Rep. Steve Bartels

Provides that a student meets the residency requirements for enrollment at a public school if a parent of the student: (1) is transferred to or is pending transfer to a military installation within Indiana while on active duty pursuant to an official military order; and (2) submits to the public school certain information, including official documentation, as determined by the state board of education, regarding the transfer or pending transfer. Provides that the student is considered to have legal settlement in the attendance area of the school corporation in which the parent: (1) has submitted the required application and documentation; and (2) intends to reside. Requires a parent who is transferred to or is pending transfer to a military installation within Indiana to provide proof of residence to the public school not later than 10 instructional days after the arrival date provided on the required documentation. Provides that if the parent of the student fails to provide the proof of residence, the public school may exclude the student from attendance pending an expulsion proceeding. Makes the following changes to provisions concerning resident tuition rate eligibility for active duty armed forces personnel and dependents of active duty armed forces personnel: (1) Defines "dependent". (2) Amends the definition of "qualified course". (3) Provides that spouses of active duty armed forces personnel are eligible for the resident tuition rate. (4) Provides that spouses and dependents of active duty armed forces personnel are eligible, from the date that the state educational institution accepts the spouse or dependent for enrollment, for the resident tuition rate if the spouse or dependent enrolls in the state educational institution within a certain amount of time. (5) Provides that a dependent or spouse of a person who serves on active duty in the armed forces is eligible for the resident tuition rate for the duration of the spouse's or dependent's continuous enrollment at a state educational institution regardless of whether the person serving on active duty continues, after the spouse or dependent is accepted for enrollment in the state educational institution, to satisfy certain resident rate tuition eligibility criteria.

Renames the offense of "interfering with law enforcement" to "interfering with public safety", and provides that a person who enters a marked off area after having been denied entry by an emergency medical services provider commits interfering with public safety. (Under current law, the offense is only committed if the person is denied entry by a law enforcement officer.)

Removes the requirement that a school corporation's annual performance evaluation plan must be based, in part, on objective measures of student achievement. Authorizes the state board of education to adopt emergency rules. Makes conforming amendments. Makes technical corrections.

Provides that a political subdivision served by a volunteer fire department may make contributions to the public employees' defined contribution plan for the members of the volunteer fire department in an amount determined by the governing body of the political subdivision. Provides that a unit's obligation to provide insurance coverage for a volunteer firefighter or member of an emergency medical services personnel supersedes the obligation of another medical insurance carrier. Increases the maximum age for police officers to begin membership in the 1977 police officers' and firefighters' pension and disability fund from 35 to 39 years of age.

Provides that if a public safety officer enters a deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for the public safety officer's respective pension plan and the public safety officer dies before the public safety officer's DROP exit date, the benefit options for the public safety officer's survivors are made similar, as applicable, to the DROP disability benefit options in: (1) the DROP applicable to the state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; and (2) the DROP applicable to the 1925 police pension fund, the 1937 firefighters' pension fund, the 1953 police pension fund (Indianapolis), and the 1977 police officers' and firefighters' pension and disability fund.

Requires the board of firefighting personnel standards and education to establish best practices to improve safety and health outcomes for firefighters. Establishes the best practices fund for the purpose of providing matching grants to political subdivisions and volunteer fire departments to purchase equipment and other gear to implement best practices. Provides that the worker's compensation rating bureau of Indiana may recommend a premium or rate discount toward worker's compensation insurance to political subdivisions and volunteer fire departments that implement best practices.

Changes the rural telephone cooperative act to the rural communications cooperative act, allowing the formation of nonprofit cooperative corporations for the purposes of providing telecommunications service and information service, including video service, broadband service, and VOIP service. Makes conforming amendments.

Extends eligibility for National Guard license plates to former members of the National Guard.

Allows a person who: (1) is the spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces assigned to Indiana; (2) affirms certain information concerning the person's licensure in the other state; (3) submits verification that the person is licensed in a regulated occupation in at least one other state; (4) has passed a national criminal background check; and (5) submits an application and pays any application fee; to be issued a provisional license for the regulated occupation at the same practice level allowed by the license held by the person in the other state. Provides that provisional licensing does not apply to a license that is established or recognized through an interstate compact, a reciprocity agreement, or a comity agreement that is established by a board or by law. Establishes penalties for submission of false information for purposes of obtaining a provisional license.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION honoring the 250th anniversary of William Clark's birth.