Sen. Eric Bassler

Raises the annual income eligibility for an eligible child to 138% of the federal poverty level. (Currently, the eligibility is 127% of the federal poverty level.) Removes certain restrictions on how the office of the secretary of family and social services may award grants. Changes the prekindergarten pilot program to the prekindergarten program and removes the expiration date. Makes conforming changes.

A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Senator Michael Griffin for his service to the Indiana Senate and the constituents of Senate District 1.

A SENATE RESOLUTION recognizing the humanitarian efforts of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for the Supporting Action For Emergency Responses (SAFER) Ukraine program.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION honoring the late Governor Joe Kernan and urging the Indiana Department of Administration to place a memorial bust of Governor Kernan within the State Capitol.

Amends the: (1) definition of "eligible student" for purposes of eligibility under the Indiana education scholarship account program (program); (2) definition of "qualified expenses" under the program to include additional items, including computer hardware or other technological devices, and remove certain in-person requirements; (3) grant amount that an eligible student may receive under the program; and (4) date by which a parent or emancipated student must open an education scholarship account to participate in the program. Provides that the treasurer of state shall accept applications July 1 through June 30 of each year for the immediately following school year. (Current law requires applications to be submitted for an eligible student not later than September 1 for the immediately following school year.) Establishes requirements regarding using grants under the program for computer hardware or other technological devices. Provides that at least 50% of the total number of grants awarded each school year must be awarded to students with a disability who require special education and for whom an individualized education program, service plan, or choice special education plan has been developed.

A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Indiana's women veterans.

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).

Specifies provisions for federal economic stimulus funds. Provides that, unless specifically granted authority by a statute passed by the general assembly, the state lottery commission and Indiana gaming commission shall not, independently or by public-private partnership, operate or authorize the use or operation of particular games and sales over the Internet. Specifies certain exceptions. Provides that certain churches and religious societies are not required to file a personal property tax return. Provides that a county assessor shall provide electronic access to property record cards on the county's official Internet web site. Repeals the mortgage deduction for assessments beginning January 1, 2023. Increases the homestead deduction from $45,000 to $48,000 for assessments beginning January 1, 2023. Provides that with regard to a rehabilitation or redevelopment project in an economic revitalization area within an excluded city, that when the designating body: (1) receives a formal request for a tax abatement or incentive; or (2) issues an offer letter for a tax abatement or incentive; the designating body must provide written notice to the excluded city. Requires a local assessor to notify the department of local government finance (DLGF) of all new fixed property owned or used by a public utility company that the local assessor will begin assessing and the date on which the assessments will begin. Requires the DLGF to notify a company if any of the company's property that was previously assessed by the DLGF will instead be assessed by the township assessor, or the county assessor if there is not a township assessor for the township. Provides that the county assessor may exempt designated infrastructure development zone broadband assets, including assets located in a designated infrastructure development zone of a centrally assessed telephone company or cable company. Provides that the authority of a property tax assessment board of appeals (county board) is not limited to review the ongoing eligibility of a property for an exemption. Provides timing clarifications for property tax deductions for taxpayers who are over age 65 or who are disabled veterans, and for the over age 65 circuit breaker credit. Provides that the assessor shall provide a report to the county auditor describing any physical improvements to the property. Increases the maximum assessed value of the real property for an individual at least 65 years of age to be eligible for a deduction from $200,000 to $240,000. Defines the term "taxpayer" for purposes of the procedures for review and appeal of assessments and corrections of errors. Modifies the burden of proof standard in an appeal to provide that an assessment as last determined by an assessing official or the county board is presumed to equal a property's true tax value until rebutted by evidence presented by the parties, unless the property's assessment increased by more than 5%, in which case the assessor has the burden of proof. Provides that a county auditor shall submit a certified statement to the DLGF not later than September 1 in a manner prescribed by the DLGF. Provides for maximum property tax levy increases for Otter Creek Township in Vigo County and Sugar Creek Township Fire Protection District in Vigo County. Provides for a one-time maximum property tax levy increase for Howard County. Specifies certain dates with regard to the adjustment of maximum tax rates after a reassessment or annual adjustment. For reports filed by county boards with the DLGF, changes the requirement for the total number of "notices" to be filed to the total number of "appeals" to be filed. Requires additional information to be filed in such reports. Provides that the term "tax representative" does not include an attorney who is a member in good standing of the Indiana bar or any person who is a member in good standing of any other state bar and who has been granted temporary admission to the Indiana bar in order to represent a party before the property tax assessment board of appeals or the DLGF. Provides that the DLGF may not review certain written complaints if such a complaint is related to a matter that is under appeal. Repeals a provision in current law that provides that a taxpayer that owns an industrial plant located in Jasper County is ineligible for a local property tax replacement credit against the property taxes due on the industrial plant if the assessed value of the industrial plant as of March 1, 2006, exceeds 20% of the total assessed value of all taxable property in the county on that date. Provides that for certain airport development zones and allocation areas established after June 30, 2024, "residential property" refers to the assessed value of property that is allocated to the 1% homestead land and improvement categories in the county tax and billing software system, along with the residential assessed value as defined for purposes of calculating the rate for the local income tax property tax relief credit designated for residential property. Provides formulas for school corporations that propose to impose property taxes under a referendum tax levy. Provides that the property tax rate imposed under the provision for the public safety officers survivors' health coverage cumulative fund is exempt from the adjustment of maximum tax rates after reassessment or annual adjustment. Changes the sunset provision for pro bono legal service fees from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2025. Allows a county surveyor to send relocation requirements for a proposed regulated drain by either registered mail or certified mail (current law requires the relocation requirements be sent by registered mail). Amends SECTION 9 of HEA 1001-2022 by adding language indicating that certain COVID-19 tests be "approved, cleared, or authorized" by the FDA as opposed to just "approved" as passed in HEA 1001-2022. Repeals various property tax provisions. Makes conforming changes.

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.

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.