Sen. Eddie Melton

Requires a state employee health plan, a policy of accident and sickness insurance, and a health maintenance organization contract to provide coverage without cost sharing for auto-injectable epinephrine that is prescribed to individuals less than 18 years of age. Requires an insurer to cap the total amount an insured is required to pay for a 30 day supply of a prescription insulin drug at an amount not to exceed $50, regardless of the amount or type of insulin prescribed to the insured.

A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the Governor to proclaim May 2020 as Indiana Motherhood Month.

Requires a policy of accident and sickness insurance, a health maintenance organization contract, or any other health plan that is compliant with federal law to only offer health plans that do not require a covered individual to: (1) pay a deductible; or (2) pay more than the amount of the copayment or coinsurance specified in the plan's summary of benefits and coverage; with respect to a prescription drug. Requires a policy of accident and sickness insurance and a health maintenance organization contract to include any amounts paid by a covered individual or on behalf of a covered individual when calculating the covered individual's cost sharing requirement. Provides that the cost sharing requirement for a prescription drug under a policy of accident and sickness insurance or a health maintenance organization contract will be calculated at the point of sale and based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 85% of all rebates received by the insurer in connection with the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug.

Expands the definition of "school" for purposes of teacher appreciation grants. Appropriates from the state general fund to the department of education $100,000,000 for the 2019-2020 state fiscal year and $100,000,000 for the 2020-2021 state fiscal year, each for distribution as additional teacher appreciation grant awards to all eligible teachers. Defines "eligible teacher" as an individual teacher who: (1) is eligible to receive a teacher appreciation grant stipend; and (2) is employed by the school corporation at the time of the distribution. Provides that the distribution amount to each school corporation shall be determined on a pro rata basis based on the number of eligible schools and current ADM. Provides that the department of education shall administer the distributions. Provides that distributions to eligible teachers for the 2019-2020 state fiscal year must be made not later than June 30, 2020. Provides that the distributions to eligible teachers for the 2020-2021 state fiscal year must be made at the same time teacher appreciation grants are allocated and distributed to eligible teachers under current law.

Requires the state department of health (state department) to establish state maximum contaminant levels for likely or known carcinogens and toxic chemicals likely to pose a substantial health hazard. Requires the state department to establish maximum contaminant levels for PFAS, chromium-6, and 1,4-dioxane in water provided by public water systems. Requires the state department to consider establishing maximum contaminant levels in water provided by public water systems for another pollutant when two or more other states have set limits or issued guidance concerning that pollutant. Provides that maximum contaminant levels established by the state department: (1) must be protective of public health, including the health of vulnerable subpopulations; and (2) may not be less stringent than any maximum contaminant level or health advisory promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Removes provisions making the operation of a vehicle or motorboat with a metabolite of THC in the person's body (without proof of intoxication) an offense. Reduces the penalty for possession of marijuana, hashish, hash oil, and salvia to: (1) a Class C infraction for a first offense; (2) a Class C misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense; and (3) a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense if the person possesses more than a specified amount. Reduces the penalty for possession of marijuana, hashish, hash oil, or salvia packaged in a container labeled as containing low THC hemp extract to a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that a person's probation may not be revoked solely on the basis that the person tested positive for marijuana or a metabolite of marijuana. Makes conforming amendments.

Changes the current incremental finance charge limits that apply to a small loan to a maximum annual rate. Prohibits making, or taking other actions with respect to, a small loan with a greater rate or amount of interest, or other fees and charges, than allowed under the statute governing small loans.

Provides that the state board of education shall place each school in a category or designation of school performance once annually pursuant to the department of education's consolidated state plan approved by the United States Department of Education in accordance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Repeals certain provisions relating to the current school accountability requirements. Makes conforming amendments.

Requires certain school corporations and schools to provide information and meet certain requirements regarding compatibility with the Ed-Fi Data Standard. Establishes a five year moratorium for any new school corporations, charter schools, and eligible choice scholarship schools. Limits student enrollment in virtual charter schools. Provides that a school corporation may request that the department of education (department) waive for school employees of the school corporation one or more school employee training requirements. Amends requirements regarding: (1) out of state license holders obtaining an Indiana teaching license; and (2) adding a content area to an Indiana teaching license if an individual holds a teaching license in a content area in another state. Establishes a temporary district level administrator license and a temporary building level administrator license. Provides that a special education cooperative, cooperative career and technical education program, and special education program established by an interlocal agreement may qualify for a teacher appreciation grant. Provides that an elementary school's final category or designation of school performance assigned by the state board of education (state board) for the 2018-2019 school year may not be lower than the elementary school's grade for the 2017-2018 school year. Provides that the official category or designation of school performance for any school for the 2018-2019 school year may not be used for purposes of certain consequences related to school performance. Requires the state board to adopt emergency rules to amend the points scale used to determine a school's final category or designation of school performance. Amends, beginning July 1, 2021, the day established for fall count and spring count in determining average daily membership (ADM). Amends the count dates for determining grants for special education programs and the use of the count dates in distributing grants for special education programs. Removes the requirements that: (1) teacher evaluations must include objective measures of student growth as part of the evaluation; and (2) school buses must have black reflective tape. Repeals a provision that provides that the professional growth experience points required to renew a practitioner license or an accomplished practitioner license be obtained through the completion of externships or certain other types of professional development. Repeals certain provisions regarding the fall and spring count days.

Makes the following changes to the residential landlord-tenant statute: (1) Increases from 10 days to 14 days the time in which a tenant has to cure a failure to pay past due rent before the landlord may terminate the lease. (2) Provides that a landlord may not initiate an eviction proceeding or otherwise terminate a tenant's lease for certain alleged violations by the tenant unless the landlord provides the tenant with at least 14 days notice and the opportunity to cure the alleged violation. (3) Specifies that a landlord that seeks to terminate for any reason a lease for: (A) a tenancy at will; or (B) a tenancy of not more than three months that extends from one period to the next; must serve advance written notice on the tenant within the statutory time frames for the determination of such tenancies. (4) In the case of a one-year rental agreement for an unfurnished rental unit, prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant to pay as a security deposit an amount that exceeds one monthly installment of rent. (5) Requires a landlord to give a tenant at least 60 days written notice before: (A) modifying the rental agreement in any way; or (B) increasing the rent. (Current law requires a landlord to give at least 30 days written notice before modifying the rental agreement in any way.) (6) Requires a landlord to give a tenant at least 48 hours advance notice of the landlord's intent to enter the tenant's dwelling unit. (Current law requires a landlord to give reasonable notice of the landlord's intent to enter a dwelling unit.) (7) Provides that, before a landlord may bring a court action to enforce a statutory obligation of a tenant, the landlord must: (A) serve written notice on the tenant of the tenant's noncompliance with the obligation; and (B) give the tenant at least 14 days from the date the notice is served to remedy the noncompliance. (Current law does not require the notice to be written and provides that the tenant must be given a reasonable amount of time to remedy the noncompliance.) (8) Defines: (A) "essential services" as certain utility services needed for the safe and habitable occupation by a tenant of the tenant's rental unit; and (B) "essential systems" as certain systems used to deliver essential services to a rental unit. Requires a landlord to repair or replace an essential system not later than 24 hours after being notified by a tenant that the tenant's rental unit is without essential services as a result of: (A) a malfunction in the essential system; or (B) the landlord's failure to maintain the system in good and safe working condition. (9) Provides that a tenant may enforce a statutory obligation of a landlord by: (A) providing 30 days notice to the landlord of the landlord's noncompliance with the obligation; and (B) if the landlord fails to make the repairs necessary to remedy the noncompliance, withholding from the next regular rental payment the estimated cost of the repairs and using the amount withheld to make the repairs. (10) Provides that, during the pendency of a court action brought by a tenant to enforce a statutory obligation of a landlord, the court may order the tenant to make the regular rental payments otherwise due to the landlord under the rental agreement to: (A) the clerk of the court; or (B) an attorney trust account; to be held in trust for disbursal to the prevailing party, as ordered by the court. (11) Prohibits a court or the operator of a case management system from disclosing information relating to an eviction action: (A) if the case is dismissed, or if the tenant prevails in the action or upon appeal; or (B) upon order of the court after a petition to prohibit disclosure is made by the tenant: (i) not earlier than five years after a judgment of eviction against the tenant becomes final; or (ii) at least one year after the case was filed if the case remains pending with no judgment. (12) Establishes the Indiana eviction prevention and reduction program to: (A) avoid the filing of unnecessary eviction actions; and (B) reduce the number of eviction judgments entered; with respect to residential rental units. Provides that the Indiana housing and community development authority (authority) shall administer the program. Requires the authority to establish, not later than January 1, 2021, policies and procedures to implement and administer the program. (13) Provides that a landlord that knowingly: (A) advertises for rent in Indiana; or (B) enters, or offers to enter into, a rental agreement for the lease of; a rental unit for which an enforcement authority has issued an order under the unsafe building law commits fraudulent leasing, a Class A misdemeanor.