Establishes redistricting standards for congressional and state legislative districts. Provides that the initial proposed plans for congressional and state legislative districts must comply with the redistricting standards. Allows the general assembly, during the process by which the initial proposed plans become effective by being enacted as a law, to consider and adopt modifications to the initial proposed plans that deviate from the redistricting standards as long as the reason or reasons for each deviation are publicly explained and documented. Provides that as much as feasibly possible no district may be created so as to unduly favor any person or political party. Provides that the general assembly shall: (1) take all steps necessary to ensure that the procedures are in place to provide the public with redistricting data and computer software for drawing maps; and (2) create a process for the public to submit maps to the general assembly for consideration.
Sponsored bills
Establishes the health care strategy task force. Sets forth membership and requires the task force to report to the general assembly by November 1, 2022.
Requires the department of workforce development to establish a paid family and medical leave program to provide payments for employees who take family and medical leave. Establishes the family and medical leave fund to be funded with appropriations from the general assembly and payroll contributions. Specifies requirements for administration of the paid family and medical leave program. Provides for the department of workforce development to approve an employer's use of a private plan to meet the paid family and medical leave program obligations.
Amends the statute concerning the issuance of permits by local permit authorities to communications service providers for the construction and installation of wireless facilities and wireless support structures (including small cell facilities) as follows: (1) Allows a neighborhood association, a homeowners association, or an individual resident of the area over which a permit authority has jurisdiction to register with the permit authority to receive mailed notice of any permit application filed with the permit authority. (Current law allows only neighborhood associations and homeowners associations to register to receive notice, and only with respect to applications for new utility poles or new wireless support structures used to support small cell facilities.) (2) Provides that upon receiving a permit application after June 30, 2021, a permit authority shall provide notice of the application on: (A) the permit authority's Internet web site; or (B) if the permit authority does not maintain an Internet web site, the Internet web site of each affected local unit with respect to which the permit authority has jurisdiction. (3) Specifies that a local unit or permit authority is not prohibited from adopting any ordinance or regulation that requires or regulates the placement of signs, markers, or other notices: (A) on or near any wireless support structures or wireless facilities; and (B) that include information, notice, or warnings concerning radio frequency fields or radiation associated with wireless facilities. (4) Subject to protections for certain information, requires: (A) permit authorities to submit information to the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) concerning: (i) the location of each wireless facility or wireless support structure for which a permit has been approved; and (ii) the communications service provider for which the permit was approved; and (B) the IURC to publish on the IURC's Internet web site the information submitted. (5) With respect to an application for a permit to construct a new wireless support structure: (A) removes language allowing an applicant's decision not to collocate wireless facilities on an existing wireless support structure to be based on evidence that collocation would be an economic burden to the applicant; and (B) requires that certain other evidence that may serve as the basis for an applicant's decision against collocation be certified by a professional engineer. (6) Provides that with respect to an application for the placement of a small cell facility and the associated supporting structure at a location where a supporting structure does not exist, a permit authority may propose, as an alternative location, that the small cell facility be collocated on an existing utility pole or wireless support structure if the existing utility pole or wireless support structure is located within 100 feet (versus 50 feet under current law) of the applicant's proposed location. (7) Requires the applicant to use the permit authority's alternative location if that location will not result in technical limitations or significant additional costs, as certified by a professional engineer whose selection is agreed to by both parties. (Current law allows the applicant, rather than requires an independent professional engineer, to determine whether the permit authority's proposed alternative location will result in technical limitations or additional costs.) (8)With respect to an application concerning a small cell facility and an associated supporting structure, removes a provision that prohibits a permit authority from conditioning approval of the application on the applicant's agreement to allow other wireless facilities to be placed at, attached to, or located on the associated support structure. (9) Specifies that the statute does not prohibit a local unit or a permit authority from offering or approving tax incentives or other incentives for communications service providers that offer or agree to collocate a proposed wireless facility on an existing structure. (10) Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications the task of studying the impact on human health of radiation or radio frequency fields associated with wireless communications facilities.
Establishes the Indiana local projects fund (fund) to provide grants to nonprofit organizations and units of local government. Provides that the Indiana economic development corporation (corporation) shall administer the fund. Defines "nonprofit organization" as a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is community development and revitalization. Provides that the fund is to support proposals for local community development and revitalization, including job creation. Provides that grants may not exceed $5,000,000 per project. Provides that grants must be matched by the applicant. Provides that the board of the corporation shall form a strategic review committee to review applications for grants. Specifies the criteria the board shall consider in making a grant.
Provides that a school corporation is eligible to receive a licensed teacher pay grant for teacher salaries if the school corporation pays each full-time teacher employed by the school corporation an annual gross salary of at least $40,000.
Amends the definition of "eligible child" and "limited eligible child" for purposes of the early education grant pilot program. Establishes a definition of "virtual instruction" for purposes of determining a school corporation's basic tuition support using the average daily membership (ADM). Amends the instructional time requirements for not more than 18 student instructional days in a school year if half of the instructional time during the day is used for one or more of the following: (1) Teacher professional development. (2) Student planning. (3) Teacher collaboration efforts with other teachers, school administrators, or both. Provides that a school's or school corporation's category or designation of school or school corporation performance assigned by the state board of education for the 2020-2021 school year is the higher of the school's or school corporation's: (1) category or designation of school or school corporation performance assigned for the 2019-2020 school year; or (2) category or designation of school or school corporation performance for the 2020-2021 school year. Provides that consequences for school improvement do not apply for the 2020-2021 school year. Requires that every two years the department of education prepare and present to the budget committee an update on the status of the complexity index. Provides civil immunity for damages resulting from exposure of an individual to COVID-19 on school corporation property or at a school corporation sponsored activity.
Establishes qualifications for members appointed to the division of disability and rehabilitative services advisory council (council). Requires the council to submit an annual report to the general assembly.
Provides that a franchisee that prevails in an action against a franchisor for deceptive franchise practices is entitled to recovery of reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the franchisee in the action.
Establishes the rental assistance, utilities assistance, and mortgage assistance fund (fund) for the purpose of providing grants that may be used by an individual to make payments for: (1) rent; (2) electricity, water, sewage, or gas service; or (3) a mortgage on the individual's residence; on which the individual is more than 30 days overdue. Specifies sources for the fund. Provides that the fund is administered by the Indiana housing and community development authority (authority) and requires the authority to make information available to the public regarding the availability of grants from the fund. Appropriates $100,000,000 to the fund from federal relief funding provided by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 health emergency.