Sen. Jim Tomes

Provides the following: (1) Not later than October 1, 2023, each public elementary school and state accredited nonpublic elementary school shall provide to the department of education (department) information regarding whether the school provides instruction on cursive writing to students and, if cursive writing instruction is provided, the grade level of students to whom the instruction is provided. (2) Not later than December 1, 2023, the department shall prepare a report regarding the information and submit the report to the legislative council.

Repeals the requirement that local floodplain administrators use the "best floodplain mapping data" as provided by the department of natural resources (department) and located on the Indiana Floodplain Information Portal when reviewing an application for a permit to authorize construction in or near a floodplain. Provides that, after June 30, 2023, a county or municipality may not issue a permit for construction activity in or near a floodplain unless the permit applicant is allowed to elect whether the local floodplain administrator will use: (1) the department's "best floodplain mapping data"; or (2) an engineering study provided by the permit applicant; in reviewing the permit application. Prohibits a local floodplain administrator from issuing a permit authorizing a structure or construction activity in or near a floodplain if the issuance of the permit will violate National Flood Insurance Program requirements. Provides that, after June 30, 2025, an individual may not serve as the floodplain administrator of a county or municipality unless the individual has successfully completed: (1) the Certified Floodplain Manager program of the Association of State Floodplain Managers; or (2) another course or training program for local floodplain managers that is approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the department. Provides that a person that has: (1) an ownership interest; (2) a leasehold interest; or (3) a security interest; in a parcel of real property may at any time request a review by the department of the department's "best floodplain mapping data" that applies to the parcel of real property. Requires the department to conduct the review at no cost to the person requesting the review and to use a detailed hydrologic modeling method in conducting the review. Provides that: (1) if the person requesting the review has applied to a local floodplain administrator for a permit authorizing the construction of a structure or other construction activity on the parcel of real property; and (2) the department does not complete the review within 120 days after the review was requested; the person may elect whether the local floodplain administrator, in reviewing the person's permit application, will use the department's "best floodplain mapping data" or an engineering study provided by the person. Provides that, in the disclosure form that is adopted by the Indiana real estate commission and that must be submitted to a prospective buyer of real estate before the prospective buyer's offer is accepted, the owner of real estate must disclose the fact that all or a portion of the owner's real estate is located within a community's floodplain boundaries, as indicated in a Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Insurance Rate Map, if the owner has personal knowledge of that fact.

Establishes the robotics competition program to provide grants to eligible robotics competition teams (eligible teams) in order to expand opportunities to increase interest and improve skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through participation in competitive robotics programs. Provides a procedure for eligible teams to apply to the department of education (department) to receive a grant. Establishes the robotics competition program fund. Provides that the department shall establish guidelines to: (1) award grants to eligible teams for allowable expenses; and (2) accommodate the participation of students with disabilities on eligible teams or in robotics competitions.

Amends the definition of "onsite residential sewage discharging disposal system" to provide that the term includes a system that employs advanced treatment components to reduce the concentration of the pathogenic constituents of the effluent to an acceptable level before the effluent is discharged. Amends the law that prohibits the point source (i.e., above ground) discharge of treated sewage from a dwelling, which includes an exception to the prohibition for one particular county that has a onsite waste management district, to make the exception applicable to any onsite waste management district. Authorizes the adoption of rules or guidelines to provide guidance to a local health department that has jurisdiction in a county onsite waste management district and that is authorized to issue operating permits for onsite residential sewage discharging disposal systems that discharge effluent above ground. Provides that, if amending the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permit issued by the department of environmental management (department) for the purposes of the county onsite waste management district law is necessary or advisable to enable new county onsite waste management districts to function properly and effectively, the department shall amend the general permit as soon as reasonably possible after June 30, 2023. Provides that septage that originates from a residential or commercial source may be held in one or more holding tanks of not more than 10,000 gallons until removed and transported from the site. Establishes requirements for septage holding tanks. Requires a permit from the local health department for the operation of a septage holding tank. Requires a septage tank owner to: (1) enter into a written contract with a septage management vehicle operator for regular removal of septage from the tank; (2) provide a copy of the contract to the local health department; and (3) provide proof to the local health department that the tank owner is regularly paying for the removal of septage from the holding tank. Requires a local health department to report to the department concerning the septage tanks in its jurisdiction, and authorizes the adoption of rules or guidelines concerning the reports.

Requires the bureau of motor vehicles (BMV) to disclose to the department of veterans' affairs (department) certain personal information included on an application form for a disabled Hoosier veteran license plate, a Purple Heart license plate, a Hoosier veteran license plate, a support our troops license plate, and an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plate unless the applicant makes an affirmative statement against the disclosure. Sets forth the purposes for which the personal information may be used by the department. Requires the BMV to annually provide a report to the budget committee that includes: (1) the amount of revenue received in the calendar year in exchange for the disclosure of personal information or data to any person or entity; and (2) detailed, specific information on the BMV's use, or intended use, of the revenue.

Prohibits the Indiana public retirement system from investing in certain restricted entities or restricted investment products, including particular investments publicly confirmed to be controlled by the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party. Specifies exceptions, a divestment schedule, and reporting requirements. Adds a provision urging the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on pension management oversight the topic of studying whether to cease or defer divestment or resume investment in an entity or product in accordance with the provisions regarding divestment from Chinese companies.

Allows a home health agency to: (1) provide services in any county in Indiana; and (2) satisfy supervising home health aide services requirements by complying with federal law. Allows: (1) the Indiana department of health (state department) to adopt rules concerning the oversight and supervision of the services a home health agency provides in noncontiguous counties; and (2) the state health commissioner to waive rules adopted concerning home health agencies if certain conditions are met. Provides that a home health agency is not required to conduct a preemployment physical on a job applicant before the individual has contact with a home health agency patient. Allows a registered home health aide to administer gastrointestinal and jejunostomy tube feedings to a specific patient if specified conditions are met. Requires the state department to approve at least one training curriculum concerning the administration of tube feedings. Repeals laws concerning drug testing of home health agency employees.

Provides that the amount of foster care support tax credits allowed may not exceed $2,000,000 in each calendar year beginning after December 31, 2023, and ending before January 1, 2028. Requires the department of state revenue (department) to post certain information regarding the: (1) application for the tax credit; (2) timeline for receiving the tax credit; and (3) total amount of tax credits awarded during the current calendar year; on the department's website. Makes various changes to the process to apply for the tax credit. Provides that money in the insuring foster youth trust fund (fund) at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund. Provides that the fund's administrative expenses may not exceed 10% of the amounts deposited into the fund. Provides, in addition to inpatients of state or federally owned or operated hospitals or institutions and their supervisors, that the department of natural resources (DNR) may not charge an admission fee to foster families who reside together in the same licensed foster family home, or other certain foster youth, for the use of any property owned or managed by the DNR for purposes of the statutes concerning state parks and recreation areas. Requires the department of child services to make available a list provided by the Insurance Institute of Indiana that identifies insurers that may provide automobile insurance coverage for a minor without a guardian cosigner. Requires the Indiana assigned risk automobile insurance plan, subject to the rules of the plan, to make automobile insurance available to a foster youth who is between 16 and 23 years of age and is receiving services from the department of child services. Provides that a state or local government agency, a foster parent, or an entity providing services shall not be liable for any damages resulting from a foster youth's operation of an automobile owned and insured by the foster youth.

Amends the statute prohibiting the use of public funds to purchase equipment or services produced or provided by certain prohibited persons determined to be a national security threat to communications networks or supply chains to also prohibit the use of public funds to purchase communications equipment or service that is: (1) determined under specified federal regulations to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons; and (2) included on the covered list published, maintained, and updated by the federal Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau on the website of the Federal Communications Commission. Provides that the governor may, at any time, and in consultation with the executive director of the department of homeland security, designate a country as a threat to certain critical infrastructure located in Indiana. Provides that after June 30, 2023, a specified qualified entity may not enter into an agreement relating to critical infrastructure with a company if: (1) under the agreement, the company would be able to directly or remotely access or control of a critical infrastructure or a cybersecurity system of a critical infrastructure; and (2) the company is: (A) owned or controlled by citizens of (or a company or entity owned or controlled by citizens or the government of) China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or a country designated as a threat to critical infrastructure by the governor; or (B) headquartered in China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or a country designated as a threat to critical infrastructure by the governor. Provides that after June 30, 2023, a prohibited person may not purchase, lease, or acquire a parcel of real property that is directly adjacent to a military installation. Provides that the attorney general may investigate the purchase, lease, or acquisition of real property upon receipt of a complaint. Provides that the attorney general shall enforce a violation by commencing a receivership proceeding and selling the property through the receivership.

Provides that if a community water system that discharges wastewater into the Ohio River demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department of environmental management that the discharged wastewater does not increase the mass of mercury in the Ohio River by an amount greater than the mass of mercury in the water withdrawn from the Ohio River by the community water system: (1) the community water system's discharge into the Ohio River shall not be considered to cause, have a reasonable potential to cause, or contribute to an excursion above any applicable water quality standard governing mercury in the Ohio River; and (2) no water quality-based effluent limitations for mercury shall be required in a new or renewal NPDES permit issued to the community water system.