Sen. Rick Niemeyer

Provides the state department of health (state department) with emergency rulemaking authority to amend provisions in the state department's administrative rules concerning radon. Requires the state department to amend provisions in the state department's administrative rules concerning radon using the regular rulemaking process before December 31, 2021. Provides that the provisions added by the bill expire July 1, 2022.

Revises references to federal regulations relating to variances from water quality standards. Provides that a variance from a water quality standard issued for a period of more than five years must be reevaluated in accordance with the requirements of the federal rule on variances from water quality standards. Provides that a variance relating to an NPDES permit may be submitted at any time before or after the issuance, renewal, or modification of the NPDES permit. Eliminates the requirement that the department itself, at least once per year, administer a certification examination for operators of water treatment plants, water distribution systems, and wastewater treatment plants. Requires instead the department to ensure that the examination is administered at least once per year, and allows the examination to be administered by independent third parties authorized by the commissioner of the department.

Specifies that a memorandum of understanding between the chief executive officer of the Indiana state museum and historic sites corporation (corporation) and a nonprofit organization that supports a specific state historic site may not include certain restrictions on the fundraising activities of the nonprofit organization and certain operations of the nonprofit organization. Requires the corporation to return certain donor restricted funds to a nonprofit organization if the funds are not used for a donor's specified use in a historic site project.

Requires each person or entity having authority over a school building to test the drinking water in the school building before January 1, 2023, to determine whether the drinking water equals or exceeds the action level for lead of 15 parts per billion. Provides that the testing requirement is satisfied if the drinking water of a school building: (1) was tested during the lead sampling program for school buildings conducted by the Indiana finance authority (IFA) in 2017 and 2018; (2) is tested in the lead sampling program conducted by the IFA in 2019 and 2020; or has otherwise been tested for compliance with the federal drinking water standards at least once since 2016. Requires that drinking water in school buildings located in Lake County be tested at least once in each period of two calendar years beginning in 2023. Provides that if a test of the drinking water of a school building indicates the presence of lead in the water equal to or greater than 15 parts per billion, the person or entity having authority over the school building is required to take action to reduce the lead levels in the drinking water to less than 15 parts per billion. Provides that the person or entity having authority over a school building that is subject to drinking water testing is required to seek state and federal money that is available for lead sampling or testing.

Changes the definition of "eligible municipality". Provides that if at least 2/3 of the voters voting in a special election held in the town of Griffith (town) on the public question of whether the territory of the town should be transferred to an adjacent township vote "yes" on the public question: (1) the legislative body of the eligible municipality may submit a petition to one or more adjacent townships within two years after the special election requesting that the adjacent township accept transfer of the territory of the town; (2) the legislative body of an adjacent township that receives a petition for the transfer of the town's territory may adopt a resolution accepting the transfer before the later of December 31 of the year in which the petition is received or the ninetieth day after the date that the petition is received; and (3) if no legislative body of an adjacent township to which a petition for transfer was submitted by the town accepts the transfer before July 1, 2020, the territory of the town is automatically transferred to the adjacent township with the greatest assessed value effective January 1, 2022.

Adds three members to the development board of the northwest Indiana regional development authority. Specifies that the open door law and access to public records act apply to a regional development authority and the authority's governing board.

Authorizes a nonprofit agricultural organization to provide health benefit coverage that is: (1) sponsored by the nonprofit agricultural organization or its affiliate; (2) offered only to members of the nonprofit agricultural organization and their families; (3) deemed by the nonprofit agricultural organization to be important in assisting its members to live long and productive lives; and (4) offered in every county in Indiana. Provides that nonprofit agricultural organization coverage is not insurance and is not subject to the regulatory authority of the department of insurance, and that a nonprofit agricultural organization providing health coverage is not engaged in the business of insurance and is not required to obtain a certificate of authority. Provides that an individual may not apply for health coverage provided by a nonprofit agricultural organization until the individual has been a member of the nonprofit agricultural organization for at least 30 days. Mandates that the health coverage cover ambulatory patient services, hospitalization, emergency services, and laboratory services, and provides that the coverage may not be subject to an annual limit of less than $2,000,000 per year. Requires a nonprofit agricultural organization offering health coverage: (1) to annually file with the department of insurance a written, signed opinion of a qualified actuary that the plan reserves of the nonprofit agricultural organization and its affiliate are adequate and conform to the appropriate actuarial standards of practice; and (2) to reinsure all or a portion of its risks. Provides that an individual entering into a health coverage contract with a nonprofit agricultural organization must acknowledge in a signed writing that the coverage: (1) is not considered insurance; and (2) is not subject to the administrative rules of the department of insurance.

Allows a county agricultural extension educator (educator) serving on a county plan commission or an area plan commission who is not a resident of the county to continue to serve on the county plan commission or area plan commission until: (1) October 1, 2020; or (2) the date set forth in a county legislative body ordinance that is after October 1, 2020, and not later than October 1, 2021. Provides that an educator who is not a resident of the county shall serve the county plan commission or area plan commission in a nonvoting advisory capacity. Provides that the county surveyor's designee must be a resident of the county to serve on the county plan commission or area plan commission. Requires a person appointed to a plan commission to fill a vacancy or to serve as an alternate member to meet the same requirements as the member the person is appointed to replace.

Requires the adjutant general of the Indiana national guard to facilitate the state sponsored group term life insurance program for members of the Indiana national guard.

Provides that the auditor of state shall deduct amounts due from distributions of local income taxes allocated to (as opposed to payable to) the county when a county fails to pay direct support or special assessments to the Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development commission.