Sen. Liz Brown

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.

Defines "core public health services" for purposes of public health laws. Adds members to the executive board of the Indiana department of health (state department). Removes a provision allowing the state department to establish branch offices. Provides that the state department may provide services to local health departments. Requires each local board of health to establish a local public health services fund to receive state funding. Provides a method of allocation of state funding to local boards of health, subject to state appropriations. Specifies the percentage of how additional funding may be expended on core public health services. Allows the local health department to enter into contracts or approve grants for core public health services. Allows the state department to issue guidance to local health departments. Requires the state department to make annual local health department reports available to the public. Changes the qualification requirements for a local health officer and requires certain training. Requires the state department to identify state level metrics and county level metrics and requires certain local health departments to report to the state department activities and metrics on the delivery of core public health services. Requires the state department to annually report on the metrics to the budget committee and publish information concerning the metrics on the Internet. Requires that a local health department post a position or contract for the provision or administration of core public health services for at least 30 days. Requires a local health department to provide certain education before administering a vaccine. Requires a multiple county health department to maintain at least one physical office in each represented county. Provides that a new city health department cannot be created after December 31, 2022, but allows current city health departments to continue to operate. Creates the Indiana trauma care commission. Allows a school corporation that cannot obtain an ophthalmologist or optometrist to perform the modified clinical technique vision test to conduct certain specified vision screenings. Requires the school to send to the parent of a student any recommendation for further testing by the vision screener. Allows for standing orders to be used for emergency stock medication in schools. Allows the state health commissioner or designee to issue a statewide standing order, prescription, or protocol for emergency stock medication for schools. Removes the distance requirement for an access practice dentist to provide communication with a dental hygienist. Repeals provisions concerning the Indiana local health department trust account.

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.

Defines "personal information" as data that directly or indirectly identifies a "person" (including an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a government entity, a partnership, a trust, an estate, or other entity) as a: (1) member or supporter of; (2) volunteer for; or (3) donor to; a nonprofit organization. With certain exceptions, prohibits a state agency (including an executive, judicial, or legislative branch agency, state educational institution, or body corporate and politic) or political subdivision from doing the following: (1) Requiring a person or nonprofit organization to provide personal information to the state agency or political subdivision. (2) Releasing, publicizing, or publicly disclosing personal information in the state agency or political subdivision's possession. (3) Requesting or requiring a current or prospective contractor or grantee to provide a list of nonprofit organizations to which the current or prospective contractor or grantee has provided financial or nonfinancial support. Provides that personal information is considered confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Indiana's access to public records act (APRA). Provides that a person alleging a violation of the bill's provisions may bring a civil action for injunctive relief, specified damages, or both. Provides that: (1) a public employee; (2) a public official; or (3) an employee or officer of a contractor or subcontractor for a public agency; who violates the bill's provisions is subject to the penalties and discipline that apply with respect to violations of APRA.

Provides that an individual enrolled in a transition to teaching program may apply for a one time scholarship under the next generation Hoosier educators scholarship program. Establishes requirements to qualify for the one time scholarship. Provides that the maximum amount of a scholarship is $10,000. Provides that the total annual amount of scholarships awarded from the next generation Hoosier educators scholarship fund to individuals enrolled in a transition to teaching program may not exceed $1,000,000. Requires that an awarded scholarship must be repaid under certain conditions.

Establishes the health care cost oversight task force and sets forth duties of the task force. Provides a credit against state tax liability to certain physicians who have an ownership interest in a physician practice and meet other eligibility criteria. Allows a credit against the state tax liability of an employer with fewer than 50 employees if the employer has adopted a health reimbursement arrangement in lieu of a traditional employer provided health insurance plan and if the employer's contribution toward the health reimbursement arrangement meets a certain standard. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to research and compile data concerning Medicaid reimbursement rates for Indiana and all other states and the national reimbursement rate average. Requires the submission of a report to the health care cost oversight task force and the general assembly. Establishes the payer affordability penalty fund. Specifies additional information that a hospital must report to the Indiana department of health in the hospital's annual report and establishes a fine for a hospital that fails to timely file the report. Provides that a bill for health care services provided by certain qualified providers in an office setting must be submitted on an individual provider form. Prohibits an insurer, health maintenance organization, employer, or other person responsible for the payment of the cost of health care services from accepting a bill that is submitted on an institutional provider form. Repeals language requiring a hospital to hold a public forum. Requires the department of insurance to contract with a third party to calculate an Indiana nonprofit hospital system's prices from certain health plans for specified calendar years. Before November 1, 2024, and before November 1 each subsequent year, requires the department's third party contractor to compare certain Indiana nonprofit hospital system facility pricing information with 285% of Medicare. Requires the calculations to be submitted as a report for review. Provides that a health care provider that enters into: (1) a value-based health care reimbursement agreement; and (2) an electronic medical records access agreement; with a health plan may qualify to participate in the health plan's program to reduce or eliminate prior authorization requirements. Requires a health plan that establishes a program to reduce or eliminate prior authorization requirements to provide certain information to health care providers concerning the program. Requires a third party administrator, insurer, or health maintenance organization that has contracted with a person to administer a self-funded insurance plan or a fully insured group plan to provide claims data to the person not later than 15 days from a request for the data. Specifies certain claims data to be provided and establishes a fine for a failure to timely provide the claims data. Requires the all payer claims data base advisory board to discuss specified issues concerning reimbursement rates. Allows for the provisional credentialing of physicians who establish or join an independent primary care practice.

Incorporates into Indiana's Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) the Amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code (2022) approved and recommended for enactment in all states by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) to address emerging technologies. Makes conforming amendments to general provisions and definitions that apply throughout the UCC. Makes conforming amendments to chapters of the UCC governing the following: (1) Sales. (2) Leases. (3) Negotiable instruments. (4) Fund transfers. (5) Letters of credit. (6) Documents of title. (7) Investment securities. (8) Secured transactions. Repeals the chapter in the UCC governing controllable electronic records. Amends the definition of "money" for purposes of Indiana's Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) to specify that money: (1) is a medium of exchange that is not in an electronic form; and (2) does not include a central bank digital currency that is currently adopted, or that may be adopted, by the United States government, a foreign government, a foreign reserve, or a foreign sanctioned central bank. Establishes a new chapter in the UCC that: (1) governs controllable electronic records; and (2) incorporates the provisions of the ULC's amendments governing controllable electronic records. Provides that a "controllable electronic record" does not include an electronic record that is currently authorized or adopted by a domestic or foreign government and is not a medium of exchange that was recorded and transferable in a system that existed and operated for the medium of exchange before the medium of exchange was authorized or adopted by a government. Establishes a new chapter in the UCC that: (1) addresses the validity, enforceability, and perfection of certain commercial transactions, including secured transactions, entered into before the effective date of the amendments on July 1, 2023; and (2) establishes July 1, 2025, as an "adjustment date" on or after which certain transactions must conform to the requirements of the amendments to remain valid, enforceable, or perfected. Adds language to incorporate into Indiana's UCC the Amendments to Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 (2018), as approved by the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws. Provides, through the incorporation of these amendments, that the provisions in the UCC providing that restrictions on the transfer of property pledged as collateral are ineffective do not apply in the case of a security interest in an ownership interest in a general partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability company.

Provides, for purposes of the law prohibiting the unlawful practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine, that "the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine" includes attaching to an individual's name the words "allergist", "electrophysiologist", "geriatrician", "immunologist", "medical geneticist", "neonatologist", or "pulmonologist".

Allows a city or town to designate an outdoor location as a refreshment area with the approval of the alcohol and tobacco commission (commission). Provides that if a refreshment area is approved, the commission designates retailer permittees that may sell alcoholic beverages for consumption within the refreshment area. Prohibits a refreshment area from being located near a school or church unless the school or church does not object. Allows a minor to be within the refreshment area. Adds language providing that a person entering a licensed premises within a refreshment area with an alcoholic beverage is not subject to criminal penalties. Makes it a Class C infraction for a participating retailer permittee or vendor to sell a person more than two alcoholic beverages at a time or an open container of an alcoholic beverage that exceeds the volume limitations. Allows a restaurant to sell or dispense alcoholic beverages from a bar located on the licensed premises that opens to an outside patio or terrace that is contiguous to the main building.

Changes the requirements for submitting eligibility information for an individual who is: (1) less than 19 years of age; and (2) a recipient of either the Medicaid program or the children's health insurance program (CHIP) (programs). (Current law concerning the submission of eligibility information in the programs applies to individuals less than three years of age.) Provides Medicaid eligibility for certain individuals who have immigrated and are lawfully residing in the United States and meet other Medicaid eligibility requirements. Specifies eligibility for the children's health insurance program (CHIP) for lawfully residing individuals who are less than 19 years of age. Provides that an agency or political subdivision is not required to verify citizenship or immigration status of an individual for purposes of the individual's eligibility for benefits under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, including the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children.