Sen. Jon Ford

Establishes the Senator David C. Ford cancer research account (Ford account) within the Indiana health care account. Provides that a taxpayer may designate all or a part of the taxpayer's state income tax refund to be paid over to the Ford account. Provides that the budget agency shall distribute the money in the Ford account in equal amounts to the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center and the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.

Defines "kratom product" as a food product or dietary ingredient that: (1) is derived from the leaf or extract of mitragyna speciosa and has a level of residual solvent that is not more than permitted by USP 467; (2) does not contain a level of 7-hydroxymitragynine in the alkaloid fraction that is greater than 1% of the overall alkaloid composition of the product; and (3) does not contain any synthetic alkaloids including synthetic mitragynin, synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine, or any other synthetic compound of a kratom plant. Establishes requirements for the manufacture, labeling, and sale of kratom products. Specifies that a kratom product is not a controlled substance.

Defines "election worker" and makes it a Level 6 felony to take certain actions: (1) for the purpose of influencing an election worker; (2) to obstruct or interfere with an election worker; or (3) that injure an election worker. Permits the use of an electronic device at a precinct or vote center to display a sample ballot. Provides, beginning January 1, 2024, that in a county that is not designated as a vote center county, a local public question or referendum may be placed on the ballot only at the following elections: (1) A general election. (2) A municipal general election, but only if the election district for the public question is contained entirely within a municipality. Provides, beginning January 1, 2024, that: (1) a state public question; or (2) an election of delegates to a convention to consider ratifying an amendment to the United States Constitution; may be placed on the ballot only at a general election. Specifies a temporary exception to the provisions concerning local public questions. Makes certain changes to the public question ballot language required for a controlled project referendum, school operations fund referendum, and school safety referendum. Declares confidential particular information that directly or indirectly indicates the selections made by a voter while voting in an election. Authorizes the repurposing of an electronic poll book unit as a device to display sample ballots if the electronic poll book software is deleted from the unit. Makes conforming changes.

Requires the governor to administer a program under which historical murals depicting milestones in Indiana's history as a territory and a state will be created and permanently displayed in prominent places around the state capitol campus in celebration of the 2026 semiquincentennial of the United States. Provides that the governor shall consult with specified individuals concerning the selection of historical murals for placement around the state capitol campus, at least one of whom must be an individual from a minority group. Empowers the governor, in collaboration with the department of administration, to decide the number and size of the historical murals, the locations where the historical murals will be displayed, the milestones of Indiana history to be depicted, and the design and terms of the competitive process through which artists will be chosen to create the historical murals. Specifies that the department of administration shall do the following: (1) Determine the manner by which a mural is displayed. (2) Provide for the mural's maintenance and upkeep. (3) Ensure that each label or plaque that will be fixed on or near each historical mural is accessible to an individual who has a vision impairment or a hearing impairment.

Revises the selection process for a poet laureate. Provides that the selection committee may meet as necessary. Removes the requirement that a poet laureate be selected by December 1 of each odd-numbered year. Removes the fixed term duration and instead provides that the poet laureate serves a minimum of two years. Removes the $2,500 pay cap for a poet laureate. Provides that the Indiana arts commission may engage other partners for services as needed.

Removes the threshold conditions for establishing a residential housing development program and a tax increment allocation area for the program, including the condition that the governing body of each school corporation affected by the program pass a resolution approving the program before the program may go into effect. Provides that the fiscal body of a county may adopt an ordinance to designate an economic development target area.

Provides that the commission for higher education may administer a program to support JobSource, Inc., for the management of the Heartland/Anderson Scholar House. Provides that the purposes of the program include: (1) the expansion of program participant services; (2) residential and other support facility improvements and a one time debt reduction of $250,000; (3) outreach to impoverished single mothers in minority communities; and (4) the provision of a scholarship gap fund for graduates staying in Indiana. Provides that administration costs incurred in the management of the Heartland/Anderson Scholar House may not exceed two percent 2% of the total program costs

Establishes a procedure for the lawful production and sale of cannabis in Indiana. Makes conforming amendments. Makes an appropriation.

Provides that, in counties that have one or more township assessors, the county election board shall place on the ballot at the November 2024 general election a public question asking whether the office of township assessor should be abolished or continued. Provides that a county election board shall tabulate the votes cast on the public question and certify the results to the department of local government finance. Provides that if a majority of the voters voting on the public question vote "yes", the office of each township assessor in the county is abolished, effective January 1, 2026. Provides that if a majority of voters voting on the public question vote "yes": (1) employment positions as of December 31, 2025, of each township assessor in the county are transferred to the county assessor; (2) real and personal property duties of each township assessor in the county are transferred to the county assessor; (3) obligations outstanding on December 31, 2025, of each township assessor in the county are transferred to the county assessor; and (4) the funds of each township assessor in the county on hand for the purpose of carrying out the property assessment duties in the amount determined by the county auditor are transferred to the county assessor. Provides that before October 1, 2025, the county assessor shall interview, or give the opportunity to interview to, each individual who: (1) is an employee of a township assessor in the county; and (2) applies before September 1, 2025, for an employment position. Provides that the township shall transfer to the county assessor all revenue received after the date of the transfer that is received by the township for the purpose of carrying out property assessment duties in the amount determined by the county auditor.

Authorizes certain pass through entities to make an election to pay tax at the entity level based on each owner's aggregate share of adjusted gross income. Provides a refundable tax credit equal to the amount of tax paid by the electing entity with regard to the owner's share. Allows a credit for pass through entity taxes that are imposed by and paid to another state. Makes certain changes to provisions that apply to taxpayers who file a combined return for the financial institutions tax. Makes conforming changes for purposes of partnership audit and administrative adjustments.