Sen. David Niezgodski

Provides for a thirteenth check for certain members, participants, or beneficiaries of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) Indiana public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system. Provides for a $50 payment to members of the Indiana state teachers' retirement fund and Indiana public employees' retirement fund, and to participants of the state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan.

Provides for the licensure of naturopathic physicians. Specifies certain individuals who are not required to be licensed. Establishes the board of naturopathic medicine (board). Establishes license requirements. Requires licensed naturopathic physicians to obtain continuing education for license renewal. Establishes the naturopathic formulary council to establish a formulary for naturopathic physicians. Establishes the childbirth attendance advisory commission to provide recommendations concerning the practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance. Provides that an individual who is not licensed may not use certain descriptions, titles, or initials to indicate or imply that the individual is a licensed naturopathic physician. Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations.

Requires the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) to compile a list of all employers that relocate a call center to a foreign country and to disqualify employers on that list from state grants, loans, and tax credits. Requires an employer receiving a state grant, loan, or tax credit to notify the IEDC if the employer intends to relocate a call center. Requires, for all contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2024, that all call center or customer service work for the state be performed entirely within Indiana.

Provides that school corporations and charter schools shall require all applicants for employment and school employees who will have direct, ongoing contact with children within the scope of the applicant's or school employee's employment to attend training concerning recognition of the signs and symptoms of seizures and the appropriate steps to be taken to respond to these symptoms.

Establishes a procedure for the lawful production and sale of cannabis in Indiana. Makes conforming amendments.

Provides that an automated commercial motor vehicle may not be operated on a highway to transport passengers or goods unless a human operator who meets all state and federal qualifications to operate a commercial motor vehicle is physically present in the automated commercial motor vehicle to monitor the performance of the automated commercial motor vehicle and to take control of all or part of the automated commercial motor vehicle's operation, if necessary. Provides that a registered automated commercial motor vehicle must meet federal commercial motor vehicle standards and regulations.

Provides that catastrophically disabled veterans may hunt on the same free hunting days as those designated for youth hunters by the director of the department of natural resources. Defines "catastrophically disabled veteran".

Provides that an individual who meets certain conditions is eligible for the resident tuition rate as determined by the state educational institution. Requires such an individual to verify that the individual meets the criteria to receive the resident tuition rate.

Provides that, subject to certain procedures and requirements, the office of the secretary of family and social services may apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services: (1) for a Medicaid state plan amendment, a waiver, or an amendment to an existing waiver to require reimbursement for eligible certified community behavioral health clinic services; or (2) to participate in the expansion of a community mental health services demonstration program. Requires the division of mental health and addiction to establish and maintain a help line: (1) to provide confidential emotional support and referrals to certain resources to individuals who call the help line; and (2) that is accessible by calling a toll free telephone number. Establishes the Indiana behavioral health commission (commission) and sets forth the commission's membership. Changes the name of the "9-8-8 crisis hotline center" to "9-8-8 crisis response center". Makes conforming changes.

Requires the division of disability and rehabilitative services (division) to establish and maintain a direct support professional registry and to make the registry available to authorized division personnel and authorized service providers. Requires a direct support professional to register with the division in order to provide direct support services. Requires the division to adopt rules to implement the registry, including establishing definitions and levels for substantiated abuse, neglect, and exploitation, the highest of which is the minimum the division must report to the registry. Requires the division to consult with stakeholders and establish a tiered training certification program for direct support professionals. Requires the division to issue a request for proposals before January 1, 2024, to operate the training program. Requires the division to make every effort to contract with a vendor for the training program not later than January 1, 2025. Requires a selected vendor to begin operating the training program before July 1, 2025. Requires the division to first use any funds available from the federal American Rescue Plan Act in developing the registry before using other available funds. Allows the division to use any federal dollars available for the registry and training. Requires the division to apply to the federal government for approval of Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by a direct support professional.