Sen. Jeff Raatz

Modifies the definitions of "abortion" and "abortion inducing drug". Amends the information required to be reported to the Indiana department of health (state department) concerning an abortion complication. Requires the state department to send each abortion complication report to the office of the inspector general. Provides that a person who manufactures, distributes, mails, transports, delivers, prescribes, or provides an abortion inducing drug is jointly and severally liable for: (1) the wrongful death of an unborn child or pregnant woman from the use of an abortion inducing drug; and (2) personal injury of an unborn child or pregnant woman from the use of the abortion inducing drug. Allows the mother or father of an unborn child to bring a wrongful death action for the wrongful death of the unborn child from the use of abortion inducing drugs. Provides affirmative defenses. Allows for qui tam actions against certain persons. Adds an exception for the prohibition on abortion inducing drugs.

A SENATE RESOLUTION urging Congress to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to establish that campaign and election spending may be regulated.

Prohibits a person from adding a chemical to a public water supply in certain circumstances. Defines "medical intervention" and provides that a person may not require an individual to accept, undergo, or engage in a medical intervention in or on the individual's body as a condition of employment, entrance, admission, compensation, benefits, or participation. Provides that a person may not take a punitive measure against an individual because the individual refused to accept, undergo, or engage in a medical intervention in or on the individual's body. Allows an individual who suffers bodily injury as a result of a violation of these provisions to file an action. Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally causes bodily injury to another person by violating these provisions commits battery, a class B misdemeanor, enhanced to a level 5 felony if the offense constitutes a violation of the right to bodily integrity. Allows an individual to sell certain meat products from the individual's primary residence. Establishes various requirements for an individual to sell certain meat products from the individual's primary residence. Exempts a stand or another retail building used only for the sale of certain food products or meat products from the definition of a Class 1 structure. Provides that a student enrolled in a health profession education program may not be required to receive an immunization as a condition of: (1) participating in; or (2) obtaining; clinical training or clinical experience required by the program if receiving the immunization is against the student's conscience. Amends the information that the statewide child fatality review committee and statewide maternal mortality review committee must include in each committee's annual report. Provides that a physician may not be required to receive an immunization if receiving the immunization is against the physician's conscience. Provides that a health care provider, health care entity, and a health carrier may not be required to provide or refer an individual for a health care service that violates the conscience of the health care provider, health care entity, or health carrier. Establishes an exception for a health carrier. Specifies that a health care provider, health care entity, or a health carrier may not be subject to discrimination and certain other acts and liability for declining to provide the health care service. Establishes a civil action for a violation of these provisions. Provides that a person who prevails in a civil action is entitled to certain relief. Requires a licensed child care center, school, and person that operates a before or after school program to report the ingredients of each food product provided to a child or student. Requires the division of family resources and the department of education to publish the information on each agency's website. Allows a school corporation to contract with a health care provider, health system, or community partner to establish a school based health center (center). Sets forth requirements to establish a center. Provides that, notwithstanding state or federal law, a school may not conduct a physical or mental assessment or treatment of a student unless the physical or mental assessment or treatment is related to an illness or accident that occurred during school hours or on or near school property. Repeals certain superseded laws, including provisions concerning immunizations, communicable diseases, potentially disease transmitting offenses, quarantine, medical testing, disqualification for unemployment benefits, and COVID-19 immunization requirements. Makes conforming amendments.

Provides that members of the governing body for the South Bend Community school corporation (school corporation) serving on June 30, 2026, shall become on July 1, 2026, an advisory board to the governing body for the school corporation. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, members of the governing body for the school corporation shall be appointed by the secretary of education following a nomination process. Establishes a commission to nominate individuals for the governing body.

Provides that, if a school provides instruction on human sexuality or sexually transmitted infections, the instruction must include instruction concerning consent to sexual activity and a presentation on human growth and development during pregnancy. Provides that a school maintained by a school corporation may not use curricular materials to provide instruction on human sexuality that have not been approved by the governing body of a school corporation. Requires a school corporation to include certain information concerning instruction on human sexuality in the written consent forms provided to a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an adult or an emancipated minor, before the student may receive instruction on human sexuality. Requires the governing body of a school corporation to publish a list of materials used in connection with instruction on human sexuality on the school's website and to include a link to the list of materials on electronically formatted written consent forms. Replaces references to "sexually transmitted diseases" with "sexually transmitted infections". Makes conforming changes.

Requires the department of education (department) to: (1) evaluate, approve, and publish a list of high quality curricular materials for use in English/language arts; and (2) collaborate with teachers in evaluating and approving the English/language arts curricular materials. Provides that the evaluation process for certain curricular materials must include the age appropriateness of the content. Specifies that the curriculum used by a school in which fewer than 70% of students achieved a valid passing score on the determinant evaluation of reading skills must be age appropriate. Requires, subject to available funding, certain schools to participate in the Indiana literacy cadre. Amends the definition of "eligible school" for purposes of the choice scholarship program. Provides that a parent who: (1) is an education scholarship account (ESA) participating entity; and (2) teaches a course or program only to an eligible student who is the parent's child and does not teach a course or program to any other eligible student; may not submit a claim for reimbursement of an ESA qualified expense of tuition and fees to teach the parent's child. Establishes penalties for certain violations by an ESA participating entity.

Provides that the department of education (department) is the proper authority to accept federal funds appropriated to aid in the education of children with disabilities (current law provides that the state board of education is the proper authority). Removes the member of the Indiana Transportation Association from the list of nonvoting members on the state school bus committee. Provides that an individual seeking an initial practitioners license through an alternative certification path must successfully complete an applicable teacher licensing exam as approved by the state board of education (board) (current law requires the successful completion of a Praxis Subject Assessment). Provides that summer school funding may be differentiated based on the course or length of time of the program. Moves the establishment of the division of special education from the board to the department. Changes certain duties for the secretary of education and the director of special education. Provides that the department may suspend or terminate the certification of a scholarship granting organization if the department establishes that the organization has not granted a scholarship within certain time frames.

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 accredited nonpublic schools are eligible to participate in the following: (1) The establishment of police departments. (2) The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher recruitment grants. (3) The principal institute. Provides that charter schools are eligible to receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher recruitment grants. Establishes, for three school years: (1) a centralized school facilities pilot program; and (2) a student transportation pilot program. Allows: (1) not more than three applications, as selected by the department of education (department), to participate in the centralized school facilities pilot program; and (2) not more than three applications, as selected by the department, to participate in the student transportation pilot program (pilot programs). Establishes a: (1) local centralized school facilities board; and (2) local student transportation board; for participating school corporations and schools and grants the local boards certain powers and duties. Allows school corporations and schools to opt out of the pilot programs by providing a one year notice. Requires the department of local government finance, in consultation with the department, to prepare and submit reports that include certain recommendations. Establishes a mastery based education pilot program administered by the department. Establishes the Indianapolis local education alliance and requires the alliance to conduct a school facilities assessment and establish a school facilities and transportation implementation plan. Allows a parent of a choice scholarship student or an eligible choice scholarship school on behalf of a parent to petition the department to reconsider the eligibility of a choice scholarship student enrolled in the school if the parent has reason to believe that the student was determined ineligible due to enrollment data inaccuracies reported by a school. Provides that a student must be withdrawn from enrollment in a school corporation's virtual education program if the student accumulates 10 consecutive or 18 cumulative unexcused absences (instead of the number of unexcused absences sufficient to result in the student's classification as a habitual truant). Amends eligibility requirements for the high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant. Establishes the: (1) county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship program; and (2) county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship fund. Provides that a land use application for any approval that is required by a unit for a public or nonpublic school may not be denied for the sole reason that the requesting entity is seeking to establish a public or nonpublic school. Provides that, if Vigo County transfers or gifts any unencumbered funds to a school corporation, the county executive may establish a local board to have oversight and manage the use of the funds. Provides that the expenses of the local board shall be paid by the county. Requires certain individuals and certain schools to ensure that an AED is operational and present at certain events, and that individuals present at certain events are aware of the location of the AED and emergency plans regarding the use of the AED. Adds a requirement regarding certain school emergency action plans for sudden cardiac arrest. Removes certain sudden cardiac arrest training and certificate of completion requirements. Establishes requirements regarding a standardized admissions test for state educational institutions that offer certain health education programs. Requires a public school provide written notification to an employee and parent of a student not later than 14 days regarding certain unsubstantiated or otherwise dismissed allegations. Requires the department to submit a report to the general assembly on the academic readiness of students who enroll in a virtual school or program. Provides that the state board shall adopt rules regarding financial reporting and oversight required by a school corporation and a vendor who enter into or renew a contract relating to the operation of a dedicated virtual education school. Resolves conflicts.

Requires the department of education (department) to submit a report to the general assembly before November 1, 2025, that provides an analysis of the feasibility and cost of increasing school corporation employee health plan options. Creates the Indiana teacher recruitment program. Beginning June 30, 2025: (1) increases the minimum salary for a teacher employed by a school corporation to $45,000 (current law requires $40,000); and (2) requires a school corporation to expend an amount for teacher compensation that is not less than 65% of state tuition support (current law requires 62%). Amends the requirements for a school corporation and the department if the school corporation determines that the school corporation cannot meet minimum teacher salary requirements. Removes a provision that provides that the matrix rating system may not rank or compare teacher preparation programs.