Sen. Jeff Raatz

Makes various changes to the course access program (program) provisions, including the following: (1) Requires the state board of education (state board) to establish certain requirements regarding the program. (2) Establishes the duties of the state board and the department of education (department) regarding the program. (3) Establishes notification requirements for a school corporation regarding an eligible student who submits a request to enroll in a course access program course. (4) Amends a provision that establishes the reasons for which a school corporation may deny an eligible student's enrollment. (5) Provides that a school corporation may be authorized as a course provider if the school corporation meets the requirements for authorization. (6) Allows a course provider to appeal a denial to the state board. (7) Requires the department to approve a civics course access program course that meets certain requirements. (8) Provides that: (A) a school corporation that is an authorized course provider shall provide to the department and post on the school corporation's Internet web site certain information regarding open slots in an online course access program course; and (B) the department shall post the information for each school corporation on the department's Internet web site.

Specifies that the deadline for adjourning sine die for the 2021 session of the general assembly is November 15, 2021, and that the current deadline of April 29 remains in place for future long sessions. Provides that the regular technical session statute does not apply in calendar year 2021. Specifies the deadlines for signing enrolled acts and presenting them to the governor for bills passed after April 19, 2021, and before May 1, 2021. Specifies the following: (1) That the 2021 interim is the period beginning May 1, 2021, and ending November 15, 2021. (2) That for 2021, the prohibited period concerning fundraising activities is through April 29, 2021, rather than the date on which the general assembly adjourns sine die. (3) That the budget committee is required to meet at least once between April 30, 2021, and July 1, 2021. (Current law requires the budget committee to meet at least once in the two months following the general assembly adjournment sine die.) (4) The certification and distribution process for enrolled acts and the time frame for the process in 2021 will take place as usual. Provides that a redistricting commission is established to determine congressional districts if the general assembly adjourns sine die before November 15, 2021, without having enacted a law establishing congressional districts. (Current law refers to the adjournment of the general assembly without specifying an adjournment sine die or a particular date.)

Provides that a person who transports a vehicle or combination of vehicles with an overweight divisible load is subject to overweight divisible load permitting. Removes certain requirements regarding transportation of commodities. Provides that the department of transportation may not issue a permit for an overweight divisible load if the owner or operator of the vehicle has not provided the department of state revenue with full payment for the permit prior to transporting the overweight divisible load. Provides that the department of state revenue shall determine the extent of civil penalties for overweight divisible loads under certain conditions. Provides that the civil penalty for each permitting violation for transporting overweight divisible loads is not more than $10,000 for each violation. Provides criminal or civil defenses in certain circumstances. Permits the department to determine at an administrative hearing whether a civil penalty should be assessed or reduced pursuant to a defense. Provides that the department of state revenue may not assess a penalty on a citation for an oversize load after more than one year has passed from the date the person receives the citation. Provides that the costs for storage of an abandoned vehicle with a length of at least 30 feet may not exceed $2,500. Makes technical corrections. Makes conforming changes.

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.

Provides that payment mailed to the county treasurer with metered postage is timely received if: (1) the envelope is properly addressed to the principal office of the county treasurer; (2) the envelope has sufficient metered postage from a meter postage provider approved by the United States Postal Service; (3) the metered postage is affixed to the envelope and bears the actual date of when it was affixed and that date is on or before the due date; and (4) the envelope is received by the county treasurer not later than five business days after the due date. Provides that a taxpayer is subject to a penalty of 5% of the amount of delinquent taxes if a payment to the county treasurer is: (1) mailed or deposited with a parcel carrier by the thirtieth day after the due date (the initial penalty period) and the postmark, certificate of delivery, or other evidence indicates the date of the mailing or deposit; or (2) mailed and affixed with a metered postage stamp indicating a date not later than the thirtieth day after the due date and the payment is received by the county treasurer not later than five business days after the thirtieth day after the due date. Provides that if a payment is mailed and received not later than 30 days after the due date without a legible post mark, the person is considered to have made the payment by the thirtieth day after the due date, if the person can show by reasonable evidence that the payment was timely mailed. Provides that if a payment is mailed or sent by parcel carrier but not received by the thirtieth day after the due date, the person is considered to have made the payment by the thirtieth day after the due date, if the person can show by reasonable evidence that the payment was timely mailed and makes a duplicate payment within 30 days after the person is notified that the payment was not received.

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.

Prohibits the state and a political subdivision from imposing restrictions on a religious organization that are more restrictive than the restrictions imposed upon other businesses and organizations that provide essential services to the public. Permits the state or a political subdivision to require a religious organization to comply with a neutral and generally applicable health, safety, or occupancy requirement to the same extent as other organizations, if the requirement is otherwise allowable under Indiana's religious freedom law. Provides that the state, a political subdivision, or an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision may not restrict the right of the people to worship or to worship in person during a disaster emergency.

Provides that a school employee has the right to resign from, and end any financial obligation to, a school employee organization at any time. Provides that a school employee must annually authorize a pay deduction to a school employee organization. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the Indiana education employment relations board (board) shall prescribe an authorization for withholding form for use by a school employee to deduct dues from the pay of the school employee to the school employee organization. Adds certain requirements for information to be included on the form. Provides that after receiving the authorization for withholding form, the employer shall confirm the authorization by sending an electronic mail message to the school employee at the employee's school provided work electronic mail address and shall wait for confirmation of the authorization before starting any deduction. Specifies the time frame for (1) ceasing withholding upon receipt of a request, and (2) providing notice to the school employee organization. Provides that a school employer shall annually provide, at a time it prescribes, written or electronic mail notification to its school employees of their right to cease payment of school employee organization dues and to withdraw from that organization. Specifies what the notification must include. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the board and the department of education, must annually provide notice to school employers of certain provisions.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.

A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting.