Sen. Jeff Raatz

Provides that a school corporation shall accept a transferring student who does not have legal settlement in the school corporation if the school corporation has the capacity to accept the student and the student's parent is a current employee of the transferee school corporation with an annual salary of at least: (1) $8,000; or (2) $3,000 earned due to being included as an employee in the extracurricular portion of the transferee school corporation's current collective bargaining agreement. Provides that for purposes of accepting the transfer of a student who is a child of a school employee when the school corporation has a policy of not accepting transfer students, the school corporation may not enroll and may not report for purposes of state tuition support a student whose parent does not meet certain requirements. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school with at least one employee may provide a presentation or instruction to students explaining aspects of autism, including behaviors that students with autism may exhibit as well as student interaction with students with autism. Provides that each public school and private school with at least one employee shall provide, upon request of another school in which the student currently attends, the requesting school a copy of a particular student's disciplinary records that are relevant to the safety of students who currently attend the requesting school. Provides that a school corporation may use a special purpose bus or certain other appropriate vehicles to transport students to and from a career or technical education program. Requires the department of education (department) to publish the following information from the previous school year or collective bargaining period on the department's Internet web site: (1) The total number of full-time teachers retained from the previous year. (2) Teacher workforce growth. (3) The number of emergency permits granted by each school corporation, categorized by content area. Requires the department to include in its annual report, and publish on the department's Internet web site, the number of vacant teaching positions in each school corporation by: (1) grade; (2) subject; and (3) required credential; with critical shortage areas, as determined by unfilled vacancies, highlighted for each school corporation. Makes changes to the determination of which pupils may be included in a school corporation's average daily membership (ADM). Provides that a student who: (1) qualifies for free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program; or (2) attended a turnaround academy under IC 20-31-9.5 or attends a school that is located in the same school building as the participating innovation network charter school, may receive preference for admission to a participating innovation network charter school if the preference is specifically provided for in the charter and is approved by the authorizer. Provides that staff performance evaluation plans for the Indianapolis Public Schools must be developed and implemented in accordance with statewide teacher evaluation plan requirements. Provides that a teacher who: (1) is employed in a school corporation; (2) loses his or her job in the school corporation because of a reorganization; and (3) has received a rating of effective or highly effective on his or her most recent performance evaluation; shall receive an employment preference over other candidates for the same vacant teaching position, for a period of not more than one year after the teacher loses his or her job. Provides that a teacher who: (1) is employed in a school corporation; (2) loses his or her job in a school corporation because of a reorganization; and (3) is subsequently employed by a community school corporation created by a reorganization; retains certain rights and privileges that the teacher held at the time the teacher lost his or her job in the original school corporation. Provides that, after June 30, 2021, a governing body may not enter into a contract with a superintendent on or after the date of the election for one or more members of the governing body until January 1 of the year immediately following the year of the election. Requires that the majority of the benchmark, formative, interim, or similar assessments approved by the state board of education (state board) must indicate the degree to which students are on track for grade level proficiency and college and career readiness. Requires that a principal or a principal's designee ensure that a suspended student receives credit, in the same manner as a student who is not suspended would receive, for any assignments or school work assigned during the period of the student's suspension that the student completes. Provides that charter schools that enroll certain students for the purposes of the students receiving services from accredited nonpublic alternative high schools are entitled to receive a certain amount of state tuition support for the students. Amends the definition of "governmental entity" under the criminal code to include a charter school and the organizer for purposes of the criminal provisions that apply to offenses against public administration. Requires the department to: (1) prepare a report that includes information from the 2019-2020 school year for each school corporation, charter school, and eligible school regarding the number of students counted in average daily membership (ADM) who were not reported through the student testing number application center as having completed a course; (2) submit, not later than December 1, 2020, the report to the legislative council; (3) post the report to the department's Internet web site; and (4) provide a link to the report to each school corporation, charter school, and eligible school. Provides that each school corporation and charter school may place a durable poster or framed picture representing: (1) the national motto of the United States, "In God We Trust"; (2) an accurate representation of the United States flag; and (3) an accurate representation of the Indiana state flag; in each school library and classroom within the school corporation or charter school. Provides that the representation of the United States flag and the Indiana state flag must comply with any applicable federal or state laws concerning the design, dimensions, or presentation of each respective flag. Provides that the provisions of SEA 2-2020 apply to an adult high school. Urges: (1) the state board to approve, for purposes of career and technical education graduation pathways, a career and technical education cluster that allows students to acquire knowledge and skills related to employment in the electric, natural gas, communications, water, and wastewater utility industries; (2) the governor's workforce cabinet (cabinet), in consultation with the state board, department of education, and department of workforce development: (A) to create course sequences for the career and technical education cluster; and (B) in creating the course sequences: (i) to consider the impact of course sequences on long term outcomes of students; and (ii) to prioritize course sequences that lead to high wage, high demand jobs; and (3) the cabinet to: (A) collect data regarding approved career clusters and course sequences to inform decision making around approving, creating, and amending current and future career clusters and course sequence requirements; and (B) report to the general assembly regarding the collected data.

Provides that the state board of education (state board) shall determine the timing, frequency, and method of certain teacher training requirements, including whether the training should be required for purposes of obtaining or renewing a license or as part of the completion requirements for a teacher preparation program. Provides that the following apply to nonpublic schools accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the state board: (1) Indiana secured school fund provisions. (2) Certain sale of school building provisions. (3) Certain textbook assistance provisions. Changes a provision concerning waivers from postsecondary readiness competency requirements that references "nonaccredited nonpublic school" to "nonaccredited nonpublic school that has less than one employee". Provides that the state board and the governing body of a school corporation or nonpublic school may not enter into, renew, or otherwise extend a contract to establish a freeway school after June 30, 2020. Provides that provisions relating to the establishment and administration of freeway schools expire July 1, 2025. Establishes new requirements to accredit a public or private school in Indiana. Provides that the state board may grant an application by a school or group of schools that requests to waive compliance with certain statutes or rules. Requires the state board to annually prepare a report that includes certain information regarding compliance waiver requests and provide the report to the general assembly. Provides that a school corporation may publish in a local newspaper a summary of the annual performance report with a description of how to find and view the full annual performance report on the Internet in lieu of publishing the whole annual performance report. Provides that a school corporation may publish in a local newspaper a summary of the annual financial report with a description of how to find and view the full annual financial report on the Internet in lieu of publishing the whole annual financial report. Repeals a provision that requires the state board to implement a system of recognizing certain education programs of nonpublic schools. Repeals: (1) a provision relating to performance based school accreditation; (2) a provision pertaining to school improvement plans; and (3) a provision pertaining to the recognition of educational programs of nonpublic schools. Makes conforming amendments and technical corrections.

Requires the state advisory council on the education of children with disabilities (council) to develop a plan to inform: (1) certain former students who received a certificate of completion or another nondiploma certificate of recognition; and (2) certain former students who had an individualized education program, plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, service plan, or choice scholarship education plan and who withdrew from school; of certain resources and opportunities. Requires the council to submit, not later than October 1, 2020, a copy of the plan to the general assembly.

Provides that the governor's workforce cabinet (cabinet) shall, on or before December 1, 2020, create a comprehensive strategic plan to ensure alignment of Indiana's primary, secondary, and postsecondary education systems with Indiana's workforce training programs and employer needs. Requires the cabinet to include early childhood education in the cabinet's: (1) systematic and comprehensive review to determine whether Indiana's educational system is aligned with employer needs; and (2) comprehensive strategic plan to ensure alignment of Indiana's educational system with employer needs.

Amends the statute governing franchises as follows: (1) Specifies that the exemption from certain requirements of the statute that applies to a franchisor that sells no more than one franchise in any 24 month period applies with respect to the number of franchises sold by the franchisor in Indiana. (Current law does not specify where the franchise sales must have occurred in the 24 month period.) (2) Requires a person with a registered franchise to notify the securities commissioner (commissioner) of any material change in the information set forth in the person's required disclosure statement not later than 30 days after the occurrence of the event constituting the change, and sets forth specific events that constitute a material change. (3) Provides that the registration of a franchise with the commissioner is renewed at the time the registration would have expired unless the franchisor requests an earlier renewal date. (Current law does not allow for a franchisor to request an earlier renewal date.) (4) Provides that if a franchise registration form or registration renewal form is denied or withdrawn, the commissioner shall retain the amount of the fee submitted in connection with the form. (Current law provides that the commissioner shall retain $150 of the submitted fee.) Amends the statute governing continuing care contracts to provide that if a provider posts a letter of credit, negotiable securities, or a bond as an alternative to establishing an escrow account for the deposit of entrance fees, as otherwise required by the statute, the amount posted must be at least equal to the maximum amount of entrance fees reasonably anticipated by the provider to otherwise be subject to the escrow requirements. (Current law provides that the letter of credit, negotiable securities, or bond must be for an amount not to exceed the total amount of all entrance fees received by the provider before the date a resident is permitted to occupy a particular living unit.) Changes the term "interpretative" to "interpretive" in various provisions in the Indiana Uniform Securities Act (Act) with respect to opinions issued under the Act. Amends the statute concerning the licensing of collection agencies as follows: (1) Provides that the surety bond required to be submitted with a collection agency's original or renewal application for a collection agency license must be: (A) an electronic corporate surety bond that is: (i) filed by the applicant collection agency; (ii) satisfactory to the commissioner; and (iii) in an amount calculated to equal the sum of $5,000 for each of the collection agency's Indiana offices; and (B) filed through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. (2) Adds to the list of qualifications that apply to: (A) individual applicants for collection agency licenses; and (B) individual officers or members who actively manage collection activities for corporate or other applicants for collection agency licenses. (3) Specifies that the secretary of state shall issue forms and orders and adopt and enforce rules and regulations as advisable or necessary to carry out the statute. (Current law does not specify that the secretary of state shall issue forms and orders.) Makes technical corrections.

Moves provisions on employment of students from Title 20 (Education) to Title 22 (Labor and Safety). Provides that a minor who is at least 14 years of age and less than 16 years of age: (1) may not work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m.; and (2) may work until 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day except on a day that precedes a school day when the minor may only work until 7 p.m. (Current law provides that a child who is at least 14 years of age and less than 16 years of age may not work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on a day that precedes a school day or after 10 p.m. on a day that does not precede a school day.) Provides that a minor who is at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age: (1) may not work for more than nine hours in any one day, 40 hours in a school week, 48 hours in a nonschool week, and six days in any one week; (2) may not begin a work day before 6 a.m.; (3) may work in certain occupations until 10 p.m. on nights that are followed by a school day; and (4) may work until 11 p.m. on a night followed by a school day with written permission from the minor's parent. (Current law: (1) provides that a child who is at least 16 years of age and less than 17 years of age: (A) may not work for more than eight hours in any one day, 30 hours in any one week, and six days in any one week; (B) may not begin a work day before 6 a.m.; and (C) may work until 11 p.m. on a night followed by a school day with written permission from the child's parent; (2) provides that a child who is at least 17 years of age and less than 18 years of age: (A) may not work for more than eight hours in any one day, 30 hours in any one week, and six days in any one week; (B) may not begin a work day before 6 a.m. on a school day; and (C) may work until 11:30 p.m. on nights that are followed by a school day and 1 a.m. on a following day with written permission from the child's parent; and (3) allows a child who is at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age to be employed for up to 40 hours during a school week, not exceeding nine hours in any one day, and a total of 48 hours in any one nonschool week with written permission from the child's parent.) Provides that an employer may notify the issuing officer if the minor's employment terminates. (Current law provides that an employer must notify the issuing officer.) Removes provisions: (1) requiring rest breaks for a child who is less than 18 years of age; (2) prohibiting employment of a child who is less than 18 years of age from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. unless the child presents a written exception from the child's school; (3) prohibiting a child who is less than 18 years of age from working after 10 p.m. or before 6 a.m. in an establishment that is open to the public unless another employee at least 18 years of age works in the establishment during the same hours as the child, so long as the establishment is open to the public before 6 a.m. or after 10 p.m.; (4) requiring a child less than 18 years of age who is not a resident of Indiana, a minor who is a resident but attends a nonpublic school that employs less than one employee, or a minor who is a resident but is enrolled in a career and technical education program as approved by the Indiana state board of education to obtain an employment certificate; (5) allowing the state board of education the ability to revoke a employment certificate; and (6) providing that the state board of education adopt rules and approve forms related to employment certificates. Provides that the transfer in the bill of provisions related to employment certificates and employment of minors from Title 20 (Education) to Title 22 (Labor and Safety) expires June 30, 2021. Provides that after June 30, 2021, certain provisions that were transferred to Title 22 are transferred and relocated to a new chapter within Title 22, including provisions related to: (1) the maximum number of hours a minor may be employed or permitted to work each day of the week and the hours beginning and ending each day; (2) civil penalties; and (3) age restrictions. Renames the bureau of child labor to the "bureau of youth employment". Replaces the term "child labor" throughout the Indiana Code. Provides that a principal of a school may send notice to the bureau of youth employment and the bureau of motor vehicles to revoke the student's employment certificate and driver's license or learner's permit. (Current law provides that the principal must send notice.) Provides that the Indiana department of labor may establish recommendations for rest breaks. Requires certain employers to register with the Indiana department of labor. Provides that the labor education and youth employment fund shall be used for the expenses of hiring and salaries of additional inspectors to enforce the new chapter, including developing and maintaining the data base, and any remaining funds may be used for the purposes of education and awarding grants to provide educational programs. Requires the Indiana department of labor to prepare a report outlining a plan to develop and maintain a data base displaying certain employers that employ minors by August 1, 2020, and develop the data base by July 1, 2021. Removes provisions that allow an employer to pay an employee who has not attained the age of 20 years, during the first 90 consecutive calendar days after the employee is initially employed by the employer, a wage which is not less than the amount payable under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Provides that a minor less than 16 years of age may not be employed or permitted to work during school hours. Provides that a minor may not work in an establishment that is open to the public after 10 p.m. or before 6 a.m. unless another employer who is at least 18 years of age also works with the minor so long as the establishment is open to the public before 6 a.m. or after 10 p.m. Makes conforming changes.

Authorizes a nonprofit agricultural organization to provide health benefit coverage that is: (1) sponsored by the nonprofit agricultural organization or its affiliate; (2) offered only to members of the nonprofit agricultural organization and their families; (3) deemed by the nonprofit agricultural organization to be important in assisting its members to live long and productive lives; and (4) offered in every county in Indiana. Provides that nonprofit agricultural organization coverage is not insurance and is not subject to the regulatory authority of the department of insurance, and that a nonprofit agricultural organization providing health coverage is not engaged in the business of insurance and is not required to obtain a certificate of authority. Provides that an individual may not apply for health coverage provided by a nonprofit agricultural organization until the individual has been a member of the nonprofit agricultural organization for at least 30 days. Mandates that the health coverage cover ambulatory patient services, hospitalization, emergency services, and laboratory services, and provides that the coverage may not be subject to an annual limit of less than $2,000,000 per year. Requires a nonprofit agricultural organization offering health coverage: (1) to annually file with the department of insurance a written, signed opinion of a qualified actuary that the plan reserves of the nonprofit agricultural organization and its affiliate are adequate and conform to the appropriate actuarial standards of practice; and (2) to reinsure all or a portion of its risks. Provides that an individual entering into a health coverage contract with a nonprofit agricultural organization must acknowledge in a signed writing that the coverage: (1) is not considered insurance; and (2) is not subject to the administrative rules of the department of insurance.

Extends the date by which public schools, including charter schools, and accredited nonpublic schools must provide age appropriate research and evidence based or research or evidence based instruction on child abuse and child sexual abuse to students. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2021, the department of workforce development must implement a new Indiana career explorer program (program). Establishes requirements for the program. Requires the department of workforce development to issue, not later than December 31, 2020, a request for proposals regarding the part of the program that includes educational and career assessments or tools. Amends grade levels to which certain career exploration models and career preparation models apply. Removes provisions regarding a pilot program for instruction in and use of the Indiana career explorer program and standards. Requires the department of education (department) to prepare and submit an annual report to the state board of education, general assembly, and commission for higher education regarding certain computer science metrics. Requires the department to post the report on its Internet web site.

Provides that 15 of the professional growth experience points required to renew a practitioner license or accomplished practitioner license may be obtained through one or more of certain professional development experiences. (Current law provides that 15 of the professional growth experience points required to renew a practitioner license or an accomplished practitioner license must be obtained through one or more of certain professional development experiences.) Amends the list of professional development experiences.

Requires the state department of health (state department) to develop forms that provide: (1) that a pregnant woman has a right after a surgical abortion to dispose of the remains by interment or cremation or have the provider dispose of the remains; and (2) that, after an abortion induced by an abortion inducing drug, the pregnant woman will expel an aborted fetus and set forth the disposition policy of the health care facility or abortion clinic concerning the disposition of the aborted fetus, including allowing a pregnant woman to return an aborted fetus to the health care facility or abortion clinic for disposition by interment or cremation. States that a pregnant woman who has an abortion has the right to have the health care facility or abortion clinic dispose of the aborted fetus by cremation or interment and to ask the health care facility or abortion clinic the method of disposition used. Requires the pregnant woman to inform the health care facility or abortion clinic of the pregnant woman's decision for disposition or, in the case of an abortion induced by an abortion inducing drug, whether the pregnant woman will return the aborted fetus to the health care facility or abortion clinic for disposition. Requires the health care facility or abortion clinic to dispose of the returned fetus by cremation or interment. Requires that a burial transit permit that includes multiple aborted fetal remains be accompanied by a log prescribed by the state department containing certain information, except in certain circumstances, about each fetus included under the burial transit permit.