Requires the department of child services (department) to establish before October 1, 2021, policies and procedures to allow for child and family services to be provided remotely. Specifies factors that a child and family services provider and the department may consider in making a determination as to whether remote provision of services is appropriate for a child. Provides that a child and family services provider's first meeting with a family, or with a child who lives with the child's family, must be conducted in person unless a declared health emergency makes an in person meeting unsafe. Provides that after a child and family services provider's first meeting with a family or with a child who lives with the child's family, or for purposes of providing services to a child who does not live with the child's family, the provider has the discretion to provide services to the family or child remotely for up to 14 days after the initial request for consultation if providing services remotely is in the best interest of the child and family, unless: (1) a decision is reached on the use of remote services at a child and family team meeting less than 14 days after the request for consultation; or (2) the department communicates to the provider a preliminary determination as to the role of remote services pending the child and family team meeting.
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Allows a person admitted as a patient to a hospital or ambulatory outpatient surgical center (facility) to receive visitation by specified individuals during a declared emergency or public health emergency. Requires visitors to comply with applicable disease control or prevention guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when visiting a patient. Requires a facility to permit the visitation of a person admitted as a patient in a facility during specified compassionate care scenarios. Allows a facility to limit visitation in certain instances. Provides certain civil immunity for a facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols. Requires health facilities and residential care facilities (health facilities) to allow visitation of a resident in a compassionate care situation. Requires the state department of health to adopt standards and guidelines concerning the essential family caregiver program during a declared emergency or public health emergency and requires facilities to participate in the program. Allows for the designation of an essential family caregiver for a resident of a health facility and allows for visitation during restricted visitation at the health facility. Specifies requirements for an individual to be designated as an essential family caregiver and allows for the reconsideration and reporting of a denial of a request for designation. Allows the state department of health to adopt certain rules concerning the program. Provides certain civil immunity for a health facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the health facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols.
Provides that the secretary of state (secretary) may remove a name or assumed name from its entity filing records if a name or assumed name falsely indicates or implies that the domestic filing entity or the foreign filing entity is, or is connected with, a government agency of this state, another state, or the United States. Expands what qualifies as an emergency as it relates to shareholder meetings. Sets forth the actions a corporation may take to address an emergency, including postponing a meeting or conducting a meeting by means of remote communication. Provides that a nonprofit corporation may hold meetings by means of remote communication, if provided for in the nonprofit corporation's bylaws. Allows a public corporation governed by IC 23-1 to elect not to have a staggered board system if the board of directors adopts a bylaw expressly electing not to. Provides that trademark filings shall be submitted electronically to the secretary.
Establishes the Indiana broadband connectivity program (program) for the purpose of expanding availability of broadband Internet connectivity throughout Indiana. Provides that as part of the program, the office must establish a public broadband portal through which an individual may report that minimum broadband Internet (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 25 megabits per second downstream and at least three megabits per second upstream) is unavailable at the individual's residential or business address. Provides that a broadband Internet provider may: (1) register with the program; (2) receive, at least every three months, listings of addresses submitted to the office as addresses at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable; (3) report to the office any listed address at which the provider's minimum broadband Internet service is already available; and (4) bid for an award of a grant for purposes of extending connectivity to broadband Internet service (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 50 megabits per second downstream and at least five megabits per second upstream) to an address at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable. Provides that in evaluating any bids received under the program, the office shall select the provider whose bid presents the lowest cost to the state. Provides that a grant awarded to a provider under the program may not exceed the following: (1) A per-line extension amount that exceeds $25,000, regardless of the number of addresses served by the line extension. (2) A per-passing amount that exceeds the state's cost per passing for all rural broadband grants awarded from the fund as of the last day of the immediately preceding state fiscal year. Requires the office to provide to the general assembly an annual report containing specified data regarding the program. Provides that the office may maintain a geographic information system (GIS) or similar data base that contains spatial data regarding the availability of broadband Internet service in Indiana. Provides that the office may evaluate the broadband Internet coverage map created by the Federal Communications Commission under the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (FCC map) and: (1) if the office finds that the FCC map: (A) provides address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provides a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; use the FCC map to update the office's broadband Internet coverage map; or (2) if the office finds that the FCC map does not: (A) provide address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provide a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; report that finding to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications during the 2022 legislative interim.
Revises the definition of "practitioner" in the laws concerning good faith estimates of costs for health care services. Postpones, from July 1, 2021, to January 1, 2022, the effective date of the requirement that a practitioner provide a good faith estimate of the amount the practitioner intends to charge for a health care service. Requires that the communication by a provider facility and a practitioner to a patient about the patient's right to request a good faith estimate be conspicuous and be provided by at least three of eight specified potential means. Provides that the written notice that a practitioner provides to an individual about a scheduled or ordered nonemergency health care service must state that a good faith estimate of cost need not be provided if the service is scheduled to be performed within five business days of the date of the patient's request. Provides that certain written statements must be in "conspicuous" type instead of in type at least as large as 14 point type. Requires a practitioner or facility to provide a written explanation if the charge for a health care service exceeds the practitioner's or facility's good faith estimate by the greater of: (1) $100; or (2) 5%. Revises the content of the written statement that an out of network practitioner providing health care services at an in network facility must give to a covered individual in order to be reimbursed more for the health care services than allowed according to the rate established by the covered individual's network plan. Provides that a practitioner can comply with the requirement to provide a good faith estimate of the amount that the practitioner intends to charge a covered individual by complying with the requirements of the new federal No Surprises Act (Act). Provides that a health carrier may satisfy certain requirements concerning good faith estimates by complying with the Act.
Establishes the behavior analyst committee (committee) with oversight by the medical licensing board of Indiana (board). Requires the committee to recommend proposed rules to the board concerning the practice of behavior analysis and continuing education requirements for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts. Requires the board to establish fees upon consideration of recommendations from the committee. Provides for the licensing of behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts. Requires a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst to comply with a professional code published by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. Makes it a Class A misdemeanor for an unlicensed individual to profess to be a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst, but provides that certain types of individuals may use applied behavior analysis techniques without being licensed.
Provides that an underground storage tank may not be installed for the purpose of storing regulated substances unless the underground storage tank system meets the requirements of 40 CFR 280.32. Establishes new maximum vapor pressure limits for gasoline and for gasohol (a blend of gasoline and ethanol). Provides that a fuel dispenser from which a retail customer dispenses gasohol containing more than 10% and not more than 15% ethanol must display the statement "Attention: E15. Check owner's manual for compatibility and warranty requirements." or a similar statement approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Requires that this statement be displayed on a fuel dispenser next to the fuel grade selection button, as a part of or in addition to the label about the use of ethanol in certain vehicles and certain engines that is required under current federal regulations. Makes the failure of an owner or operator of a fuel dispenser to comply with the gasohol dispenser statement requirement a Class A infraction.
Adds a superior court in Hamilton County. Provides that the first judge of Hamilton superior court No. 7 shall: (1) be elected at the November 2022 general election; (2) take office January 1, 2023; and (3) serve a term of six years. Allows the judges of the Decatur circuit and superior courts to jointly appoint a magistrate to serve the Decatur County courts. Allows the judges of the Huntington circuit and superior courts to jointly appoint a magistrate to serve the Huntington County courts. Allows the judge of the Lake superior court division No. 4 to appoint a magistrate to serve the Lake superior court division No. 4. Allows the Marion County superior courts to appoint 27 full-time magistrates after December 31, 2021, not more than 14 of whom may be from the same political party. Removes the sixth circuit court in Delaware County. Provides a full-time magistrate for Hancock County.
Requires that the priority ranking system used by the Indiana finance authority in making loans or other financial assistance from: (1) the drinking water revolving loan fund; or (2) the wastewater revolving loan fund; must prioritize loans securing longer term benefits over shorter term projects, all other factors being equal. Provides that not later than 60 days after the effective date of a change in the applicable federal or state income tax rate as a result of new legislation, a water or wastewater utility shall petition the utility regulatory commission (IURC) for a water or wastewater utility surcharge that adjusts the water or wastewater utility's rates and charges to provide recovery for the change in the federal or state income tax rate. Provides that a water or wastewater utility that serves fewer than 8,000 customers may, but is not required to, file a petition for such a surcharge. Provides that a surcharge shall be calculated to reflect the difference between: (1) the amount of federal or state income taxes that each existing rate or charge of the water or wastewater utility was designed to recover based on the income tax rate in effect at the time the rate or charge was approved; and (2) the amount of federal or state income taxes that would have been embedded in the given rate or charge had the new tax rate been in effect at the time of approval. Provides that a surcharge shall not include normalization of a water or wastewater utility's accumulated deferred income taxes. Provides that the IURC shall approve a proposed surcharge if the IURC finds that: (1) the surcharge has been calculated correctly; and (2) the water or wastewater utility's proposal is just and reasonable. Provides that an approved surcharge shall operate on a prospective basis. Amends the applicability language of the statute governing the transfer, acquisition, and improvement of utilities by municipalities to specify that the statute applies to a municipally owned electric, water, wastewater, or combined water and wastewater utility.
Requires the Indiana Public Employers' Plan, Inc. (IPEP), which was established as a domestic nonprofit corporation, to apply for a certificate of authority to transact business as a domestic tax exempt reciprocal insurance company. Provides that, when IPEP receives the certificate of authority and begins to transact business as a domestic tax exempt reciprocal insurance company, all powers, duties, agreements, and liabilities that IPEP had as a domestic nonprofit corporation are transferred to the domestic tax exempt reciprocal insurance company as the successor entity. Repeals and strikes provisions under which mutual insurance associations and reciprocal associations formed and operating for the writing of worker's compensation insurance are exempt from certain laws.