Sen. Mike Gaskill

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 1) honoring Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch for her service upon her retirement. It does not create new laws or affect any policies; it is a symbolic gesture recognizing her role. The resolution was introduced by Senators Bray and Yoder, adopted unanimously by voice vote on January 8, 2025, and has no binding effect or direct impact on constituents.

Defines "candidate" for the purpose of provisions concerning early and late candidate vacancies. Modifies the definition of "chute". Defines "scantron" and provides that a scantron complies with certain absentee ballot endorsement requirements if it is endorsed with the initials of certain individuals. Allows a circuit court clerk, voter registration official, or county election board to make certain filings by fax or electronic mail. Extends the: (1) expiration date of a provision concerning local redistricting; and (2) deadline for a redistricting authority to take specified actions. Requires the county election board of a county that is not designated as a vote center county to establish a plan that specifies the method and timing of providing absentee reports to persons who are entitled to receive the reports. Specifies that a nondiscriminatory uniform policy concerning certain voter registration information must apply to all records maintained in the computerized list, including election administration records and absentee activity reports. Requires the NVRA official to conduct, at least once each calendar year, a review and identification of particular voter registration records. Specifies that a provision concerning the delivery, retention, confidentiality, and disposal of election materials does not prohibit county election officials from performing a duty under statutes concerning provisional voting. Exempts a political party office on a primary ballot from the ballot arrangement requirement that all candidates for the same office appear on the same page or screen. Permits certain persons credentialed by the Indiana protection and advocacy services commission to be in the polls during an election. Allows a county election board that adopted a resolution for a primary election allowing absentee voting at satellite offices to amend the resolution, by unanimous vote, to modify, for the subsequent general or municipal election, the locations and hours of the satellite offices. Requires each member of an absentee voter board to sign and print the member's name on a voter's affidavit after the voter has signed and dated the affidavit. Allows a vote center plan amendment to be filed with the election division by fax or electronic mail. Modifies provisions applicable to the notice that must be sent to a voter when a signature mismatch has occurred. Allows a voter to deliver a signature verification affidavit signed by the voter to an absentee voter board at a circuit court clerk's office or satellite location during the period of early voting. Provides that the county election board or board of elections and registration shall not reject an absentee ballot with a missing security envelope signature in certain circumstances if the voter delivers an affidavit of unsigned ballot that is signed by the voter to an absentee voter board at a circuit court clerk's office or satellite location during the period of early voting. Specifies certain employment provisions that apply when a county election board appoints a member of an absentee voter board, absentee ballot counter team, or courier team. Specifies the deadline that applies to fill certain candidate vacancies when the vacancy is due to the successful challenge of a candidate in a judicial proceeding. Prohibits the appointment of a particular person to fill a vacancy by a political party that differs from the party with which the person affiliated when the person was defeated in a primary election or a town or state convention. Specifies the circumstances that create a late candidate vacancy. Extends certain early candidate vacancy provisions to apply to late candidate vacancies. Requires that action to fill a late candidate vacancy be taken not later than 6 a.m. on election day. Modifies a provision concerning the delivery and retention of affidavits. Permits the bureau of motor vehicles to disclose certain identifying information for voter registration and election purposes under certain laws. Prescribes the ballot language for the proposed constitutional amendment that would remove the state superintendent of public instruction from the line of succession to the governor. Makes conforming amendments.

Provides that a state of disaster emergency declared by the governor: (1) that applies to the entire state may not continue for more than 60 days unless a renewal is authorized by the general assembly; and (2) that only applies to part of the state may not continue for more than 30 days unless renewed by the governor. Provides that the renewal of a statewide disaster emergency authorized by the general assembly may continue for not more than 60 days. Specifies that if a state of disaster emergency that applies to the entire state has ended, the governor may not call a new state of disaster emergency that applies to the entire state unless the new disaster is wholly unrelated to the earlier disaster. Defines "wholly unrelated".

Increases: (1) the amount of attorney's fees that may be incurred by an offeror to $250 per hour; and (2) the total amount of attorney's fees, costs, and expenses that may be awarded to not more than $5,000; with respect to a qualified settlement offer.

Specifies that certain workforce related programs must be reviewed by the legislative services agency at least once rather than every five years. Requires the budget agency to biennially prepare a list of dedicated funds that have not been used in the previous two state fiscal years. Makes technical corrections to various statutes concerning rulemaking. Requires agencies to submit a copy of the notice of the first public comment period and regulatory analysis to the small business ombudsman. Provides that the legislative notice required for rule readoptions must be submitted not later than January 1 of the year preceding the year in which the rule expires. Provides that the publisher of the Indiana Register shall assign a document control number when an agency submits the legislative notice during rule readoption instead of when the agency submits the notice of proposed readoption. Provides that an agency may adopt interim rules to implement a reduction, a full or partial waiver, or an elimination of a fee, fine, or civil penalty included in an administrative rule. Requires the budget agency to transfer money in the phase out trust fund on or before June 30, 2024, to the Medicaid contingency and reserve account. Expires the phase out trust fund on July 1, 2024, and makes corresponding changes. Specifies certain deadlines within the statutes governing an agency's failure to enact required licensure rules. Requires an agency to conduct a regulatory analysis for certain proposed rules, including if the implementation and compliance costs are at least $1,000,000. Provides that if a proposed rule has implementation and compliance costs of at least $1,000,000, the following: (1) The rule cannot be published in the Indiana Register until the budget committee has reviewed the rule. (2) The budget agency and the office of management and budget may not approve any part of the proposed rule prior to review of the proposed rule by the budget committee. Provides that for a provisional rule or an interim rule that has implementation and compliance costs of at least $1,000,000, the governor may not approve a rule prior to the budget committee's review of the rule. Requires the office of management and budget to notify the legislative council of certain proposed rules that have a fiscal impact of over $1,000,000 over the course of two years. Removes references concerning the adoption of an emergency rule. Amends a reference from emergency rules to provisional or interim rules under certain circumstances. Makes conforming changes.

Provides that money in the attorney general contingency fee fund is continuously appropriated and is not subject to allotment. Reinstates provisions concerning meetings of the budget committee. Provides that money in the high tech crimes unit fund is continuously appropriated for purposes of the fund. Allows the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) to designate territory located in an existing allocation area as an innovation development district if certain conditions are met. Removes the sunset provision for when the IEDC may designate an innovation development district. Provides that if an existing allocation area is located in territory subsequently designated as an innovation development district, property tax increment revenue continues to be allocated to the existing allocation area and provides that the allocation area may not be renewed or extended until the term of the innovation development district expires. Extends the funding Indiana's roads for a stronger, safer tomorrow task force for one additional year. Provides that transfers may not be made by the budget agency, the state board of finance, or any entity from any source to the Indiana gaming commission without prior budget committee review. Provides that certain appropriations from the state gaming fund in the most recent biennial budget act may not be augmented. Amends certain language in the Medicaid oversight committee provisions in House Enrolled Act 1026.

Amends the statute establishing the right of a member of: (1) the general assembly; (2) the professional staff of the general assembly; or (3) the Indiana lobby registration commission; to carry a handgun within the state capitol building and on the property of the state capitol complex by specifying that the right applies to any such member who is not prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a handgun. (Current law provides that the right applies to a member who: (1) possesses a valid Indiana license to carry a handgun; and (2) is otherwise permitted to possess a handgun.) Adds a new chapter to the Indiana Code article governing state officers to provide that any of the following state officers who is not prohibited from possessing a handgun under state or federal law has the right to carry a handgun within the state capitol building and on the property of the state capitol complex: (1) The attorney general. (2) The secretary of state. (3) The state comptroller. (4) The treasurer of state. Prohibits a governmental entity or any other person from knowingly or willfully keeping any list, record, or registry of: (1) privately owned firearms; or (2) the owners of firearms; with respect to Indiana consumers. Defines a "firearms code" as a merchant category code approved by the International Organization for Standardization specifically for firearms retailers. Provides that in a payment card transaction, a merchant acquirer or a payment card network may not: (1) assign; or (2) require the assignment of; a firearms code in a way that distinguishes a firearms retailer with at least one physical location in Indiana from general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers. Prohibits a financial services provider from declining or otherwise refusing to process a lawful payment card transaction based solely on the assignment or nonassignment of a firearms code to the payment card transaction. Prohibits a financial services provider from disclosing a financial record that: (1) is related to a payment card transaction; and (2) includes protected financial information, including a firearms code used, collected, or assigned in violation of the bill's provisions. Specifies that the bill's provisions apply only to a payment card transaction that is initiated after September 30, 2024, at a firearms retailer that is physically located in Indiana. Provides that the applicable primary financial regulator with jurisdiction over a financial services provider subject to the bill's provisions is responsible for enforcing the financial services provider's compliance with those provisions. Provides that, with respect to any person that is not a financial services provider subject to regulation by a financial regulator, the attorney general is responsible for enforcing the bill's prohibition against knowingly or willfully keeping any list, record, or registry of: (1) privately owned firearms; or (2) the owners of firearms. Provides that upon receiving notice of an alleged violation of this prohibition, the attorney general shall investigate the alleged violation in accordance with the attorney general's investigative demand procedures, subject to the statutory confidentiality provisions that apply to such procedures.

Provides that a deposit account agreement between a depository financial institution and a depositor may be changed or amended from time to time, subject to the terms of the deposit account agreement. Provides that a depositor's continued maintenance of a deposit account after the effective date of any change or amendment to the deposit account agreement, as described in a written notice from the depository financial institution, constitutes prima facie evidence of the depositor's intent to accept the change or amendment.

Removes references to principal manager and principal manager license from the Indiana Code. Makes conforming changes.

Provides that an individual who completes a United States Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program to practice cosmetology may take the cosmetologist licensure examination and, upon passage of the examination, practice as a cosmetologist.