Requires that the priority ranking system used by the Indiana finance authority in making loans or other financial assistance from: (1) the drinking water revolving loan fund; or (2) the wastewater revolving loan fund; must prioritize loans securing longer term benefits over shorter term projects, all other factors being equal. Provides that not later than 60 days after the effective date of a change in the applicable federal or state income tax rate as a result of new legislation, a water or wastewater utility shall petition the utility regulatory commission (IURC) for a water or wastewater utility surcharge that adjusts the water or wastewater utility's rates and charges to provide recovery for the change in the federal or state income tax rate. Provides that a water or wastewater utility that serves fewer than 8,000 customers may, but is not required to, file a petition for such a surcharge. Provides that a surcharge shall be calculated to reflect the difference between: (1) the amount of federal or state income taxes that each existing rate or charge of the water or wastewater utility was designed to recover based on the income tax rate in effect at the time the rate or charge was approved; and (2) the amount of federal or state income taxes that would have been embedded in the given rate or charge had the new tax rate been in effect at the time of approval. Provides that a surcharge shall not include normalization of a water or wastewater utility's accumulated deferred income taxes. Provides that the IURC shall approve a proposed surcharge if the IURC finds that: (1) the surcharge has been calculated correctly; and (2) the water or wastewater utility's proposal is just and reasonable. Provides that an approved surcharge shall operate on a prospective basis. Amends the applicability language of the statute governing the transfer, acquisition, and improvement of utilities by municipalities to specify that the statute applies to a municipally owned electric, water, wastewater, or combined water and wastewater utility.
Sponsored bills
Requires the office of community and rural affairs (office) to establish a process to be used before each formal submission of applications for grants from the rural broadband fund (fund) in which the office will: (1) invite any prospective grant applicant to submit a letter of intent identifying all addresses and census blocks that the applicant intends to include in a grant application; and (2) make all addresses and census blocks submitted in letters of intent publicly available for a period of time, during which eligible broadband service providers will have the opportunity to challenge a listed address or census block. Provides that challenges under the new process are to be based on the asserted deployment of "minimum broadband Internet" (defined as a terrestrial connection to the Internet that provides an actual speed of at least 25 megabits per second downstream and at least three megabits per second upstream) at a specific address. Specifies that the process established is to precede and remain distinct from the statutory procedures for actual grant applications. Provides that the department of transportation (INDOT) may require a private entity to agree, as a condition of INDOT leasing a right-of-way to the private entity, that facilities constructed or installed by the private entity in or under the right-of-way, which if removed would: (1) cause irreparable soil disturbance; or (2) have a detrimental effect on INDOT's facilities or on the facilities of other utilities; will be considered abandoned without additional consideration, upon the private entity's written notice to INDOT. Provides that upon being abandoned, a facility may no longer be used for any purpose by any public or private entity.
Requires the Indiana management performance hub to: (1) use its data resources and technology to cross-reference with data bases of certain state agencies to identify certain former students with disabilities (eligible individuals); (2) coordinate with the state department of health to determine whether identified eligible individuals are deceased; and (3) provide the information concerning eligible individuals to the department of workforce development (DWD). Requires the state department of health to, not later than November 1, 2021, coordinate with the Indiana management performance hub. Requires the DWD to: (1) communicate with identified eligible individuals; and (2) provide to the eligible individuals a copy of a resource list concerning training and education opportunities and employment services resources. Requires the state advisory council on the education of children with disabilities (council) to annually update and submit the resource list to the department of education and the DWD. Requires the department of education and DWD to post a copy of the most recently updated resource list on the department's and DWD's Internet web sites. Requires the DWD, in consultation with the department of education, to prepare and submit an annual report to the general assembly and the council. Requires the state board of education to, not later than December 1, 2021, adopt rules to create an alternate diploma for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Provides that due to extenuating circumstances, if a child's parent or a person is unable to give up custody of a child under the procedure set forth in Indiana's safe haven law, the child's parent or the person may request that an emergency medical services provider (provider) take custody of the child by: (1) dialing the 911 emergency call number; and (2) staying with the child until a provider arrives to take custody of the child. Provides that the emergency medical dispatch agency or the provider shall inform the child's parent or the person giving up custody of the child of the ability to remain anonymous. Provides that a provider, shall, without a court order, take custody of a child who is, or who appears to be, not more than 30 days of age if the child is voluntarily left: (1) in a newborn safety device that is located at an emergency medical services station; or (2) with medical staff after delivery in a hospital or other medical facility when the child's parent notifies the medical staff that the parent is voluntarily relinquishing the child. Allows a child's parent to remain anonymous if the child is voluntarily relinquished in a hospital or other medical facility after delivery of the child. Provides that an emergency medical services station is immune from civil liability for an act or omission relating to the operation of the newborn safety device.
Requires the state police department to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of persons who destroy, damage, vandalize, or desecrate a monument, memorial, or statue. Requires the state police department to assist political subdivisions in the investigation and prosecution of persons who destroy, damage, vandalize, or desecrate a monument, memorial, or statue. Provides that discretionary funding for a political subdivision may not be withheld from a political subdivision in certain circumstances. Provides that a state agency may provide discretionary funding to a political subdivision for a respective grant program after considering whether the political subdivision has taken all appropriate enforcement actions to protect public monuments, memorials, and statues from destruction or vandalism. Defines "discretionary funding". Adds enhanced penalties to the crime of rioting.
Requires the department of state revenue (department) to provide written notice, by electronic means, to each employer that is registered in the department's online INTIME program and whose employer's Form WH-1 monthly withholding tax report or withholding tax remittance is past due. Requires each payroll service provider to annually register with the department beginning January 1, 2022. Specifies the contents of the annual registration form. Defines "payroll service provider" and "responsible person" for purposes of these provisions. Provides that the department may charge an annual payroll service provider registration fee for purposes of the registration program. Provides that a provider shall be permitted to retain any income generated on business client (client) funds while held in a provider's legal possession pending remittance to authorized payees if the client agreement expressly permits it and the provider complies with certain rules. Provides that a payroll service provider contract must include a provision that specifies that if the payroll service provider fails to deposit or remit a business client's employer withholding taxes when due, and the failure is caused by an error or omission of the payroll service provider and not by the business client, the payroll service provider shall be required to reimburse the business client for the business client's payment of any penalties or interest assessed by the department as a result of the failure. Provides that, if a provider knowingly or intentionally fails to remit taxes withheld, the provider is liable and responsible persons shall be personally liable for such taxes that were withheld and not remitted, along with penalties and interest. Provides that a responsible person of the provider who knowingly or intentionally fails to remit taxes that were withheld commits a Class A misdemeanor, and increases the penalty depending on the amount of taxes that were not remitted. Provides that the liability shall not be construed to relieve the liability of the employer or any person otherwise with a duty to withhold. Provides that the employer's address shall be the address of record with the department for withholding tax purposes and that a payroll service provider may not change the address of record with the department.
Prohibits the state and a political subdivision from imposing restrictions on a religious organization that are more restrictive than the restrictions imposed upon other businesses and organizations that provide essential services to the public. Permits the state or a political subdivision to require a religious organization to comply with a neutral and generally applicable health, safety, or occupancy requirement to the same extent as other organizations, if the requirement is otherwise allowable under Indiana's religious freedom law. Provides that the state, a political subdivision, or an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision may not restrict the right of the people to worship or to worship in person during a disaster emergency.
Provides that a school employee has the right to resign from, and end any financial obligation to, a school employee organization at any time. Provides that a school employee must annually authorize a pay deduction to a school employee organization. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the Indiana education employment relations board (board) shall prescribe an authorization for withholding form for use by a school employee to deduct dues from the pay of the school employee to the school employee organization. Adds certain requirements for information to be included on the form. Provides that after receiving the authorization for withholding form, the employer shall confirm the authorization by sending an electronic mail message to the school employee at the employee's school provided work electronic mail address and shall wait for confirmation of the authorization before starting any deduction. Specifies the time frame for (1) ceasing withholding upon receipt of a request, and (2) providing notice to the school employee organization. Provides that a school employer shall annually provide, at a time it prescribes, written or electronic mail notification to its school employees of their right to cease payment of school employee organization dues and to withdraw from that organization. Specifies what the notification must include. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the board and the department of education, must annually provide notice to school employers of certain provisions.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.
A SENATE RESOLUTION declaring that the policy of the State of Indiana is to support the state's sovereign authority to manage, control, and administer its own election laws.