (department) may establish or license for use an online platform to provide information and training concerning these and other subjects. Removes certain requirements regarding annual performance evaluation plans for certificated employees, including: (1) certain content requirements; and (2) certain requirements that a plan be discussed. Amends requirements to be considered a probationary teacher and professional teacher. Provides that, after a school corporation has assigned an evaluator to perform a certificated employee's evaluation, the certificated employee may request the school corporation to assign another evaluator. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate interim study committee the task of studying current school assessments in an effort to reduce and streamline assessments for Indiana students. Removes a provision that requires a school employer to discuss certain items with the exclusive representative of certificated employees and provides that a school employer may discuss: (1) with a certificated employee or group of certificated employees; or (2) at one or more meetings that are open to all certificated employees; any topic that significantly impacts a certificated employee's working conditions or impacts the educational quality of the school employer's students. Repeals provisions concerning: (1) requirements regarding the adoption of model evaluation plans and an approval process for the plans; (2) the obligation to discuss certain items not requiring either party to enter into a contract, agree to a proposal, or make a concession; and (3) the definition of "discuss" for purposes of the collective bargaining provisions.
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.
Defines "science of reading". Requires the state board of education (state board) in collaboration with the department of education (department) to prepare and submit a report regarding the alignment of science of reading concepts in IREAD. Requires a school corporation and charter school to report certain information regarding reading and writing curricula, remedial programs, and administrative contact information on the school corporation's or charter school's website. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a superintendent, advisory committee, or governing body or the equivalent for a charter school: (1) shall adopt curriculum or supplemental materials for reading that are aligned with the science of reading and to the student's reading proficiency; and (2) may not adopt curriculum or supplemental materials for reading that are based on the three-cueing model. Requires the department to develop guidelines for science of reading integration into teacher preparation programs. Makes changes to the education law concerning the science of reading and teacher preparation and licensing requirements. Requires a school corporation to differentiate the amount of salary increases or increments for teachers who possess a required literacy endorsement. Removes a requirement that a discussion regarding teacher supplemental payment be held. Requires the state board to establish and require literacy endorsements for certain individuals first licensed after June 30, 2025. Provides that, not later than July 1, 2024, the state board shall adopt rules to establish early childhood content area licenses and required endorsements. Requires the department to publish an advisory list of science of reading curricula on the department's website. Provides that the state board and the department: (1) shall implement academic standards for reading that are aligned with the science of reading and developmentally appropriate based on student need; and (2) may not implement an academic standard for reading based on the three-cueing model.
Provides that a school, an employee or staff member of a school, or a third party vendor used by a school to provide instruction may not provide any instruction to a student in prekindergarten through grade 3 on human sexuality. Provides that a school employee or a school staff member is not prohibited from responding to a question from a student regarding certain topics. Requires a school to notify in writing at least one parent of a student, if the student is an unemancipated minor, of a request made by the student to change the student's name or pronoun, title, or word to identify the student.
