Establishes the interim study committee on child services (committee). Provides that the committee: (1) shall review the annual reports submitted by local child fatality review teams and by the statewide child fatality review committee and shall report to the legislative council regarding the committee's review of the reports; and (2) may make recommendations regarding changes in policy or statutes to improve child safety; in addition to reporting to the legislative council regarding any other issue assigned to the committee by the legislative council. Provides that a local child fatality committee may meet at the call of members of the local child fatality committee other than the county prosecutor for purposes of the first meeting of the local child fatality committee. Requires the summary information included in the department's annual report regarding child fatalities to indicate, with regard to a child fatality that was the result of abuse or neglect, whether the child was a ward of the department at the time of the event that led to the child's death. Requires the department to provide the annual report to the committee. Urges the legislative council to assign the following topics to the committee, or to another appropriate study committee, for study during the 2021 legislative interim: (1) Amending the Indiana Code to provide for a structured, limited, confidential process by which members of the general assembly may, in the regular course of legislative duties, individually request and view reports and other materials regarding cases of child abuse or neglect and child fatalities resulting from abuse or neglect, while protecting personally identifying information and confidentiality. (2) The child fatality review process, including recommendations from the department and the state department of health with regard to improving reporting and data collection. Requires a local child fatality review committee that has not held its first meeting as of the effective date of the bill to hold its first meeting not later than December 31, 2021.
Sponsored bills
Provides that an interview or negotiation conducted between the Indiana White River state park development commission (commission) and an industrial or commercial prospect may be held as an executive session. Provides that certain records related to negotiations conducted between the commission and an industrial, research, or commercial prospect are exempt from public disclosure under the Access to Public Records Act at the discretion of the commission. Provides that application information declared confidential by the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) is exempt from public disclosure under the Access to Public Records Act. (Under current law, only application information relating to the Indiana twenty-first century research and technology fund is exempt from public disclosure if declared confidential by the IEDC.) Removes the responsibility of the governor to appoint a president of the IEDC and provides instead that the secretary of commerce is also the president of the IEDC. Requires the IEDC to post to a transparency portal on the IEDC's Internet web site: (1) final offer of public financial resources to which the IEDC is a party; and (2) reports submitted by the IEDC to the general assembly. Provides that the IEDC acts as the small business ombudsman. (Under current law, the IEDC designates a single IEDC employee as the small business ombudsman.) Amends the definition of "lender" for purposes of the capital access program. Provides that the chairman and treasurer of the commission serve until replaced by the governor or when the member's term expires, whichever occurs earlier. Provides that the executive director of the commission is the chief administrative officer of the commission and specifies certain duties and powers of the executive officer. Deletes language concerning the composition of the real estate commission.
Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) to apply for a Medicaid state plan amendment or Medicaid waiver for the following: (1) Reimbursement of Medicaid rehabilitation option services for a Medicaid eligible recipient who is undertaking an initial assessment, intake, or counseling in a community mental health center. (2) Reimbursement for Medicaid rehabilitation option services concurrently with reimbursement under the residential addiction treatment program. Requires a community mental health center to commence a plan of treatment within two weeks for a Medicaid recipient who receives services after the office has amended the state plan. Specifies that for purposes of a community mental health center, telehealth services satisfy any face to face meeting requirement between a clinician and consumer. Requires at least two members of the division of mental health and addiction planning and advisory council to be community mental health center chief executive officers or designees. Specifies that the division of mental health and addiction (division) has primary oversight over suicide prevention and crisis services activities and coordination and designation of the 9-8-8 crisis hotline centers. Sets forth requirements to be designated as a 9-8-8 crisis hotline center. Establishes the statewide 9-8-8 trust fund. Allows advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to perform certain duties that are performed by a physician under the home health agencies laws. Allows a nonprofit association of cities and towns to participate in the state aggregate prescription drug purchasing program. Requires a public school that issues, after June 30, 2022, a student identification card to a student in grade 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 to include on the student identification card the 9-8-8 crisis hotline and other crisis hotline phone numbers. Delays the requirement that a prescription for a controlled substance be in an electronic format until January 1, 2022. Allows for an exemption from the requirement of issuing a controlled substance prescription in an electronic format if the dispensing pharmacy or provider is unable to receive or process an electronically transmitted prescription. Requires certain rules adopted by the Indiana board of pharmacy (board) to be substantially similar to certain federal regulations. Adds behavior analysts to the definition of "practitioner" for purposes of the telehealth laws. Amends the definition of "telehealth". Amends the required graduate level courses and clinical experience that an applicant is required to obtain for a license as a clinical addiction counselor. Allows a pharmacist and pharmacy technician to administer an immunization for coronavirus disease. Allows a registered nurse to provide for the direct supervision of a pharmacist intern or pharmacist student who administers an immunization. Changes references of the "pharmacist in charge" to the "pharmacist on duty". Allows a pharmacist to supervise eight pharmacy interns. Allows a pharmacy technician to work remotely to perform specified responsibilities. Provides that the board shall hold the pharmacy permit holder accountable, rather than the qualifying pharmacy, for staffing violations if the qualifying pharmacist does not have the authority to make staffing determinations. Specifies that a transfer of a prescription includes a schedule II controlled substance. Removes the requirement that a pharmacist provide a patient with a written advance beneficiary notice that states that the patient may not be eligible for reimbursement for the device or supply. Changes remote dispensing facility requirements concerning location of the facility. Changes how long a remote dispensing facility must retain a surveillance recording from 45 days to 30 days. Removes specified physical requirements that a video monitor being used by the remote facility must meet. Adds therapeutic substitution to the definition of "protocol" for purposes of drug regimen adjustments and defines "therapeutic alternative" and specifies use of therapeutic alternative requirements for protocols. Removes a requirement for drug protocols concerning availability of medical records. Allows for physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to make referrals to pharmacists. Removes the requirement that the executive director of the Indiana professional licensing agency provide advice and consent before a majority of the members of the physical therapist committee may call a meeting. Requires the medical licensing board to adopt rules before January 1, 2022, that are required under the laws concerning physician assistants. Adds any plan or program that provides payment, reimbursement, or indemnification for the cost of prescription drugs to the definition of a "health plan". Adds two members to the justice reinvestment advisory council.
Defines "breach of peace" and "law enforcement officer" for purposes of election law. Includes an identification document issued by a Native American Indian tribe or band for purposes of proof of identification. Specifies to whom a watcher must report any violation of election laws. Requires the prior consent of an inspector for a watcher to object to any other precinct election officer concerning an alleged violation of election laws and allows for the removal of the watcher and revocation of credentials for a violation. Amends the definition of "electioneering" and adds language prohibiting making verbal statements, displaying certain written statements, or the display of support for the approval or defeat of a public question and electioneering before election day in specified locations. Makes it criminal trespass for a person to enter or refuse to leave a polling location after having been prohibited entry or asked to leave by an election officer or a law enforcement officer acting on behalf of an election officer.
Defines "anomaly" and amends the definitions of "ballot label," "de minimis change," "electronic poll book," and "state office". Requires the entry of filing information concerning all candidates into the statewide voter registration system. Requires, for voting systems initially certified for marketing and use in Indiana after January 1, 2022, certain universally recognized symbols of a candidate's legal name to be displayed. Allows the secretary of state to provide parts and reports from the voter registration system information from the computerized list to law enforcement officials conducting an investigation if certain requirements are met. Requires election certification documents to be filed only through the statewide voter registration system. Provides that the precinct judge performs the duties of a precinct election sheriff under certain circumstances. Allows the cancellation of the registration of a deceased person based on a notice published by a funeral director or embalmer on the Internet web site of the funeral director or embalmer. Describes the process by which the name of an Indiana resident who has been imprisoned for conviction of a crime in another state is removed from the voter registration list. Provides that a person is disqualified from assuming or being a candidate for an elected office if the person is a nonjudicial court employee who would violate Rule 4.6 of the Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct by being the candidate of a political party for nomination or election to an elected office or a political party office. Makes changes to the formatting of nonpartisan judicial offices on the ballot. Provides that a candidate is considered affiliated with a particular political party for purposes of determining whether the candidate is qualified to be on that party's primary election ballot if the two most recent primary elections in which the candidate voted were primary elections held by the political party with which the candidate claims affiliation. (Under current law, only the most recent primary election that the candidate voted in must have been held by the political party with which the candidate claims affiliation.) Requires ballots to have precinct numbers or designations. Requires retention of electronic poll book information for the same retention period as other election records. Provides that ballot proofs be made available for inspection 67 days before the date of the election. Permits a county election board to authorize the use of absentee ballots by voters when a state disaster emergency is declared or a county disaster emergency is declared within 11 days of an election. Requires that an absentee ballot application requesting that an absentee ballot be sent by mail or by traveling board submitted to a county using the statewide voter registration system must include a telephone number to contact the applicant; permits the applicant to include the applicant's electronic mail address. Provides that if an application for an absentee ballot is denied, the county election board must provide the voter in writing with the reasons for the denial of the application. (Under current law, only absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters are required to be provided with notice of denial of an absentee ballot application.) Provides that, with certain exceptions, an individual must be a citizen of the United States to be permitted in the polls during an election and authorizes the secretary of state to grant exceptions. Authorizes a voter board visiting a voter with an illness or injury or a voter who is caring for a confined person at a private residence to use an electronic poll book. Specifies the procedure when a voter leaves the clerk's office or satellite office without casting the voter's absentee ballot for the vote to be cast by the absentee voter board. Specifies the requirements for the timing and security of the bipartisan initialing of absentee ballots. Increases the amount of time a voter has to vote in a primary election from three minutes to five minutes and the amount of time to vote in a general, municipal, or special election from two minutes to four minutes. Adds requirements for testing of voting systems before an election. Specifies the procedure requiring the reporting of problems experienced with voting systems or electronic poll books. Adds requirements for disposing of voting system units. Requires a voting system to contain features to ensure that unauthorized software has not been installed on the equipment, and to permit the electronic adjudication of voter intent on ballots cast using the voting system. Provides that any electronic device used to create a ballot file or program a voting system, or used with election management software, may not be connected to the Internet. Requires the Voting System Technical Oversight Program to conduct random audits of voting systems and electronic poll books in odd-numbered years. Requires a precinct election officer, in the case of a voter who casts a provisional ballot, or an absentee voter board, in the case of a voter who casts an absentee ballot that is treated as a provisional ballot, to provide both orally and in writing an explanation of the steps the voter must take in order to have the voter's ballot counted. Requires the election division to prescribe the form of the explanation. Requires the circuit court clerk to notify a voter who casts a provisional ballot not later than three days after election day concerning: (1) the reasons that the voter's ballot is being treated as a provisional ballot; (2) what actions, if any, that the voter must take in order to have the voter's ballot counted; (3) the deadline by which the voter must act to have the voter's ballot counted; and (4) certain contact information that the provisional voter may use to find out about the provisional voter's ballot. Requires that the notice must be in a form prescribed by the election division. Specifies procedures for the return of an electronic poll book or a voting system from the polls of the precinct or from the vote centers after the close of the polls on election day. Extends the deadline for filling a post-primary candidate vacancy from noon on June 30 to noon on July 3 and after July 3 in case of certain successful challenges to a candidate. Amends procedures for candidate filings to fill ballot vacancies in certain cases. Updates statutes setting schedules for upcoming elections. Repeals the current statute concerning the referral of a disputed ballot to a judge when a recount or contest has not been filed. Makes technical changes. Makes conforming amendments. Repeals obsolete provisions.
Provides for placement of a newborn safety device at any facility that is staffed by an emergency medical services provider on a 24 hour per day, seven day per week basis, provided the newborn safety device: (1) is located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to staff; and (2) includes a dual alarm system that is connected to the facility and is tested at least one time per month to ensure the alarm system is in working order. Provides for placement of a newborn safety device at any fire department, including a volunteer fire department that: (1) meets the minimum response time established by the county, not to exceed four minutes; (2) is located within one mile of a hospital, police station, or emergency medical services station that meets certain requirements; (3) is equipped with an alert system that, when the newborn safety device is opened, automatically connects to the 911 system and transmits a request for immediate dispatch of an emergency medical services provider to the location of the newborn safety device and is tested at least one time per month to ensure the alert system is in working order; and (4) is equipped with an independent video surveillance system that allows at least two members of a fire department to monitor inside the newborn safety device at all times. Provides that a person who in good faith voluntarily leaves a child in a newborn safety device located at such a facility or fire station is not obligated to disclose the parent's name or the person's name. Makes conforming amendments.
Increases the state earned income tax credit to an amount equal to 10% (instead of 9%) of the federal earned income tax credit that an individual claimed for a taxable year. Provides that for purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, income earned by a certain individual in the household who is participating in or pursuing a postsecondary degree, a workforce certificate, a pre-apprenticeship, or an apprenticeship may not disqualify an eligible household from receiving benefits, and may not be considered in determining the amount of assistance.
Adds any variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), including coronavirus disease (COVID-19), to the list of diseases considered an exposure risk disease for purposes of emergency and public safety employee death and disability presumed in the line of duty. Provides, for any employee who is diagnosed after June 30, 2021, with a health condition caused by any variant of SARS, including COVID-19, that if the health condition results in disability or death and the employee wishes to have a presumption of disability or death incurred in the line of duty apply to the employee, the employee shall, by written affidavit executed before death, provide verification that the employee has not, outside the scope of the employee's current employment, been exposed to another individual known to have any variant of SARS, including COVID-19. Makes technical corrections.
Requires the department of child services (department) to establish before October 1, 2021, policies and procedures to allow for child and family services to be provided remotely. Specifies factors that a child and family services provider and the department may consider in making a determination as to whether remote provision of services is appropriate for a child. Provides that a child and family services provider's first meeting with a family, or with a child who lives with the child's family, must be conducted in person unless a declared health emergency makes an in person meeting unsafe. Provides that after a child and family services provider's first meeting with a family or with a child who lives with the child's family, or for purposes of providing services to a child who does not live with the child's family, the provider has the discretion to provide services to the family or child remotely for up to 14 days after the initial request for consultation if providing services remotely is in the best interest of the child and family, unless: (1) a decision is reached on the use of remote services at a child and family team meeting less than 14 days after the request for consultation; or (2) the department communicates to the provider a preliminary determination as to the role of remote services pending the child and family team meeting.
Provides that net proceeds from an allowable activity and related activities may be used only for the lawful purposes of the qualified organization, including the: (1) repair; (2) maintenance; or (3) improvement; of owned real property used for the lawful purposes of the qualified organization. Increases the single prize limit for a progressive or carryover pull tab game in charity gaming to $15,000. Also increases the total prize limit for one pull tab, punchboard, or tip board game in charity gaming to $15,000. Provides that a qualified organization must abide by the rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Service regarding reporting and withholding rules for charitable prizes paid. Provides that for a raffle drawing, a retailer may not retain more than 20% of the proceeds, a retailer must establish and publish house rules, and the maximum amount of prizes in a raffle game is limited to $30,000. Provides that the total prizes for one type II gambling game, except for a raffle game, may not exceed $10,000. Provides that a single prize award for a winning ticket on a seal card game may not exceed $1,000. Provides that a single prize on a progressive or carryover pull tab game in a type II gambling game may not exceed $5,000. Provides that a type II gambling game includes raffles, progressive or carryover pull tab games, and sports-themed tip board and pull tab games. Specifies the end date for a licensed entity's accounting period. Replaces "annual casino night license" with "annual activity license". Specifies that the Indiana gaming commission (commission) may issue to a qualified organization an annual activity license to conduct a gambling activity approved by the commission, if certain requirements are met. Modifies restrictions applicable to a festival license. Modifies the restrictions applicable to a worker at a raffle conducted by a qualified organization. Removes a provision that allows the commission to authorize two bingo events each year at which the total prizes may not exceed $10,000. Provides that the commission may authorize a qualified organization to conduct a bingo event at which the total prizes exceed $6,000, and specifies that such a bingo event may be conducted at a festival. Provides that a person less than 18 years of age may sell tickets or chances for a raffle. Modifies a provision relating to the license fee for a three year charity gaming license issued to a qualified organization that is a bona fide veterans organization. Makes technical corrections and conforming amendments.