Sen. Jon Ford

Provides that a school corporation is not considered to be in deficit financing if the sum of the ending respective cash balance on June 30 of the immediately preceding state fiscal year of: (1) the school corporation's rainy day fund; plus (2) the school corporation's education fund; exceeds an amount equal to 25% of the school corporation's most recently adopted annual budget.

Provides that an individual may be employed by a child care provider before the state-mandated criminal history check of the individual is completed if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The individual's: (A) fingerprint-based check of national crime information data bases; (B) national sex offender registry check; (C) in-state local criminal records check; and (D) in-state child protection index check; have been completed. (2) If the individual has resided outside Indiana at any time during the five years preceding the individual's date of hire, the individual's: (A) out-of-state child abuse registry check; and (B) out-of-state local criminal records check; have been requested. (3) The individual's employment before the completion of the state-mandated criminal history check is limited to training during which the individual: (A) does not have contact with children who are under the care and control of the child care provider; and (B) does not have access to records containing information regarding children who are under the care and control of the child care provider. (4) The individual completes an attestation, under penalty of perjury, disclosing: (A) any abuse or neglect complaints made against the individual with the child welfare agency of a state other than Indiana in which the individual resided within the five years preceding the date of the attestation; and (B) any contact the individual had with a law enforcement agency in connection with the individual's suspected or alleged commission of a crime in a state other than Indiana in which the individual resided within the five years preceding the date of the attestation. Establishes a process by which a child caring institution, group home, licensed child placing agency, or secure private facility (child services providers) may request a review of base rates and other cost-based rates approved by the department of child services (department).

Repeals the law that requires a person to obtain a license to carry a handgun in Indiana. Specifies that certain persons who are not otherwise prohibited from carrying or possessing a handgun are not required to obtain or possess a license or permit from the state to carry a handgun in Indiana. Prohibits certain individuals from knowingly or intentionally carrying a handgun. Creates the crime of "unlawful carrying of a handgun" and specifies the penalties for committing this crime. Allows particular individuals who do not meet the requirements to receive a handgun license and are not otherwise prohibited to carry a handgun in limited places. Allows a resident of Indiana to obtain in certain circumstances a license to carry a handgun in Indiana. Makes theft of a firearm a Level 5 felony. Defines certain terms. Makes conforming amendments and repeals obsolete provisions.

Modifies the definition of "protected person" for purposes of the admission of a statement or videotape of an individual who is less than 14 years of age at the time of the offense but less than 18 years of age at the time of trial. Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally: (1) pays, or offers or agrees to pay, money or other property; or (2) offers a benefit; for a human trafficking victim with the specific intent to induce or obtain the product or act for which the human trafficking victim was trafficked commits human trafficking, a Level 4 felony. Specifies that consent by the human trafficking victim is not a defense to a prosecution. Requires law enforcement agencies to report human trafficking investigations to the attorney general within 30 days after an investigation begins. Makes a technical correction.

Provides for the mechanism for underground storage of carbon dioxide in Indiana. Provides that the new chapter does not apply to the carbon sequestration pilot project established pursuant to IC 14-39-1. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the statute governing certificates of public convenience and necessity (certificates) that are issued by the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for the construction, lease, or purchase of electric generation facilities to require the IURC, in consultation with the department of environmental management (department), to adopt rules concerning the granting of certificates for the construction, purchase, or lease of small modular nuclear reactors: (1) in Indiana for the generation of electricity to be used to furnish public utility service to Indiana customers; or (2) at the site of a nuclear energy production or generating facility that supplies electricity to Indiana retail customers on July 1, 2011. Requires the IURC to adopt the rules not later than July 1, 2023. Provides that the rules adopted by the IURC must provide that in acting on a public utility's petition for a certificate for one or more small modular nuclear reactors, the IURC shall consider the following: (1) Whether, and to what extent, the one or more small modular nuclear reactors proposed by the public utility will replace a loss of generating capacity in the public utility's portfolio resulting from the retirement or planned retirement of one or more of existing electric generating facilities that: (A) are located in Indiana; and (B) use coal or natural gas as a fuel source. (2) Whether one or more of the small modular nuclear reactors will be located on the same site as or near the facility to be retired and, if so, potential opportunities for the public utility to: (A) make use of any land and existing infrastructure or facilities already owned or under the control of the public utility; or (B) create new employment opportunities for workers who have been, or would be, displaced as a result of the retirement of the existing facility. Provides that the IURC's rules must provide that the IURC may grant a certificate under circumstances and for locations other than these. Sets forth additional requirements for small modular nuclear reactors that must be included in the IURC's rules, including the requirement that the owner or operator of a proposed small modular nuclear reactor must provide evidence of a plan to apply for all licenses or permits to construct or operate the proposed small modular nuclear reactor required by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the department, or any other relevant state or federal regulatory agency. Amends the statute providing certain financial incentives for energy utilities that invest in clean energy projects by providing that, for purposes of the statute, a "clean energy project" and a "nuclear energy production or generating facility" include a small modular nuclear reactor that is constructed after June 30, 2023: (1) in Indiana for the generation of electricity to be used to furnish public utility service to Indiana customers; or (2) at the site of a nuclear energy production or generating facility that supplies electricity to Indiana retail customers on July 1, 2011; under the rules adopted by the IURC under the bill. Defines "small modular nuclear reactor" for purposes of the bill's provisions.

Provides that, in determining whether at least 50% of the instructional services that a student receives from a school corporation is virtual instruction for purposes of the 2021 fall count of ADM, the department of education (department) shall review the attendance of each student on each school day from the school corporation's first day of school until the school corporation's last day of school of the 2021 fall semester. Makes an exception regarding the school days the department reviews for students who transferred to or from a school corporation during the 2021 fall semester. Provides that, if a school corporation's tuition support amount is adjusted as a result of the application of this provision, the department shall, after December 31, 2021, settle any overpayment or underpayment of state tuition support to a school corporation resulting from the adjustment of tuition support on the schedule determined by the department. Requires each school corporation and charter school to annually report to the department the number of students who, during the students' expected graduation year: (1) were enrolled in the school corporation on the September ADM count day; (2) completed graduation requirements before the February ADM count day; and (3) were not enrolled in the school corporation on the February ADM count day. Requires, not later than September 1 of each year, the department to: (1) compile and prepare a report regarding the information reported by school corporations and charter schools; and (2) submit the report to the legislative council.

Provides that not later than October 1, 2022, the department of administration (department), on behalf of the office of technology (office), shall issue a request for information for purposes of exploring how blockchain technology could be used by a state agency to: (1) achieve greater cost efficiency and cost effectiveness; and (2) improve consumer convenience, experience, data security, and data privacy. Requires the office to compile a report concerning the request for information and submit the report to the legislative council in an electronic format not later than March 31, 2023. Defines "blockchain technology" and "distributed ledger technology". Requires an agency to submit an emergency rule to the attorney general for review and approval before the emergency rule may take effect. Provides that emergency rules may not be effective for a period that exceeds 180 days. Provides that certain emergency rules expire not more than two years after the rule takes effect. Requires an agency adopting an administrative rule to submit an economic impact statement and an explanation of any penalty, fine, or other similar negative impact included in the proposed rule to the publisher of the Indiana Administrative Code (publisher). Requires the publisher to provide a copy of the materials concerning a proposed rule or pending readoption to the members of the appropriate standing committee, the governor, and the office of management and budget. Provides that administrative rules expire on July 1 of the fourth year after the year in which the rule takes effect (instead of January 1 of the seventh year after the year in which the rule takes effect). Requires an agency intending to readopt an administrative rule to provide to the publisher, not later than January 1 of the third year after the year in which the rule most recently took effect: (1) notice of; and (2) information concerning; the pending readoption. Requires that all broadband infrastructure projects that are funded in whole or in part by a grant or loan from the regional economic acceleration and development initiative (READI) fund must satisfy the criteria and requirements as described in the rural broadband program. Makes corresponding changes.

Requires the director, assistant director, or co-director of a board of elections and registration (rather than a member of the board) to attend a meeting called by the election division. Allows a member of a county election board to attend a meeting called by the election division. Provides reimbursement for the individuals who attend the meeting (current law only provides reimbursement for those required to attend). Makes changes to the county election officials instructional meeting, including duration, compensation, and expenses. Provides that record retention under seal does not prevent counties from conducting audits after an election as authorized by statute. Provides that a voter with print disabilities who chooses to vote by electronic mail must have the voter's absentee ballot application submitted to the circuit court clerk not later than 11:59 p.m. 12 days before election day. Provides that except for casting a replacement ballot under election law, a voter who knowingly or intentionally votes more than one ballot in the same election commits a Level 6 felony. Makes a technical correction.

Requires, beginning July 1, 2023, the office of the secretary of family and social services (office of the secretary) and a managed care organization to reimburse under Medicaid an emergency medical services provider organization that is a Medicaid provider at a rate comparable to the federal Medicare reimbursement rate for the service. Specifies that the Medicaid reimbursement methodology for payments to out of state children's hospitals must factor in any cost outlier case in a manner that results in the final reimbursement rate made to a hospital meeting the specified reimbursement requirements. Allows the office to make retroactive reimbursement payments for out of state children's hospitals upon factoring in any cost outlier case.