Provides that electricity generated by a plug-in home solar unit is exempt from Indiana law regarding distributed generation. Prohibits an electricity supplier from requiring a customer to: (1) obtain the electricity supplier's approval before installing or using; (2) pay any fee or charge related to the customer's use of; (3) make modifications to; or (4) install additional equipment as a result of the customer's installation or use of; a plug-in home solar unit that meets specified requirements. Requires a plug-in home solar unit to incorporate functionality that, in the event of a power outage, disconnects the plug-in home solar unit from the electrical system of the building to which the plug-in home solar unit is connected. Provides that an electricity supplier is not liable for any injury or damages caused to a customer by a plug-in home solar unit.
Sponsored bills
Requires a group health insurance program for firefighters to provide coverage for the screening of certain forms of cancer. Requires a local unit public employer to provide cancer insurance for active firefighters, retired firefighters, and firefighters who are receiving disability benefits. Allows the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system to enter into agreements with one or more insurance companies to provide group cancer insurance for active firefighters, retired firefighters, and firefighters who are receiving disability benefits. Requires the department of homeland security to develop a firefighter cancer awareness and prevention program to provide relevant information to fire department personnel and volunteers concerning best practices for reducing the risk of cancer.
Amends provisions added in SEA 1 in the 2025 session that require the department of local government finance to neutralize the effect of certain property tax provisions enacted in that bill. Amends the threshold for the business personal property tax exemption enacted in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Reinstates excess tax levy appeal provisions that were repealed in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Amends the various local income tax (LIT) rates that may be adopted under provisions added in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Amends the population thresholds used to determine if a city or town is eligible to adopt a municipal LIT. Repeals provisions that require counties and municipalities to readopt their LIT rate each year. Moves the effective date for the local income tax changes enacted in SEA 1 in the 2025 session from 2028 to 2029. Makes corresponding changes to move the expiration date regarding a county with a single voting bloc enacted in HEA 1142 in the 2025 session.
Maddy summarySB 21 designates the breaded tenderloin sandwich as Indiana's official state sandwich. This ceremonial bill has no practical policy impact and does not affect residents or change laws, instead serving as a symbolic recognition of a local food item. It passed the Indiana Senate with 37-11 support and is now under review in the House.
Provides that beginning July 1, 2027, an eligible customer of an incumbent electricity supplier may elect to receive: (1) electric supply service directly from a competitive electricity supplier; and (2) transmission and distribution service from the incumbent electricity supplier. Defines for these purposes an "eligible customer" as a new or existing nonresidential customer of the incumbent electricity supplier, or an aggregation of two or more such customers, whose aggregate electricity demand during the most recently concluded calendar year exceeded one megawatt. Defines for these purposes an "incumbent electricity supplier", with respect to an eligible customer, as an investor owned utility that is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) and whose assigned service area includes the eligible customer. Requires the IURC to establish by rule the following: (1) A system for establishing and periodically adjusting a cap on an incumbent electricity supplier's eligible customers receiving electric supply service from a competitive electricity supplier. (2) A queue process by which eligible customers of an incumbent electricity supplier that elect to receive electric supply service from a competitive electricity supplier are authorized to begin receiving that service as the incumbent electricity supplier's cap allows. Specifies the methods by which the IURC must establish and adjust an incumbent electricity supplier's cap. Sets forth requirements for advance notice that an eligible customer must provide to an incumbent electricity supplier before: (1) receiving electric supply service from a competitive electricity supplier; or (2) resuming electric supply service under the incumbent electricity supplier's applicable tariff upon discontinuing electric supply service from a competitive electricity supplier. Provides that on any customer bill issued by an incumbent electricity supplier after June 30, 2027, the incumbent electricity supplier must include a breakdown of the charges and fees that make up the total amount owed, including a description of the service or cost associated with each charge or fee. Sets forth certain charges and fees that must be delineated as specific line items on each customer bill. Requires the IURC to establish by rule requirements for an incumbent electricity supplier to provide to a competitive electricity supplier historical usage data for an eligible customer that seeks to receive electric supply service from the competitive electricity supplier. Sets forth certain metrics that the customer usage data must include. Requires the IURC to establish by rule a licensing process for competitive electricity suppliers that seek to provide electric supply service to eligible customers of incumbent electricity suppliers in Indiana. Sets forth certain requirements that a competitive electricity supplier must meet as a condition of receiving and maintaining a license. Provides that an incumbent electricity supplier that seeks to provide electric supply service outside its assigned service area must do so through a functionally separate, nonutility affiliate that is subject to the bill's licensing requirements. Requires the IURC to establish by rule a procedure by which a: (1) municipally owned utility; or (2) rural electric corporation; may elect to become subject to the bill's provisions so as to enable its eligible customers to receive electric supply service from a competitive electricity supplier. Provides that in any base rate case for an incumbent electricity supplier, the IURC shall: (1) ensure that electric supply service received by eligible customers from a competitive electricity supplier will not result in unreasonable cost shifting to other nonparticipating eligible customers or to other customer classes; and (2) consider the avoided generation and purchased power costs inuring to the benefit of the incumbent electricity supplier's ratepayers as a result of eligible customers receiving electric supply service from competitive electricity suppliers. Beginning in 2028, requires the IURC to include each year in its annual report specified information concerning the provision of electric supply service by competitive electricity suppliers to eligible customers of incumbent electricity suppliers. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement the bill's provisions.
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 the division of historic sites (division) in the department of natural resources. Transfers management of historic sites from the Indiana state museum and historic sites corporation to the division. Makes conforming changes. Makes an appropriation.
Prescribes additional information that an electricity supplier must include in the electricity supplier's annual accounting filing with the Indiana utility regulatory commission.
Requires a petition of nomination for a school board office to state one of the following: (1) The candidate's political party affiliation. (2) That the candidate is an independent candidate. (3) That the candidate elects not to disclose any affiliation with a political party or that the candidate is not affiliated with a political party and does not identify as an independent candidate. Specifies that unless a candidate who states a political party affiliation is challenged, the candidate's statement must be indicated on the ballot. Provides that the name of a candidate for school board office who does not run in affiliation with a political party or as an independent candidate must be printed with a blank space after the candidate's name signifying that the candidate elects not to disclose any affiliation with a political party or that the candidate is not affiliated with a political party and does not identify as an independent candidate. Specifies that a straight party vote does not count for any candidate for a school board office. Requires a school board vacancy to be filled by: (1) a caucus if the vacating member stated an affiliation with a major political party; and (2) the remaining members of the governing body if the vacating member did not state an affiliation with a major political party. Modifies the annual amount that the governing body of a school corporation may pay a member of the governing body from $2,000 (under current law) to an amount not to exceed 10% of the lowest starting salary of a teacher employed by the school corporation.
Provides that a signal jammer may be seized. Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally manufactures, offers for sale, imports, markets, sells, possesses, uses, or operates a signal jammer commits unlawful use of a signal jammer, a Level 6 felony. Provides that the offense is a Level 5 felony if a signal jammer is used to disrupt a component of a critical infrastructure facility or the communications of a public safety agency. Provides, for purposes of criminal statutes regarding offenses involving critical infrastructure, that a communications services facility includes wires and equipment used to provide communications service to a customer.