Sen. Daryl Schmitt

Allows the Indiana board of pharmacy to release confidential information received by the INSPECT program to a supervisor of the department of child services (department) who is engaged in an investigation or adjudication of child abuse or neglect. Amends the definition of "emergency shelter" for purposes of statutes governing residential child care facilities. Provides that an applicant for licensure as a child caring institution or licensure as a group home must obtain a criminal history check of any contractor or individual working in the child caring institution or group home who is likely to have unsupervised contact with children. Amends provisions under which the department may waive the maximum duration for which a child may stay at a shelter care facility to remove a reference to the length of the maximum duration. Amends the educational and experiential qualifications for casework supervisors at child placing agencies. Provides that provisions requiring: (1) a residential child care facility to ensure that a child admitted to the facility has received all immunizations and booster shots required under specified statutes; and (2) a residential child care facility that administers psychotropic medication to obtain periodic written reports from the licensed professional who prescribed the psychotropic medication; do not apply to an emergency shelter.

Prohibits the transfer of a sex or violent offender's probation jurisdiction to another county in Indiana while the offender is required to register as an offender unless certain conditions are met. Prohibits a sexually violent predator or an offender against children from working in any setting where the predator or offender: (1) has more than incidental and occasional contact with a child who is not accompanied by the child's parent, guardian, or custodian; (2) has supervisory or disciplinary power over a child; or (3) is expected to touch a child on a more than incidental and occasional basis.

Allows for the use of electronic pull tab games, electronic pull tab devices, and electronic pull tab systems in charity gaming by certain organizations. Provides for a maximum number of electronic pull tab devices that may be present, for purposes of charity gaming, in a permitted location.

Allows the owner or operator of a significant ground water withdrawal facility to file a complaint with the director of the department of natural resources (director) that a water well on the property of the owner of the significant ground water withdrawal facility failed to furnish the well's normal supply of water or failed to furnish potable water. Requires the director to launch an investigation into a complaint of a well failure from a significant ground water withdrawal facility within three business days of the director receiving the complaint. Provides that the owner of a significant ground water withdrawal facility responsible for the failure or substantial impairment of a well shall provide timely and reasonable compensation to the owner of an impacted significant ground water withdrawal facility or nonsignificant ground water withdrawal facility.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION honoring Jadin O'Brien for winning her third consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) pentathlon championship.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION congratulating the New Palestine High School football team on winning the 2024 Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state championship title.

Provides that a first responder recipient of critical incident stress management (CISM) services may not be compelled to testify or otherwise disclose a communication made to a CISM services provider or peer support team member relating to the first responder recipient's CISM services in a civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding. Provides that a first responder recipient or the first responder recipient's employer may not be held liable for damages for any act, error, or omission committed by the first responder recipient based on a communication provided between a first responder recipient and CISM team, CISM services provider, or peer support team as part of the CISM services unless the act, error, or omission constitutes wanton, willful, or intentional misconduct.

Amends as follows the Indiana Code section concerning certificates of public convenience and necessity (certificates) for small modular nuclear reactors: (1) Authorizes a public utility to petition the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for approval to incur, before obtaining a certificate, project development costs for the development of one or more small modular nuclear reactors. (2) Sets forth certain factors that the IURC must consider in reviewing a public utility's petition to incur project development costs. (3) Requires the IURC to issue a final order approving or denying the petition not later than 180 days after receiving the petition and the public utility's complete case in chief, subject to the IURC's right to extend the time for review if the public utility does not object to the extension. (4) Provides that if a public utility receives approval to incur project development costs, the public utility may petition the IURC at any time before or during the development and execution of a small modular nuclear reactor project for the approval of a rate schedule that periodically adjusts the public utility's rates and charges to provide for the timely recovery of project development costs. (5) Provides that after reviewing a public utility's proposed rate schedule, the IURC shall approve the recovery of project development costs by the public utility if the IURC finds that project development costs that have been or will be incurred are: (A) reasonable in amount; (B) necessary to support the construction, purchase, or lease of a small modular nuclear reactor; and (C) consistent with the commission's finding as to the best estimate of project development costs. (6) Provides that a public utility that is authorized to recover project development costs shall: (A) recover 80% of the approved project development costs under the approved rate schedule; and (B) defer the remaining 20% of approved project development costs for recovery as part of public utility's next general rate case before the IURC. (7) Provides that the recovery of a public utility's project development costs through an approved periodic rate adjustment mechanism must occur over a period that is equal to: (A) the period over which the approved project development costs are incurred; or (B) three years; whichever is less. (8) Provides that project development costs that: (A) are incurred by a public utility; and (B) exceed the best estimate of project development costs included in the IURC's order authorizing the public utility to incur project development costs; may not be included in the public utility's rates and charges unless found by the IURC to be reasonable, necessary, and prudent in supporting the construction, purchase, or lease of the small modular nuclear reactor for which they were incurred. (9) Provides that: (A) project development costs incurred for a project that is canceled or not completed may be recovered by the public utility if found by the IURC to be reasonable, necessary, and prudently incurred; but (B) such costs shall be recovered without a return unless the IURC makes certain additional findings. (10) Provides that if a public utility does not seek: (A) approval of; or (B) cost recovery for; project development costs under the bill's provisions, the IURC may approve the deferral and amortization of project development costs in accordance with the statutory procedures set forth for construction costs.

Provides that after June 30, 2025, a foreign company may not construct or cause to be constructed a data center in Indiana unless the Indiana utility regulatory commission and the Indiana economic development corporation conduct a joint study of the anticipated electricity use of the prospective data center and certify to the governor and the general assembly that the electricity estimated to be used by the data center will be self-generated and will not affect the load supply of the regional transmission organizations whose service territory includes Indiana.

Prohibits a foreign national from making a contribution in connection with a public question. Prohibits a political action committee from: (1) knowingly or willfully; and (2) directly or indirectly; accepting a contribution or expenditure from a prohibited source. Prohibits a foreign national from taking certain actions concerning a public question. Specifies reporting and disclosure requirements that apply to a political action committee and a person who makes an independent expenditure.