Rep. Gregory Porter

Provides that art therapy services provided by a licensed art therapist to an individual who receives mental health services or to an individual who receives services from a community mental health center are reimbursable under Medicaid. Provides for the licensure of music therapists, art therapists, and art therapist associates. Adds music therapists and art therapists to the behavioral health and human services licensing board (board). Creates the music therapist and art therapist sections of the board. Requires music therapists to be licensed. Establishes requirements and procedures for an individual to be licensed as a music therapist, art therapist, and art therapist associate. Prohibits a person who is not licensed as a music therapist, an art therapist, or an art therapist associate from using certain titles or certain words in a title. Makes technical and conforming changes.

Requires the Indiana department of health (department) to establish and administer a medical school loan forgiveness pilot program (program) for the purpose of attracting physicians to practice medicine in Indiana. Establishes the medical school loan forgiveness fund (fund). Sets forth criteria for the program. Requires the department to, not later than November 1, 2024, and each November 1 thereafter, prepare and submit a report to the general assembly regarding the program. Makes an appropriation to the fund.

Provides that a special law enforcement officer employed by the city of Indianapolis full time after June 30, 2023, to perform park ranger duties (park ranger) is subject to the same training requirements as regular law enforcement officers. Provides that the facilities of the Indiana law enforcement academy must be used to provide a park ranger with the required basic training. Provides that a park ranger is eligible for a line of duty death benefit from the state special death benefit fund.

Establishes a teacher recruitment and retention fund, administered by the department of education, to: (1) attract qualified teachers to geographic areas of Indiana where a critical shortage of teachers exists; and (2) retain qualified teachers in teacher shortage areas; by providing student loan repayment assistance. Provides that as a condition of participating in the program and receiving student loan repayments, a teacher must agree to employment as a licensed teacher in a school district located in a teacher shortage area for at least five years. Establishes the goal that by 2032 there will be at least one teacher who is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (national board) in every public school. Establishes the teachers' national board certification incentive fund for purposes of: (1) funding stipends of $200 per day for two days for teachers preparing for national board certification; (2) reimbursing 75% of the national board certification fee; (3) funding stipends for national board certified teachers who serve as mentors to other teachers; (4) reimbursing school corporations for the cost of paying teachers who have attained national board certification as of July 1, 2023, or thereafter an annual salary supplement of $2,000 for the life of the certificate; and (5) reimbursing school corporations for the cost of persons who serve as substitute teachers for national board certification candidates. Requires a school corporation to allow a teacher pursuing national board certification at least five days of paid release time during the school year.

Requires a tenant to inform the landlord if the tenant reasonably suspects the presence of bed bugs. Requires the landlord to have the dwelling unit inspected by a qualified inspector. Requires the landlord, after receipt of the inspection report, to inform the tenant whether the dwelling unit contains bed bugs. Requires the landlord to begin reasonable measures to treat the bed bug presence if an inspection indicates the presence of bed bugs. Establishes responsibilities for the tenant and landlord concerning notice, access, and costs. Allows the state chemist to adopt rules concerning certain matters. Requires the state chemist to establish requirements for the certification of a bed bug inspector. Defines certain terms.

Establishes a tax credit for an eligible taxpayer that employs certain individuals with a disability. Provides for calculation of the amount of the tax credit. Requires the taxpayer to submit information to the department of state revenue to claim the credit.

Provides that a registration or certificate of a birth or stillbirth is open to public inspection and copying upon the request of any person that occurs 99 years (instead of 75 years) after the record is created.

Establishes the rare disease advisory committee.

Makes an appropriation from the state general fund to the University of Southern Indiana for use in its bridge program.

Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.