Requires the office of community and rural affairs (office) to establish a process to be used before each formal submission of applications for grants from the rural broadband fund (fund) in which the office will: (1) invite any prospective grant applicant to submit a letter of intent identifying all addresses and census blocks that the applicant intends to include in a grant application; and (2) make all addresses and census blocks submitted in letters of intent publicly available for a period of time, during which eligible broadband service providers will have the opportunity to challenge a listed address or census block. Provides that challenges under the new process are to be based on the asserted deployment of "minimum broadband Internet" (defined as a terrestrial connection to the Internet that provides an actual speed of at least 25 megabits per second downstream and at least three megabits per second upstream) at a specific address. Specifies that the process established is to precede and remain distinct from the statutory procedures for actual grant applications. Provides that the department of transportation (INDOT) may require a private entity to agree, as a condition of INDOT leasing a right-of-way to the private entity, that facilities constructed or installed by the private entity in or under the right-of-way, which if removed would: (1) cause irreparable soil disturbance; or (2) have a detrimental effect on INDOT's facilities or on the facilities of other utilities; will be considered abandoned without additional consideration, upon the private entity's written notice to INDOT. Provides that upon being abandoned, a facility may no longer be used for any purpose by any public or private entity.
Sponsored bills
Amends the open door law to allow members of a conservancy district board of directors to attend meetings electronically.
Requires the Indiana management performance hub to: (1) use its data resources and technology to cross-reference with data bases of certain state agencies to identify certain former students with disabilities (eligible individuals); (2) coordinate with the state department of health to determine whether identified eligible individuals are deceased; and (3) provide the information concerning eligible individuals to the department of workforce development (DWD). Requires the state department of health to, not later than November 1, 2021, coordinate with the Indiana management performance hub. Requires the DWD to: (1) communicate with identified eligible individuals; and (2) provide to the eligible individuals a copy of a resource list concerning training and education opportunities and employment services resources. Requires the state advisory council on the education of children with disabilities (council) to annually update and submit the resource list to the department of education and the DWD. Requires the department of education and DWD to post a copy of the most recently updated resource list on the department's and DWD's Internet web sites. Requires the DWD, in consultation with the department of education, to prepare and submit an annual report to the general assembly and the council. Requires the state board of education to, not later than December 1, 2021, adopt rules to create an alternate diploma for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Requires the state department of health (department), in consultation with the office of the secretary of family and social services, to study and prepare a plan (plan) to improve the health and behavioral health of Indiana residents based on specified criteria. Requires the department to submit and present the plan to the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services (interim study committee). Requires the department to prepare and present an annual report to the interim study committee regarding the progress made in meeting the metrics and goals of the plan. Requires that the department establish and maintain on the department's Internet web site a web page that indicates the performance and progress of the metrics and goals of the most significant areas identified in the plan. Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant program (grant program). Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant fund. Requires the department to administer the grant program. Provides requirements for grant proposals and specifies the types of proposals for which the grants must be awarded. Requires the management performance hub to develop and publish on an Internet web site a web page that tracks Indiana's metrics on the most significant areas of health and behavioral health impacting Indiana residents and demonstrate any progress made in these metrics. Provides that the web page must include specific progress reported by organizations awarded a grant under the grant program.
Defines "permanent registration" for purposes of motor vehicles. Provides that the owner of a trailer that weighs 3,000 pounds or less may apply to the bureau of motor vehicles (bureau) for a permanent registration for a fee of $82. Requires the owner of a trailer that applies to the bureau for a permanent registration to pay twice the amount of the surtax otherwise due when the owner obtains a permanent registration. Provides that the owner of a trailer that obtains a permanent registration is not subject to additional surtax payments.
Requires the department of education (department) to provide an initial practitioner license to an individual that competes an alternative teacher certification program. Requires the individual to complete a one year clinical experience program. Provides that the individual may not teach a special education course or be a teacher of record for a special education student. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school shall submit a plan to the department if the school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school hires one or more individuals who have received an initial practitioner license. Requires a teacher preparation program to include curriculum that instructs teachers about social emotional learning practices that are helpful in supporting students who have experienced trauma. Mandates that a teacher preparation program consider training teachers on evidence based social emotional learning practices that are consistent with the state's social emotional learning competencies established by the department of education. Makes conforming changes.
Requires the department of state revenue (department) to provide written notice, by electronic means, to each employer that is registered in the department's online INTIME program and whose employer's Form WH-1 monthly withholding tax report or withholding tax remittance is past due. Requires each payroll service provider to annually register with the department beginning January 1, 2022. Specifies the contents of the annual registration form. Defines "payroll service provider" and "responsible person" for purposes of these provisions. Provides that the department may charge an annual payroll service provider registration fee for purposes of the registration program. Provides that a provider shall be permitted to retain any income generated on business client (client) funds while held in a provider's legal possession pending remittance to authorized payees if the client agreement expressly permits it and the provider complies with certain rules. Provides that a payroll service provider contract must include a provision that specifies that if the payroll service provider fails to deposit or remit a business client's employer withholding taxes when due, and the failure is caused by an error or omission of the payroll service provider and not by the business client, the payroll service provider shall be required to reimburse the business client for the business client's payment of any penalties or interest assessed by the department as a result of the failure. Provides that, if a provider knowingly or intentionally fails to remit taxes withheld, the provider is liable and responsible persons shall be personally liable for such taxes that were withheld and not remitted, along with penalties and interest. Provides that a responsible person of the provider who knowingly or intentionally fails to remit taxes that were withheld commits a Class A misdemeanor, and increases the penalty depending on the amount of taxes that were not remitted. Provides that the liability shall not be construed to relieve the liability of the employer or any person otherwise with a duty to withhold. Provides that the employer's address shall be the address of record with the department for withholding tax purposes and that a payroll service provider may not change the address of record with the department.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.
A SENATE RESOLUTION declaring that the policy of the State of Indiana is to support the state's sovereign authority to manage, control, and administer its own election laws.
A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting.