Sen. Ed Charbonneau

Provides that, if the attorney general determines probable cause exists, the attorney general, rather than any person lawfully domiciled in Indiana, shall bring an action to compel a governmental body or postsecondary educational institution to comply with statutes requiring cooperation with federal immigration officials. Requires a court to apply a preponderance of the evidence standard to enjoin the violation of those statutes.

Amends the statute concerning the acquisition by a utility company of a water or wastewater utility to provide that if: (1) the appraised value of the utility property to be acquired does not exceed $3,000,000; and (2) the purchase price for the utility property is less than the appraised value of the utility property; the acquiring utility company may submit to the Indiana utility regulatory agency (IURC) a filing under a procedure, based on the procedures set forth in the IURC's rules governing 30 day administrative filings, to include in the acquiring utility company's rate base specified costs associated with the acquisition. Sets forth certain information that must be included in an acquiring utility company's filing. Provides that if the IURC approves an acquiring utility company's filing, the IURC: (1) may only authorize that: (A) the full purchase price; and (B) estimated: (i) incidental expenses; and (ii) other costs of acquisition; be recorded as the acquiring utility company's net original cost of acquisition; and (2) shall provide that any estimated: (i) incidental expenses; and (ii) other costs of the acquisition; are subject to a reasonableness review as part of the acquiring utility company's next base rate case. Adds language specifying that the Indiana Code chapter that governs the transfer, acquisition, and improvement of utilities by municipalities applies to a municipally owned natural gas utility (in addition to a municipally owned electric, water, wastewater, or combined water and wastewater utility).

Authorizes the office of the secretary of family and social services to implement a risk based managed care program for certain Medicaid recipients. Requires the office of Medicaid policy and planning to convene a workgroup and, with managed care organizations, to conduct a claims submission testing period before the risk based managed care program is established.~ Provides that, during the first 210 days after the risk based managed care program is implemented, a provider that experiences a financial emergency due to claims payment issues shall receive temporary emergency assistance from the managed care organizations with which the provider is contracted. Amends statutes concerning Medicaid provider agreements, health insurance reimbursement agreements, and Medicare supplement insurance to specify that a 15 day period consists of 15 business days. Requires the Indiana department of health to grant a hospital an extension of time to file the hospital's fiscal report if the hospital shows good cause for the extension. Removes an expired provision concerning hospital fiscal reports. Eliminates the requirement that a provider who is licensed in Indiana, physically located outside Indiana, but providing telehealth services to patients who are in Indiana, file a certification constituting a waiver of jurisdiction. Makes a number of changes in the law concerning health facility administrators, including eliminating the requirement that a health facility administrator display the individual's license in a prominent location in the individual's principal office and providing that a particular course of study for administrators in training is not mandatory. Specifies: (1) the manner in which certain nurse applicants may demonstrate English proficiency; (2) that a graduate of a foreign nursing school must pass a specified examination; and (3) additional credentialing verification assessment organizations for certain nurse applicants. Prohibits a third party administrator or another person from arranging for a dental provider to provide dental services for a dental plan that sets the amount of the fee for any dental services unless the dental services are covered services under the dental plan. Provides that a contracting entity (a dental carrier, a third party administrator, or another person that enters into a provider network contract with providers of dental services) may not grant a third party access to the provider network contract or to dental services or contractual discounts provided pursuant to the provider network contract unless certain conditions are satisfied. Provides that when a dental provider network contract is entered into, renewed, or materially modified, any provider that is a party to the network contract must be allowed to choose not to participate in the third party access. Prohibits a contracting entity from: (1) altering the rights or status under a provider network contract of a dental provider that chooses not to participate in third party access; or (2) rejecting a provider as a party to a provider network contract because the provider chose not to participate in third party access. Authorizes the insurance commissioner to issue a cease and desist order against a person that violates any of these prohibitions and, if the person violates the cease and desist order, to impose a civil penalty upon the person and suspend or revoke the person's certificate of authority. Provides that if a covered individual assigns the covered individual's rights to benefits for dental services to the provider of the dental services, the dental carrier shall pay the benefits assigned by the covered individual to the provider of the dental services. However, prohibits the provider from billing the covered individual (except for a copayment, coinsurance, or a deductible amount) if the provider is in the dental carrier's network. Requires the Indiana state board of nursing to amend a specified administrative rule to conform with this act. Requires the medical licensing board to study certain rules concerning office based setting accreditations and report to the general assembly.

Requires a state educational institution to prominently display hyperlinks to certain college scorecard information on the state educational institution's website and degree web pages.

Specifies that, for purposes of the statute concerning the replacement of customer owned lead service lines by water utilities, a municipally owned utility includes a utility company owned, operated, or held in trust by a consolidated city. Provides that the following apply with respect to the owner of a building, structure, or dwelling, other than a multi-family residential property that contains more than four dwelling units, that is served by a customer owned lead service line within or connected to a water utility's system: (1) That upon request by the water utility, the owner shall replace, or cause to be replaced, the customer owned portion of the lead service line by: (A) enrolling in the water utility's lead service line replacement program; or (B) replacing the customer owned portion of the lead service line through the owner's own agents or contractors and at the owner's own expense. (2) That if the owner: (A) does not enroll in the water utility's lead service line replacement program; (B) does not replace the customer owned portion of the lead service line; or (C) fails to communicate with the water utility regarding the replacement; the water utility or the water utility's agent may enter the property to replace the customer owned portion of the lead service line. (3) That the: (A) water utility; and (B) occupant of the property, if the property is occupied by a person other than the owner; are not liable to the owner with respect to any replacement made under these provisions. (4) That if a water utility attempts to avail itself of the remedies set forth in these provisions and is prevented from doing so by the owner of the property, the water utility may, in accordance with state law, disconnect water service to the owner's property. Provides that the following apply with respect to the owner of a multi-family residential property that contains more than four dwelling units: (1) That the owner may elect to participate in the water utility's lead service line replacement program. (2) That the owner must communicate to the water utility the owner's election to participate not later than 45 days after receiving the water utility's request. (3) That if the owner does not communicate the owner's election to participate within this 45 day period, the owner, or any future owner of the property, is responsible for replacing the customer owned portion of the lead service line through the owner's own agents or contractors and at the owner's own expense. Provides that in the case of a: (1) building; (2) structure; or (3) dwelling; that a water utility has determined to be abandoned or unserviceable, the water utility may disconnect water service to the property and require the owner, or any future owner, of the property to install a new service line. Provides that these provisions may be incorporated, without the need for further approval by the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC), into a water utility's lead service line replacement plan that has been previously approved by the IURC.

Adds a definition of "mixed beverage". Allows the holder of a wine wholesaler's permit to take certain actions concerning mixed beverages and flavored malt beverages.

Requires a health plan (which includes a policy of accident and sickness insurance, a health maintenance organization contract, the Medicaid risk based managed care program, and a state employee health plan) to provide coverage for biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of an enrollee's disease or condition when biomarker testing is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Requires the office of Medicaid policy and planning to provide biomarker testing as a Medicaid program service, and to apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for approval of any waiver necessary under the federal Medicaid program for the purpose of providing biomarker testing. Provides that coverage is not required for biomarker testing for screening purposes. Provides that if a prior authorization requirement applies to biomarker testing, the health plan or a third party acting on behalf of the health plan must: (1) approve or deny a request for prior authorization; and (2) notify the covered individual of the approval or denial; in not more than five business days in the case of a nonurgent request or in not more than 48 hours in the case of an urgent request. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to report certain information to the budget committee on Medicaid reimbursement rates provided for biomarker testing.

Provides that the department of education (department) may grant certain individuals a waiver that provides an exception to the literacy endorsement requirements if the department submits a report to the legislative council by a specified date. Requires certain schools, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, to offer summer school courses for students who are not reading proficient or are at risk of not being reading proficient as indicated on the determinant evaluation of reading skills approved by the state board of education (evaluation). Expands eligibility for funding for summer school courses. Requires certain summer school courses to be taught by a teacher, instructor, or tutor who is trained in the science of reading. Provides that if a student does not achieve a 90% attendance rate in a summer reading course, the student is required to participate in an individual reading plan in the following school year. Requires the department of education to procure a universal screening assessment (assessment) that meets certain criteria. Requires certain schools to administer the assessment to students in kindergarten through grade 2 who are not on track for reading proficiency by grade 3 as determined by the department. Requires the state board of education to establish a method for virtual administration of the ILEARN statewide assessment. Provides that a vendor must supply a student's assessment results to the student and the student's parents. Applies the reading deficiency remediation plan (plan) to public schools, charter schools, state accredited nonpublic schools, and eligible schools. Makes the following changes to the plan: (1) Beginning with evaluations administered in the 2024-2025 school year, requires retention of a student in grade 3 in addition to remediation if the student has not achieved a passing score on the evaluation. (2) Requires schools to notify a student's parent of certain assessment results, interventions, or remedial actions provided to the student. (3) Requires schools to monitor the progress of students who have failed to achieve a passing score on the evaluation or the statewide assessment program test. (4) Requires schools to provide reading instruction aligned with the science of reading to all students in kindergarten through grade 8. (5) Requires schools to administer the evaluation to students who are in grade 2. (6) Requires a student to take the evaluation until certain conditions are met. (7) Requires school reporting on interventions for certain students at risk of not being reading proficient and for certain students who do not a achieve a valid passing score on the determinant evaluation of reading skills. Creates exceptions to the grade 3 retention requirement for a student who meets certain criteria. Requires the governing body of a school to establish a procedure allowing a parent or guardian of a student to appeal the student's retention under the plan. Requires the department to notify the parent or guardian of a child enrolled in kindergarten of the retention requirements under the plan.

A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the Indiana federal congressional delegation to support the Susan Muffley Act.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.