Amends provisions regarding the surcharge rates established by the Indiana public retirement system to actuarially prefund certain postretirement benefits. Adds provisions requiring the treasurer of state to determine a surcharge amount that is to be paid into the supplemental reserve account for the state police pre-1987 and 1987 benefit systems. Provides for a thirteenth check in calendar year 2025 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. Makes conforming changes.
Requires a county election board to test certain voting machines to ensure that an absentee ballot can be retracted before tabulation of the ballot if the ballot is required to be rejected. Requires the public test of a voting system to test whether a rejected ballot is retracted. Voids a March 25, 2022, advisory opinion adopted by the Indiana election commission. Provides that, to be approved by the Indiana election commission for use in Indiana, a voting system must meet certain standards of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines adopted by the United States Election Assistance Commission on February 10, 2021. Allows a county to continue to use an optical scan ballot card voting system or an electronic voting system if certain matters concerning the voting system were approved before October 1, 2025. Allows a voting system to include a retraction feature concerning certain votes cast on absentee ballots.
Provides that a project owner is not required to apply for or receive a zoning permit (permit), or any other land use or zoning approval, from a local authority for the construction of a facility, other than a wind power device or commercial solar energy system, for the generation of electricity (electric generation facility) if: (1) the Indiana utility regulatory commission (commission): (A) grants the project owner a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction; or (B) declines jurisdiction over the construction; (2) the electric generation facility will be located on a premise of land on which there was located as of January 1, 2025: (A) an existing electric generation facility with a generating capacity of at least 80 megawatts, regardless of whether the electric generation facility is operational; or (B) a former surface or underground mine; and (3) the project owner complies with specified notice and hearing requirements. Requires an applicant for a permit from a local authority to be given an extension of time if the applicant's failure to meet the application deadline was caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the applicant's control. Provides that a deadline in an ordinance for commencing or completing a permitted use is tolled until two years after the conclusion of any litigation or regulatory proceeding regarding the granting of the permit. Sets deadlines for review of permit applications. Establishes requirements for development agreements. Provides that certain legal restrictions in effect at the time a permit is issued continue to apply unless the development is not completed within 10 years. Specifies that certain legal restrictions in effect at the time a development agreement is entered into apply for the period specified in the development agreement. Provides that the statute governing the approval of permits concerning zoning does not authorize the impairment of any vested right or abrogate any rights vested under common law. Specifies when land use rights are considered vested. Imposes other requirements upon the permit approval process. Authorizes a political subdivision or a local authority to prohibit, for a period of not more than one year, the siting, construction, installation, permitting, or deployment of a project (other than a project undertaken by specified entities) that involves the siting, construction, or deployment of facilities, equipment, or infrastructure used in the generation of electricity. Provides that a prohibition may not be extended or renewed for any length of time, regardless of when the prohibition first takes effect. Provides that after an advisory plan commission certifies a proposal to adopt, amend, or partially repeal the text of a zoning ordinance, the legislative body must take final action to adopt, amend, or reject the proposal. (Current law provides that after the legislative body acts on the proposal, the proposal returns to the plan commission for further proceedings.)
Provides that under certain circumstances, a lender may contract for and receive a nonrefundable prepaid finance charge of 3% (instead of 2%, under current law) of the loan amount on a loan that is secured by an interest in land and is not made under a revolving loan account. Provides that under certain circumstances, a lender may contract for and receive a nonrefundable prepaid finance charge of 3% (instead of 2%, under current law) of the line of credit on a loan that is secured by an interest in land and is made under a revolving loan account. Provides that: (1) if a joint agreement of merger is approved by the department of financial institutions, any credit union whose existence will terminate as a result of the merger shall submit the joint agreement to a vote of its shareholders as directed by the resolution of the board of directors; and (2) a majority of shareholders voting may approve the joint agreement. Establishes within the Indiana Code a new chapter, to be known as the Indiana Earned Wage Access Act (Act), governing the offering and provision of earned wage access services to Indiana consumers. Provides that the Act is to be administered by the division of consumer credit within the department of financial institutions (department). Sets forth provisions that address the following: (1) Definitions of terms. (2) Exemptions from the Act's requirements. (3) The department's supervisory authority under the Act. (4) The licensing of providers of earned wage access services (providers). (5) The acquisition of control of a licensee. (6) Reporting and record keeping requirements for licensees. (7) Duties of providers under the Act. (8) Prohibited acts by providers. (9) The department's enforcement authority under the Act. (10) Criminal liability for certain prohibited acts. (11) Statutory construction of the Act's provisions. Makes conforming changes to sections of the Indiana Code codified outside the Act.
Provides that a reference to federal law in: (1) the First Lien Mortgage Lending Act; (2) the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC); or (3) the Indiana Code title governing financial institutions; is a reference to the law as in effect December 31, 2024 (rather than December 31, 2023, under current law). Amends the definition of "principal" for purposes of the UCCC provisions governing consumer loans to specify that the term does not include any loan proceeds held as security for the loan. Makes a technical change to the Indiana Code provision governing the prepayment of consumer loans to incorporate a cross reference to the Indiana Code provision setting forth the authorized nonrefundable prepaid finance charge for supervised loans. (Current law references only the authorized nonrefundable prepaid finance charge for consumer loans other than supervised loans.) Amends the definition of "consumer transaction" for purposes of the deceptive consumer sales act (act) to include the provision of a product or service to a: (1) state law enforcement agency; or (2) local law enforcement agency; in Indiana. Amends the definition of "supplier" for purposes of the act to include an entity that provides a product or service to a state or local law enforcement agency in Indiana. Provides that an action that arises from a transaction involving: (1) a state law enforcement agency may be brought and enforced only by the attorney general; and (2) a local law enforcement agency may be brought and enforced only by an attorney acting on behalf of the local law enforcement agency involved in the transaction, unless the local unit of government served by the local law enforcement agency requests the attorney general to bring and enforce an action on behalf of the local unit. Amends the Indiana Code provision governing audit requirements for credit unions to provide that department of financial institutions may establish by policy or rule accounting and auditing standards necessary to define the audit requirements.
Requires safety rest areas, gas stations, and welcome centers to display human trafficking awareness information, and permits massage establishments to display human trafficking awareness information.
Defines "squatter" as an individual who occupies the property of another and who does not have and has never had: (1) a rental agreement; (2) permission of the owner; or (3) another legal interest in the property. Permits a property owner to execute an affidavit stating that a squatter is occupying the person's property, and requires a law enforcement agency to dispatch one or more law enforcement officers to remove the squatter within 48 hours (or a later period if necessary for reasons of public safety). Provides that a property owner can execute an affidavit at the time a law enforcement officer responds to a complaint that a squatter is occupying the owner's property. Requires a dispatched law enforcement officer to remove the squatter from the property unless the law enforcement officer discovers credible evidence that the person is not a squatter. Provides that a law enforcement agency may create a form affidavit. Provides certain immunities to a law enforcement agency and a law enforcement officer. Establishes a cause of action for wrongful removal from property.
Repeals provisions concerning university diversity committees. Prohibits unlawful discrimination in education, public employment, and licensure. Allows participation in public contracts by a minority business enterprise, women's business enterprise, and veteran business enterprise, as currently authorized by law. Permits scholarships based on a personal characteristic of the recipient if the scholarship is not funded by state funds or resources, and permits the renewal of specified state funded minority teaching scholarships for those recipients who were initially awarded the scholarship before July 1, 2025. Changes the criteria for certain state funded teaching scholarships from minority status to residence in an underserved county and an agreement to teach in an underserved county. Prohibits requiring as a condition of licensure that a person affirm that a person with a certain personal characteristic: (1) is inherently superior or inferior to a person with a different personal characteristic; (2) should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or (3) has a moral character that is determined by a personal characteristic of the person. Prohibits a public employer from requiring training asserting that, or implementing the theory that, a person with a certain personal characteristic: (1) is inherently superior or inferior to a person with a different personal characteristic; (2) should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or (3) has a moral character that is determined by a personal characteristic of the person. Permits a person injured by a violation to bring a civil action for actual damages, court costs, and injunctive relief.
Amends the definitions of "discharge for just cause", "employment", and "gross misconduct" for purposes of unemployment insurance. Provides that an unemployment claimant: (1) is required to verify the claimant's identity before a claim can be filed, and as a condition for continued eligibility; and (2) has the right to request a wage investigation and to appeal the results of the investigation to a liability administrative law judge. Allows an unemployment claimant or employing unit to appeal regarding the claimant's status as an insured worker. Requires that all hearings before an administrative law judge or the unemployment insurance review board concerning disputed unemployment claims be set as telephone hearings, unless an objection is made. Allows a disputed unemployment claim to be directly filed with a liability administrative law judge. Provides that administrative records of the department of workforce development (department) are self-authenticating and admissible in an administrative hearing. Provides that the department may release certain confidential records to the extent permitted by federal law. Makes certain changes regarding the reemployment service and eligibility assessment program. Makes various changes regarding extended unemployment benefits. Provides that repayment of a benefits overpayment may be waived if certain conditions are met. Alters certain fee and payment provisions. Removes or alters notice and delivery requirements and extends certain deadlines. Requires the department to issue a written notice of violation to a person who fails to comply with certain authorization requirements. Provides that the department may assess a civil penalty against a person under certain circumstances. Requires civil penalties collected by the department to be deposited in the proprietary educational institution authorization fund. Establishes the unemployment insurance modernization fund (fund). Requires the department to annually submit a report to the budget committee detailing the expenditures made from the fund during the previous state fiscal year. Requires the department to annually submit a report to the budget committee concerning the status of the department's unemployment insurance program. Provides that the department may establish a reemployment pilot program. Makes conforming changes.
Amends estimated quarterly tax payment provisions. Restructures tax collection requirements for kerosene to eliminate specialized tax filing. Streamlines the filing requirements for gasoline use tax to eliminate multiple filing requirements. Specifies the liability and remittance requirements for the gross retail tax, gasoline use tax, and other listed taxes in certain circumstances. Amends provisions that apply to passenger and household goods carriers. Amends the college savings tax credit. Replaces the term "college choice 529 education savings plan" with "Indiana529 plan". Makes a clarifying change to the closed system cartridge tax. Extends the renewal period from one year to two years for businesses licensed to collect the electronic cigarettes tax, closed systems cartridge tax, and other tobacco products tax. Specifies that the fiscal officer of an entity that has adopted an innkeeper's tax, a food and beverage tax, or an admissions tax must enter into an agreement with the department of state revenue (department) before the department provides certain information to the fiscal officer as required under current law. Specifies when certain tax information may be disclosed by the department. Provides for the transfer of certain funds from the bureau of motor vehicles commission fund to the motor carrier regulation fund. Provides that a person who commits a violation involving a consumer transaction entailing the transportation of passengers or household goods commits a deceptive act that is actionable by the attorney general and is subject to certain remedies and penalties. Specifies remittance procedures for the gasoline use tax. Specifies recapture procedures for certain reduced estimated tax payments. Makes corresponding changes.
Requires the department of education (department) to grant an initial practitioner license to an individual who: (1) holds a bachelor's degree with a major in any combination of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; (2) successfully completes a total of at least nine academic credits regarding certain instruction in teaching; and (3) meets other specified requirements. Provides that the department may grant a license to teach a high school level course or grades 5 through 9 to an individual who completes a licensure pathway established by the department. Requires a principal to allow a student who is enrolled in a public secondary school to receive religious instruction for a period or periods that do not exceed the amount of time that is equivalent to attending one elective course at the public secondary school during the week. (Current law provides for a period or periods of not more than 120 minutes in total in any week.) Provides that a public secondary school may award academic credit to a student who attends religious instruction if: (1) the religious entity providing the instruction agrees to certain conditions; and (2) the governing body of the school corporation adopts a policy that allows the awarding of credit (current law only provides that a public secondary school may award academic credit to a student who attends religious instruction if the governing body of the school corporation adopts a policy that allows the awarding of credit). Changes certain requirements regarding the reporting of a bullying "incident" to the reporting of a bullying "investigation". Requires discipline rules to include a provision to make a reasonable attempt to notify both the parent of a targeted student and the parent of an alleged perpetrator that the school is investigating a possible incident of bullying or similar misconduct before the end of the next school day after the school becomes aware of the possible incident.
Modifies the definition of "candidate". Provides that certain documents and material generated for or used by a political party caucus to select a person to fill a vacancy in an elected office are the property of the political party. Provides that the office of the circuit court clerk must remain closed on primary election day and general election day. Provides that the circuit court clerk shall perform required duties to conduct elections on primary election day and general election day. Specifies that the circuit court clerk is not required to perform on primary election day and general election day a duty other than conducting elections. Requires a county, city, town, township, or school to provide to an employee of a local government office who requests leave to serve: (1) on primary election day or general election day; and (2) as a precinct election officer; a paid day of leave to serve as a precinct election officer. Specifies an exception. Requires certain redistricting authorities to redistrict election districts or recertify existing election districts within the statutory deadlines and withholds payment to aa member of a redistricting authority for failure to do so. Prescribes fees to be charged by the election division for particular products and services. Changes the manner in which a copy of a complaint is to be provided to members of the Indiana election commission. Specifies the term of a chairman of a county election board, circumstances under which the chairman is considered to have vacated the office, and the process for electing a member of the board to serve as chairman following a vacancy. Provides that a person must: (1) be at least 18 years of age at the next general, municipal, or special election; (2) be a United States citizen; and (3) reside in a precinct continuously before a general, municipal, or special election for at least 30 days; to register to vote in that precinct and may, upon making a proper application, register to vote in that precinct. Requires absentee activity reports and other election day reports to be provided by a certain time and provides exceptions. Requires the county voter registration official to take certain actions concerning potential nonresidential addresses not later than August 1 of each year. Provides that the county voter registration official may not enter a nonresidential address into the statewide voter registration system as a voter's registration address. Provides that the spouse of a service member may elect to use the same residence as the member. Requires a county voter registration office to conduct a voter list maintenance program within 48 hours of receiving certain information. Allows a county voter registration office to use, for purposes of voter list maintenance: (1) information received by the county voter registration office indicating that a voter has moved to another state; (2) the return of an absentee ballot sent by the county election board to a voter because of an unknown or insufficient address. Requires a county voter registration office that receives information indicating that a voter has moved to another state to mail a specified form to the voter. Specifies that a full-time employee of the department of homeland security who is prohibited from participating in political activities is disqualified from assuming or being a candidate for an elected office. Requires a write-in candidate for a school board office to file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate with the county election board. Provides, for purposes of stating a candidate's affiliation with a political party in a declaration of candidacy, that if a candidate cast a nonpartisan ballot at an election held at either of the two most recent primary elections in which the candidate voted, a certification by the county chairman is required. Provides that, under certain circumstances, a county election board is not required to compile: (1) the addresses of persons for whom declarations of candidacy have been filed; or (2) information concerning precinct committeemen or state convention delegates. Specifies that a circuit court clerk who is required to conduct a special election is not required to publish the address of a candidate. Requires candidates for school board office and their candidate's committees to file required instruments with the county election board. Requires the names of all: (1) candidates for presidential electors and alternate presidential electors; and (2) nominees for President and Vice President of the United States; to be certified to the election division not later than noon September 1 before the general election. (Current law requires certification not later than noon on the second Tuesday in September before the general election.) Allows the county election board, by unanimous vote of the board's entire membership, to use bound materials instead of a paper envelope or bag in certain circumstances. Requires a voter registration application or absentee ballot application requested through electronic mail by a voter with print disabilities to be provided by electronic mail. (Current law permits providing these documents by fax or mail in certain circumstances.) Allows an individual to submit: (1) a replacement ballot statement request; and (2) a written replacement ballot request; by electronic mail. Repeals a provision that prohibits a voter from: (1) taking a digital image or photograph of the voter's ballot while in a polling place, except in specified circumstances; and (2) distributing or sharing the image using social media or by any other means. Requires that a voter entitled to cast an absentee ballot before an absentee voter board mark the voter's political party ballot selection on the electronic poll book instead of communicating the selection to the poll clerks. Permits a vendor to dispose of a voting system unit or an electronic poll book unit by transferring possession of the unit to a state or county historical society in Indiana. Specifies circumstances in which a candidate filing a petition for a recount or contest is liable for the expenses chargeable to another party. Provides that a petition for a recount or contest may not be filed earlier than noon 10 days after election day. Specifies, with regard to filling a candidate vacancy for a local office, that an authorization to fill vacancies given to a county chairman or a county committee expires at the time of the next election for precinct committeemen for the party with which the county chairman or county committee is affiliated. Provides that action to fill an early candidate vacancy must be taken not earlier than May 8 after the primary election if the vacancy exists on a general or municipal election ballot. Provides that if only one person seeks to fill a vacancy in a local office held by a major political party, a caucus vote is not required and the county chairman may select that person to fill the vacancy. Provides that certain state officers are liable to impeachment for crime, incapacity, or negligence in office. (Current law provides that these officers are liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office.) Specifies, for purposes of nepotism provisions, that the performance of certain duties of an absentee voter board, an absentee ballot counter, a provisional ballot counter, or an absentee ballot courier is not considered employment by a unit.
