Sen. Scott Baldwin

Provides that an applicant for a certificate of death has a direct interest in a certificate of death if the applicant is a beneficiary of the deceased's individual retirement account, retirement account, brokerage transfer on death account, annuity, or life insurance policy. Provides that if a charitable organization is designated as the beneficiary of an individual retirement account, retirement account, brokerage transfer on death account, annuity, or life insurance policy, a financial institution or insurance company in control of the funds must transfer the funds directly to the charitable organization without requiring certain conditions to be satisfied, if the: (1) charitable organization submits a certain affidavit.

Allows a state agency to use artificial intelligence software to prepare information and projections for the state budget. Requires a state agency to provide a quarterly report to the budget committee that details the requests submitted by the state agency for new federal funds or to participate in a new federal program. Provides that, in addition to the quarterly reports, a state agency may not immediately accept an award of new federal funds in certain circumstances or participate in a new federal program before a report has been reviewed by the budget committee. Specifies the contents of the report that must be submitted for budget committee review. Requires a state agency to provide the state comptroller with a contract for inclusion in the Indiana transparency website not later than 30 days after the contract is fully executed. Requires that permanent full-time positions which have been vacant for 90 days or more be reviewed and either reauthorized or eliminated by the budget director. Requires the budget director to provide a quarterly report to the governor's office regarding those positions that were reauthorized or eliminated by the budget director in the preceding three months. Requires a state agency to provide quarterly reports to the budget committee regarding the state agency's active contracts. Provides for the reversion of funds appropriated to a state agency for expenses related to a contract that are unused after the end of the contract term. Requires the department of administration (department) to develop certain contract language to be included in state contracts of $500,000 or more. Requires a state agency to provide a report to the budget committee concerning amendments to a contract that: (1) increase the maximum contract amount by not less than $500,000; or (2) for a contract with an initial maximum contract amount of not less than $500,000, extend the term of the contract by not less than six months. Prohibits a state agency from entering into a nonpublic contract. Requires all contract opportunities of state agencies to be posted in the form of a request for proposals or a request for quotations on the department's website at least 30 days prior to the contract being awarded. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services and the office of Medicaid policy and planning to do the following: (1) Review monthly reports on the Medicaid program service utilization to identify trends and risks within the state Medicaid program. (2) Post publicly on the office of the secretary of family and social services's website monthly financial reports or expenditures and revenues for each state Medicaid program and commentary providing context for each monthly financial report. (3) Submit a quarterly report to the budget committee.

Provides that the director of the state personnel department may make a determination to provide coverage under the state employee health plan for emergency medical services as part of a mobile integrated healthcare program. Provides that the requirement for a policy of accident and sickness insurance and a health maintenance organization contract to provide reimbursement for emergency medical services includes emergency medical services that are performed or provided as part of a mobile integrated healthcare program. Repeals a provision that requires the department of insurance to maintain an electronic system for the collection and storage of information concerning transactions involving residential property. Provides that the article regarding consumer data protection does not apply to any organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that is: (1) established to detect or prevent insurance related crime or fraud; and (2) subject to a memorandum of understanding with a statewide law enforcement agency. Changes the deadline for the Indiana Public Employers' Plan, Inc., to apply to the insurance commissioner for a certificate of authority to transact business as a domestic tax exempt reciprocal insurance company from before December 31, 2026, to before December 31, 2030. Repeals the statute requiring carriers of health insurance plans to conduct annual public forums. Provides that provisions requiring a notice of material change apply to personal automobile or homeowner's policies that are issued, delivered, amended, or renewed after June 30, 2026. Amends the definition of "small employer" in the chapter regarding small employer group health insurance. Makes corresponding changes.

Provides that under certain circumstances, a lender may contract for and receive a nonrefundable prepaid finance charge of 3% (instead of 2%, under current law) of the loan amount on a loan that is secured by an interest in land and is not made under a revolving loan account. Provides that under certain circumstances, a lender may contract for and receive a nonrefundable prepaid finance charge of 3% (instead of 2%, under current law) of the line of credit on a loan that is secured by an interest in land and is made under a revolving loan account. Provides that: (1) if a joint agreement of merger is approved by the department of financial institutions, any credit union whose existence will terminate as a result of the merger shall submit the joint agreement to a vote of its shareholders as directed by the resolution of the board of directors; and (2) a majority of shareholders voting may approve the joint agreement. Establishes within the Indiana Code a new chapter, to be known as the Indiana Earned Wage Access Act (Act), governing the offering and provision of earned wage access services to Indiana consumers. Provides that the Act is to be administered by the division of consumer credit within the department of financial institutions (department). Sets forth provisions that address the following: (1) Definitions of terms. (2) Exemptions from the Act's requirements. (3) The department's supervisory authority under the Act. (4) The licensing of providers of earned wage access services (providers). (5) The acquisition of control of a licensee. (6) Reporting and record keeping requirements for licensees. (7) Duties of providers under the Act. (8) Prohibited acts by providers. (9) The department's enforcement authority under the Act. (10) Criminal liability for certain prohibited acts. (11) Statutory construction of the Act's provisions. Makes conforming changes to sections of the Indiana Code codified outside the Act.

Provides that a reference to federal law in: (1) the First Lien Mortgage Lending Act; (2) the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC); or (3) the Indiana Code title governing financial institutions; is a reference to the law as in effect December 31, 2024 (rather than December 31, 2023, under current law). Amends the definition of "principal" for purposes of the UCCC provisions governing consumer loans to specify that the term does not include any loan proceeds held as security for the loan. Makes a technical change to the Indiana Code provision governing the prepayment of consumer loans to incorporate a cross reference to the Indiana Code provision setting forth the authorized nonrefundable prepaid finance charge for supervised loans. (Current law references only the authorized nonrefundable prepaid finance charge for consumer loans other than supervised loans.) Amends the definition of "consumer transaction" for purposes of the deceptive consumer sales act (act) to include the provision of a product or service to a: (1) state law enforcement agency; or (2) local law enforcement agency; in Indiana. Amends the definition of "supplier" for purposes of the act to include an entity that provides a product or service to a state or local law enforcement agency in Indiana. Provides that an action that arises from a transaction involving: (1) a state law enforcement agency may be brought and enforced only by the attorney general; and (2) a local law enforcement agency may be brought and enforced only by an attorney acting on behalf of the local law enforcement agency involved in the transaction, unless the local unit of government served by the local law enforcement agency requests the attorney general to bring and enforce an action on behalf of the local unit. Amends the Indiana Code provision governing audit requirements for credit unions to provide that department of financial institutions may establish by policy or rule accounting and auditing standards necessary to define the audit requirements.

Defines "squatter" as an individual who occupies the property of another and who does not have and has never had: (1) a rental agreement; (2) permission of the owner; or (3) another legal interest in the property. Permits a property owner to execute an affidavit stating that a squatter is occupying the person's property, and requires a law enforcement agency to dispatch one or more law enforcement officers to remove the squatter within 48 hours (or a later period if necessary for reasons of public safety). Provides that a property owner can execute an affidavit at the time a law enforcement officer responds to a complaint that a squatter is occupying the owner's property. Requires a dispatched law enforcement officer to remove the squatter from the property unless the law enforcement officer discovers credible evidence that the person is not a squatter. Provides that a law enforcement agency may create a form affidavit. Provides certain immunities to a law enforcement agency and a law enforcement officer. Establishes a cause of action for wrongful removal from property.

Amends estimated quarterly tax payment provisions. Restructures tax collection requirements for kerosene to eliminate specialized tax filing. Streamlines the filing requirements for gasoline use tax to eliminate multiple filing requirements. Specifies the liability and remittance requirements for the gross retail tax, gasoline use tax, and other listed taxes in certain circumstances. Amends provisions that apply to passenger and household goods carriers. Amends the college savings tax credit. Replaces the term "college choice 529 education savings plan" with "Indiana529 plan". Makes a clarifying change to the closed system cartridge tax. Extends the renewal period from one year to two years for businesses licensed to collect the electronic cigarettes tax, closed systems cartridge tax, and other tobacco products tax. Specifies that the fiscal officer of an entity that has adopted an innkeeper's tax, a food and beverage tax, or an admissions tax must enter into an agreement with the department of state revenue (department) before the department provides certain information to the fiscal officer as required under current law. Specifies when certain tax information may be disclosed by the department. Provides for the transfer of certain funds from the bureau of motor vehicles commission fund to the motor carrier regulation fund. Provides that a person who commits a violation involving a consumer transaction entailing the transportation of passengers or household goods commits a deceptive act that is actionable by the attorney general and is subject to certain remedies and penalties. Specifies remittance procedures for the gasoline use tax. Specifies recapture procedures for certain reduced estimated tax payments. Makes corresponding changes.

Expands the eligibility requirements for admission to the Indiana Veterans' Home. Provides that the department of natural resources shall provide staff support for the Indiana semiquincentennial commission (commission). (Current law provides that the Indiana department of veterans' affairs provides staff support for the commission.) Adds a definition of an "eligible person" for purposes of administering grants for veteran services (GVS). Provides that a qualified entity may receive a GVS to provide certain services to support an eligible person. Makes changes to the qualifications to receive a veteran's burial allowance. Establishes the Medal of Honor license plate. Restores a provision of current law concerning certain disability ratings, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and educational cost exemptions. Updates references throughout the Indiana Code relating to the armed forces of the United States or uniformed services to include the United States Space Force. Changes references relating to military discharges. Makes technical changes to various references relating to the components of the armed forces of the United States. Provides that Hamilton County is not subject to the political party membership requirements for a board of aviation commissioners or an airport authority. Establishes the office of school safety within the department of homeland security (department) for the purpose of coordinating and administering school security and safety resources. Changes the composition of the secured school safety board. Requires a school corporation or charter school to comply with certain safety related requests by the office of school safety. Authorizes the department to issue enforcement orders in accordance with rules adopted by the board of firefighting personnel standards and education. Removes emergency medical services enforcement authority from the state fire marshal's management authority. Provides that the department, a fire department, an airport fire department, or a volunteer fire department may open burn for fire training purposes if certain conditions are met. Makes various changes to provisions relating to the department's enforcement authority pertaining to the administrative adjudication of building fire and safety laws. Amends the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include the state fire marshal and the executive director or fire investigator of the department. Provides that the fire prevention and building safety commission, with certain exceptions, may not adopt a final rule for more than three building codes during any 12 month period. Defines "correctional services provider" and adds correctional services providers to the definition of "covered person" for purposes of restricting access to a covered person's address on a public property data base website. Provides that a school resource officer who has completed Tier I or Tier II basic training has statewide jurisdiction. Provides that a school resource officer may pursue a person who flees from a school resource officer after the school resource officer has, by visible or audible means, including the operation of the school resource officer's siren or emergency lights, identified themself and ordered the person to stop. Increases the penalty for criminal recklessness from a Class B to a Class A misdemeanor. Specifies that the immunities and limitations on liability that apply to a law enforcement officer (and the officer's employing agency) acting within the officer's jurisdictional area also apply to an officer (and employing agency) acting outside the jurisdictional area under certain circumstances. Makes pointing a firearm by a passenger in a vehicle whose driver is committing criminal recklessness a Level 6 felony under certain circumstances. Adds a hospital police department to the definition of police departments required to provide police officers with certain rights. Repeals the provision establishing the department of education's division of school building physical security and safety. Makes conforming amendments.

Requires certain media entities operating in Indiana to disclose: (1) foreign ownership; (2) foreign funding; and (3) the use of foreign sourced or influenced content. Authorizes the secretary of state to impose a civil penalty of not more than $50,000 for a knowing or intentional violation of the disclosure requirements. Provides that the secretary of state shall publish a list of Indiana media entities that have complied with certain requirements. Requires certain media entities to obtain special accreditation from the department of administration to attend state media events, and allows the department of administration to revoke the special accreditation under certain circumstances.

Establishes the Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission, including six members appointed by the governor and five members appointed under Illinois law, to discuss and recommend whether it is advisable to adjust the boundaries between the two states.