Establishes a guardian ad litem pilot program in LaPorte County, Marshall County, and Starke County. Requires a court to appoint a guardian ad litem in an adoption proceeding if a parent of the child has an intellectual disability and is subject to a guardianship.
Provides that a person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally damages a component of an automatic building fire suppression system that is located in a penal facility commits criminal mischief, a Level 6 felony.
Requires an adult oriented website operator that displays material harmful to minors to use a reasonable age verification method to prevent a minor from accessing an adult oriented website. Creates a cause of action to permit: (1) the parent or guardian of a child harmed by a violation of the age verification requirement to obtain monetary damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney's fees; and (2) any other person to bring an action to obtain injunctive relief and reasonable attorney's fees. Prohibits a person that conducts age verification from retaining the identifying information of an individual seeking to access an adult oriented website that displays material harmful to minors, and permits an individual whose identifying information is retained to bring an action to obtain monetary damages, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney's fees. Requires adult oriented website operators to use commercially reasonable methods to secure all information collected and transmitted. Provides that the attorney general may bring an action to obtain an injunction, a civil penalty of not more than $250,000, or the attorney general's reasonable costs in investigating and maintaining the action. Provides that when the attorney general has reasonable cause to believe that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in a violation, the attorney general is empowered to issue civil investigative demands under IC 4-6-3-3 to investigate the suspected violation. Requires verification information of minors to be kept confidential with certain exceptions. Adds verification information to the definition of "personal information". Adds a violation of IC 24-4-23 as a deceptive act.
Reduces the membership of the board of directors of the Indiana stadium and convention building authority (board) from seven members to three members. Provides that the director of the budget agency or the director's designee serves as chair of the board. Authorizes the solid waste management district of Vanderburgh County to make grants and loans for certain purposes. Provides that with certain exceptions a governmental entity is prohibited from requiring that a Class 2 structure or a residential onsite sewage system be inspected when a property is sold or transferred. Allows a governmental entity to require certain inspections of properties located in that part of St. Joseph County containing a designated sole source aquifer only if it has been more than 15 years since: (1) the property was last sold or transferred; or (2) the Class 2 structure or system was constructed or installed. Provides, for purposes of posting a license bond, that a political subdivision may not impose any requirement for the political subdivision to be identified as an obligee on the license bond other than the requirement in statute. Provides that certain obligors may initiate a civil action against a political subdivision that does not recognize or does not allow an obligor to post a license bond that satisfies certain requirements. Provides that, if the obligor prevails in the action, the obligor shall be awarded an amount equal to: (1) 300% of the cost of obtaining the license bond; (2) compensatory damages; and (3) reasonable attorney's fees. Provides that if a contractor: (1) has posted a license bond to obtain one license from a political subdivision; and (2) is required to obtain another license from the political subdivision to perform work that the contractor intends to perform; the contractor may not be required to post a second license bond as a condition of obtaining the second license if the type of work that the first license authorizes the contractor to perform is so closely related to the type of work that the second license will authorize the contractor to perform that both types of work are typically involved in a single residential construction project. Provides that a city, town, or county that requires a building permit for the construction of a Class 2 structure may provide for the inspection to be conducted by: (1) an individual employed by the city, town, or county, or by another city, town, or county, as a building inspector; (2) a registered architect; (3) a registered professional engineer; (4) a certified building official; or (5) a licensed home inspector.
Defines "election worker" and makes it a Level 6 felony under certain circumstances to: (1) threaten an election worker; or (2) to obstruct, interfere with, or injure an election worker.
Provides that a pregnant woman charged with a drug crime may be referred to a forensic diversion program or a drug court at an initial hearing.
Requires the Indiana criminal justice institute and the department of correction to collect and distribute certain criminal justice data.
Establishes the special service review team to review denied applications and applications for which a determination has not been made for the community integration and habilitation waiver. Limits the geographical area of review. Establishes reporting requirements. Requires the division of disability and rehabilitative services to obtain consent from a waiver applicant in order to share the application and information accompanying the application with the review team. Provides immunity for an employee who obtains consent and provides the information in good faith. Provides that the review team expires December 31, 2026. Makes changes to the situations in which an emergency placement priority may be provided for individuals under a Medicaid waiver. Amends the membership of and provisions concerning: (1) the Indiana state commission on aging; and (2) the community and home options to institutional care for the elderly and disabled board. Requires the services for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities task force (task force) to establish, not later than May 1, 2024, a subcommittee to make recommendations to the task force regarding the Medicaid buy-in program and benefit related barriers to employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Requires the subcommittee to prepare and submit recommendations to the task force. Changes the expiration date of the task force. Requires the division of disability and rehabilitative services to provide quarterly updates to the division of disability and rehabilitative services advisory council regarding the implementation of recommendations made by the task force. Authorizes the office of the secretary of family and social services (office of the secretary) 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. Requires the office of the secretary and the division of mental health and addiction to include each community mental health center that meets certain requirements in the community mental health services demonstration program (program), if Indiana is approved to participate in the program and as a state plan amendment for specified reimbursement after the program. Allows the office of the secretary and the division of mental health and addiction to apply for a Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver to allow for Medicaid reimbursement for eligible certified community behavioral health clinic services by certain Medicaid providers, if Indiana is not approved to participate in the program.
Requires the Indiana economic development corporation to annually report to the general assembly regarding funds dedicated to supporting child care under specified state and federal programs. Defines an "out-of-school-time program". Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (FSSA) to publish on the FSSA website a dashboard providing monthly information regarding state and federal child care subsidies available to Indiana residents. Provides that a household is eligible to begin receiving assistance under the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program if the household, at the time of FSSA's initial determination of the household's income eligibility: (1) has a household income that does not exceed 85% of Indiana's state median income for the household's family size; (2) includes an individual who is employed by a licensed child care center, a licensed child care home, or a licensed or registered child care ministry; and (3) otherwise meets federal eligibility requirements for the CCDF program. Provides, with respect to the individual with certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) required to be present at all times when a child is in the care of a child care provider that is eligible to receive reimbursement through the CCDF program, that the individual is not required to be recertified in CPR annually. Provides that: (1) the early learning advisory committee must commission a third party evaluation to assess existing regulations for child care providers not later than May 1, 2024 (rather than July 1, 2024, under current law); and (2) FSSA must initiate the process of amending FSSA's rules in consideration of the findings of the third party evaluation not later than July 1, 2024. Requires, not later than September 30, 2024, the early learning advisory committee to: (1) complete a study regarding compensation in Indiana for early childhood educators and caregivers at out-of-school-time programs; (2) create an online dashboard to allow access to compensation data; and (3) issue a report containing the committee's findings and recommendations. Amends provisions regarding the On My Way Pre-K voucher program (program) to: (1) provide eligibility for children of child care employees; and (2) amend references to funds provided to children under the program as prekindergarten vouchers, rather than grants. Requires FSSA to establish a micro facility pilot program, under which FSSA shall: (1) develop a regulatory model that: (A) is applicable only to certain licensed or registered child care providers that provide child care for not less than three children and not more than 30 children for at least four hours per day (micro facilities); and (B) incorporates waivers or variances from FSSA's rules applicable to certain child care providers; (2) apply the regulatory model to at least three micro facilities and evaluate the operation of the micro facilities under the regulatory model; and (3) not later than October 1, 2026: (A) make a determination as to whether FSSA will adopt rules specific to micro facilities that incorporate some or all aspects of the regulatory model; and (B) submit to the general assembly a report regarding the pilot program. Requires FSSA to do the following: (1) Amend FSSA's rules to define a "substitute educator" caregiver type for purposes of FSSA's rules pertaining to all categories of child care providers regulated by FSSA. (2) Amend FSSA's rules to allow an employee of a child care provider who: (A) is 16 or 17 years of age; (B) is assigned to a lead caregiver who supervises the employee at all times during which the employee is supervising a child; (C) is never left alone with a child; and (D) meets specified qualifications; to be counted in child/staff ratios for school age child care rooms. (3) Amend FSSA's rules to allow an employee of a child care provider who: (A) is at least 18 years of age; and (B) meets specified qualifications; to serve as the staff person in charge of an infant/toddler room. (4) Issue a report to the general assembly not later than October 31, 2024, documenting the results attributable to: (A) the employer sponsored child care fund; and (B) the employer child care expenditure credit. (5) Study, in collaboration with other specified state agencies, opportunities for resource sharing across state agencies and local units of government to facilitate the fingerprinting of individuals for purposes of conducting national criminal history background checks and issue a report to the governor and the general assembly regarding the results of the study. Makes technical corrections.
Provides that a state employee may affirmatively elect to enroll in the deferred compensation plan prior to the auto enroll date on day 31 of the state employee's employment. Removes a provision that sets a maximum employer surcharge for the legislators' defined benefit plan, state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan, public employees' retirement fund, and Indiana state teachers' retirement fund (fund). Requires the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system (board) to develop the technological and administrative capabilities sufficient to categorize fund members into separate groups in which: (1) certain members receive a service based thirteenth check; and (2) certain members receive a cost of living adjustment. Requires the board to set the surcharge rates at a level to actuarially prefund: (1) annual indexed thirteenth checks for all current retired members and beneficiaries retired before July 1, 2025; and (2) 1% annual cost of living adjustments to future in-payment members and beneficiaries retired on or after July 1, 2025. Provides that the board shall not reduce the surcharge rates from the prior year. Allows the board to increase the surcharge rates by not more than 0.1% of payroll from the prior year. Requires certain political subdivisions to present to the interim study committee on pension management oversight regarding a delinquent employee retirement plan offered by the political subdivision. Requires, effective July 1, 2025, the trustee of the state police pension trust to maintain two supplemental allowance reserve accounts for the purpose of paying postretirement benefit adjustments. Increases the maximum date that a member or participant of certain retirement funds can participate in the deferred retirement option plan from 36 to 60 months. Requires the member or participant to notify their employer if the member or participant elects to enter or extend the deferred retirement option plan. Provides for a thirteenth check in 2024 for certain members, participants, or beneficiaries of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) Indiana public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system.
