Sen. Rodney Pol

Provides that the human trafficking prevention and victim assistance fund may provide funds for victim transition services. Allows a community based organization to inspect sexually oriented businesses. Requires that all hospital staff likely to have direct, ongoing contact with patients are required to participate in training pertaining to the identification and reporting of human trafficking. Requires sexually oriented businesses and hotels to provide certain training pertaining to the identification and reporting of human trafficking. Provides that a sexually oriented business or hotel that fails to provide this training commits a Class A infraction. Establishes an annual $500 inspection fee to be paid by sexually oriented businesses to be deposited into the human trafficking prevention and victim assistance fund.

Provides that the people of Indiana may propose and adopt amendments to the Constitution of the State of Indiana and propose and enact statutes independent of the general assembly through initiative. Provides that the people of Indiana may approve or reject through referendum any statute or part of any statute enacted by the general assembly. This proposed amendment has not been previously agreed to by a general assembly.

Permits the use of cannabis by: (1) a person at least 21 years of age; and (2) a person with a serious medical condition as determined by the person's physician. Establishes the adult use cannabis excise tax, and requires a retailer to transfer the tax to the department of state revenue for deposit in the state general fund. Exempts veterans from payment of the sales tax on medical or adult use cannabis. Establishes a cannabis program to permit the cultivation, processing, testing, transportation, and sale of cannabis by holders of a valid permit. Establishes the Indiana cannabis commission (ICC) as a state agency to oversee, implement, and enforce the program, and establishes the ICC advisory committee to review the effectiveness of the program. Requires that permit holders take steps to prevent diversion of cannabis to unauthorized persons. Requires that cannabis and cannabis products be properly labeled, placed in child resistant packaging, and tested by an independent testing laboratory before being made available for purchase. Prohibits packaging cannabis in a manner that is appealing to children. Authorizes research on cannabis in accordance with rules set forth by the ICC. Establishes a procedure for the expungement of a cannabis related conviction if the act constituting the conviction becomes legal. Makes conforming amendments.

Increases, for any work week beginning on or after July 1, 2023, the minimum wage paid to certain employees from $7.25 per hour to $13 per hour. Repeals the prohibition of a local unit establishing, mandating, or requiring a minimum wage that exceeds the state or federal minimum wage. Makes conforming amendments and a technical correction.

A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Indiana's women veterans.

Requires the department of workforce development (department) to establish a paid family and medical leave program (program) to provide payments for employees who take family and medical leave. Establishes the family and medical leave fund to be funded with appropriations from the general assembly and payroll contributions. Specifies requirements for the administration of the program. Provides for the department to approve an employer's use of a private plan to meet the program obligations.

Provides that good time credit earned for pretrial home detention is the same as good time credit earned for pretrial incarceration. Makes conforming changes.

Requires a school employer to bargain collectively class size, health and safety matters, and teacher preparation time with an exclusive representative.

Requires the plaintiff in a residential eviction action to file a motion to dismiss the action if the case is resolved between the parties at any time before final adjudication, unless the plaintiff is seeking damages. Provides that if, at any time after an eviction action is filed, no action has been taken by the plaintiff to further prosecute the case for a period of at least 180 days, the court shall send to the parties written notice: (1) stating the date of the most recent action taken by the plaintiff in the case; and (2) directing the plaintiff to take action to either: (A) further prosecute the case; or (B) dismiss the case; not later than 10 business days after the date of the notice. Provides that if the plaintiff fails to take any action within the prescribed time: (1) the defendant may petition the court to dismiss the case; or (2) the court on its own motion may dismiss the case. Provides that a residential eviction diversion program may not be offered or operated on a statewide or local basis unless participation in the program is voluntary for all parties. Requires: (1) the Indiana housing and community development authority; and (2) any political subdivision that distributes rental assistance funds made available by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; to create a designated landlord application process, in addition to the tenant application process, not later than August 31, 2022. Requires, upon motion of the tenant, the court in which an eviction action is filed to order the clerk of the court and the operator of any state, regional, or local case management system not to disclose or permit disclosure of any records in the case, subject to certain exceptions, if any of the following occur: (1) The action is dismissed. (2) A judgment in favor of the tenant is entered. (3) A judgment against the tenant is later overturned or vacated on appeal. Provides that if: (1) an eviction action, regardless of when it was filed, results in one of the specified outcomes allowing for the nondisclosure of records in the action; and (2) the court does not issue an order prohibiting the disclosure of any records in the action; the tenant in the action may petition the court in which the eviction action was filed to issue an order prohibiting the disclosure of any records in the action in accordance with the bill's provisions. Provides that upon the filing of such a petition, the court may: (1) issue an order prohibiting the disclosure of any records in the action; or (2) set the matter for a hearing. Provides that the petitioner bears the burden of proof in any hearing set by the court. Requires the clerk of court or other court administrator to: (1) track all eviction actions with respect to which a nondisclosure order is issued by the court; and (2) furnish the data compiled in the statutorily required statistical data provided to the office of judicial administration (office), as prescribed by the office. Requires the office to include the data provided by the courts in the Indiana Judicial Report.

Increases the value of estates that may be distributed via affidavit from $50,000 to $100,000. Increases the threshold for summary procedures for unsupervised estates from $50,000 to $100,000. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the probate code study commission.)