Establishes the Indiana broadband connectivity program (program) for the purpose of expanding availability of broadband Internet connectivity throughout Indiana. Provides that as part of the program, the office must establish a public broadband portal through which an individual may report that minimum broadband Internet (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 25 megabits per second downstream and at least three megabits per second upstream) is unavailable at the individual's residential or business address. Provides that a broadband Internet provider may: (1) register with the program; (2) receive, at least every three months, listings of addresses submitted to the office as addresses at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable; (3) report to the office any listed address at which the provider's minimum broadband Internet service is already available; and (4) bid for an award of a grant for purposes of extending connectivity to broadband Internet service (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 50 megabits per second downstream and at least five megabits per second upstream) to an address at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable. Provides that in evaluating any bids received under the program, the office shall select the provider whose bid presents the lowest cost to the state. Provides that a grant awarded to a provider under the program may not exceed the following: (1) A per-line extension amount that exceeds $25,000, regardless of the number of addresses served by the line extension. (2) A per-passing amount that exceeds the state's cost per passing for all rural broadband grants awarded from the fund as of the last day of the immediately preceding state fiscal year. Requires the office to provide to the general assembly an annual report containing specified data regarding the program. Provides that the office may maintain a geographic information system (GIS) or similar data base that contains spatial data regarding the availability of broadband Internet service in Indiana. Provides that the office may evaluate the broadband Internet coverage map created by the Federal Communications Commission under the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (FCC map) and: (1) if the office finds that the FCC map: (A) provides address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provides a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; use the FCC map to update the office's broadband Internet coverage map; or (2) if the office finds that the FCC map does not: (A) provide address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provide a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; report that finding to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications during the 2022 legislative interim.
Sponsored bills
Adds provisions that do the following: (1) Provide that the legislative body and the board of zoning appeals (BZA) of Lawrence, Speedway, Southport, and Beech Grove in Marion County (excluded city) have exclusive territorial jurisdiction within the excluded city's boundaries. (2) Require (rather than allow) the excluded city legislative body to conduct a hearing, acting as the plan commission, on a proposed zone map amendment affecting property within the excluded city. Provides that the excluded city legislative body (instead of the consolidated city and county legislative body) makes the decision regarding the zone map amendment. (3) Allow a member of the excluded city legislative body to appeal a decision of the BZA to the excluded city legislative body. (4) Provide that the excluded city legislative body's decision on the appeal is subject to judicial review. Requires all townships to be represented across all the divisions of the board of zoning appeals. Provides that not more than two members appointed to each division of the board of zoning appeals may be residents of the same township. Requires the appointing authority to consult with the township executive regarding the appointments. Requires appeals and applications for variances, special exceptions, special uses, contingent uses, and conditional uses to be allocated to a division of the board of zoning appeals that has at least one member who is a resident of a township in which the property is located that is the subject of the appeal or application.
Requires a sales disclosure form to include an attestation that a property transferred will continue to be used by a church or religious society for the same tax exempt purpose. Provides that a county assessor that reasonably suspects that property transferred is no longer being used by a church or religious society for the same tax exempt purpose may request articles of incorporation or bylaws to confirm the attestation included in the sales disclosure form. Provides that the request for articles of incorporation or bylaws to confirm the attestation must: (1) be made in writing; and (2) include a written explanation of the assessor's reasonable suspicion describing why the assessor believes that the property transferred is no longer being used by the church or religious society for the same tax exempt purpose. Specifies that the provisions in the bill apply to transactions occurring after December 31, 2021. Provides that when an exempt property owned by a church or religious society is transferred to another church or religious society to be used for the same exempt purpose, the transferee church or religious society is not required to file an exemption application with the county assessor. Provides that if the property remains eligible for the exemption, the exempt status carries over to the transferee church or religious society.
Provides that a court may suspend only that part of a sentence that is in excess of the minimum sentence for a person convicted of a Level 2 or Level 3 felony who has a prior unrelated felony conviction, other than a conviction for a felony involving marijuana, hashish, hash oil, or salvia divinorum. (Current law provides that a court may suspend any part of a sentence for certain Level 2 and Level 3 felony convictions, including drug related convictions.)
Requires the state police department to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of persons who destroy, damage, vandalize, or desecrate a monument, memorial, or statue. Requires the state police department to assist political subdivisions in the investigation and prosecution of persons who destroy, damage, vandalize, or desecrate a monument, memorial, or statue. Provides that discretionary funding for a political subdivision may not be withheld from a political subdivision in certain circumstances. Provides that a state agency may provide discretionary funding to a political subdivision for a respective grant program after considering whether the political subdivision has taken all appropriate enforcement actions to protect public monuments, memorials, and statues from destruction or vandalism. Defines "discretionary funding". Adds enhanced penalties to the crime of rioting.
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.
A SENATE RESOLUTION declaring that the policy of the State of Indiana is to support the state's sovereign authority to manage, control, and administer its own election laws.
A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting.
A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Ryan Vaughn for his exemplary contributions to the City of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana.
A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Mark Huggler upon his retirement from the Indiana Senate.