Rep. Dale DeVon

Provides that salary and wage adjustments or personal service payments for the department of child services (department) that are within established salary classifications and schedules become effective when approved by the director of the department (instead of the budget agency). Specifies that the director of the department is responsible for certain duties related to individuals who are employed in the state public employee civil service in a position with the department (instead of the state personnel department).

Prohibits a governmental entity from discriminating against a person in adoption and foster care matters based on the person's sincerely held religious belief. Allows a person to sue a governmental entity for discriminating against the person and allows for certain remedies. Provides that there is a two year statute of limitation for a discrimination claim.

Includes instruction that stresses the nature and importance of the positive personal and societal outcomes associated with: (1) obtaining a high school diploma or high school equivalency credential; (2) securing full-time employment; and (3) waiting until marriage to begin having children; in existing good citizenship instruction.

Revises the definition of "bullying". Requires each public school, including a charter school, to track, monitor, and analyze specified aspects of bullying, and provides that a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an emancipated minor, may submit a grievance to the school for a violation of this requirement. Requires each school corporation and charter school to: (1) document and track all acts of bullying and abusive behaviors for analysis; (2) prepare and implement interventions to deter and prevent bullying and abusive behaviors; and (3) compile, prepare, and submit an annual report beginning July 1, 2027, to the department of education, the state board of education, and the legislative council summarizing the information collected. Requires the state board of education to review the report and provide recommendations to certain schools to reduce the frequency of acts of bullying or abusive behaviors. Allows the department of child services to release unredacted reports to a school's designated liaison under certain circumstances.

Provides a credit against state tax liability for expenses incurred in the manufacture of a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) in Indiana. Establishes procedures under which certain energy utilities may request approval for one or more of the following from the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC): (1) An expedited generation resource plan (EGR plan) to meet customer load growth that exceeds a specified threshold. (2) A generation resource submittal for the acquisition of a specific generation resource in accordance with an approved EGR plan. (3) A project to serve one or more large load customers. Sets forth: (1) the requirements for approval of each of these types of requests; (2) standards for financial assurances by large load customers; and (3) cost recovery mechanisms for certain acquisition costs or project costs incurred by energy utilities. Amends the statute concerning public utilities' annual electric resource planning reports to the IURC to provide that for an annual report submitted after December 31, 2025, a public utility must include information as to the amount of generating resource capacity or energy that the public utility plans to retire or refuel with respect to any electric generation resource of at least 125 megawatts. Provides that for any planned retirement or refueling, the public utility must include, along with other specified information, information as to the public utility's plans with respect to the following: (1) For a retirement, the amount of replacement capacity identified to provide approximately the same accredited capacity within the appropriate regional transmission organization (RTO) as the capacity of the facility to be retired. (2) For a refueling, the extent to which the refueling will maintain or increase the current generating resource accredited capacity or energy that the electric generating facility provides, so as to provide approximately the same accredited capacity within the appropriate RTO. Requires IURC staff to prepare a staff report for each public utility report that includes a planned electric generation resource retirement. Provides that if, after reviewing a public utility's report and any related staff report, the IURC is not satisfied that the public utility can satisfy both its planning reserve margin requirement and the statute's prescribed reliability adequacy metrics, the IURC shall conduct an investigation into the reasons for the public utility's inability to meet these requirements. Provides that if the public utility's report indicates that the public utility plans to retire an electric generating facility within one year of the date of the report, the IURC must conduct such an investigation. Provides that: (1) a public utility may request, not earlier than three years before the planned retirement date of an electric generation facility, that the IURC conduct an investigation into the planned retirement; and (2) if the IURC conducts an investigation at the request of the public utility within that three year period, the IURC may not conduct a subsequent investigation that would otherwise be required under the bill's provisions unless the IURC is not satisfied that the public utility can satisfy both its planning reserve margin requirement and the statutory reliability adequacy metrics as of the time the investigation would otherwise be required. Provides that if a CPCN is granted by the IURC for a facility intended to repower or replace a generation unit that is planned for retirement, and the CPCN includes findings that the project will result in at least equivalent accredited capacity and will provide economic benefit to ratepayers as compared to the continued operation of the generating unit to be retired, the CPCN constitutes approval by the IURC for purposes of an investigation that would otherwise be required. Provides that if, after an investigation, the IURC determines that the capacity resources available to the public utility will not be adequate to allow the public utility to satisfy both its planning reserve margin requirements and the statute's prescribed reliability adequacy metrics, the IURC shall issue an order: (1) directing the public utility to acquire or construct; or (2) prohibiting the retirement or refueling of; such capacity resources that are reasonable and necessary to enable the public utility to meet these requirements. Provides that if the IURC does not issue an order in an investigation within 120 days after the initiation of the investigation, the public utility is considered to be able to satisfy both its planning reserve margin requirement and the statutory reliability adequacy metrics with respect to the retirement of the facility under investigation. Provides that if the IURC issues an order to prohibit the retirement or refueling of an electric generation resource, the IURC shall create a sub-docket to authorize the public utility to recover in rates the costs of the continued operation of the electric generation resource proposed to be retired or refueled, subject to a finding by the IURC that the continued costs of operation are just and reasonable. Makes a technical change to another Indiana Code section to recognize the redesignation of subsections within the section containing these provisions.

Defines an "attachment request" as a request made: (1) by an attaching entity, other than an electricity supplier, to the owner (pole owner) of an electric distribution pole (pole) for authorization to install, within a period of not more than 30 days, communications service equipment on 300 or more poles owned by the pole owner; and (2) in connection with, and using funds obtained from, a state or federal program directly related to the expansion of communications services to unserved, underserved, or rural areas (program). Defines a "process management agreement" as a written agreement entered into by: (1) an attaching entity that has been awarded funding under a program; and (2) a pole owner that owns at least 300 poles with respect to which the attaching entity intends to submit an attachment request in connection with a project under the program; for the purpose of establishing processes, timelines, mutual performance obligations, and conflict resolution options for timely completing attachment requests. Provides that not later than five business days after the execution of a contract that: (1) is entered into by an attaching entity and a governmental agency; and (2) sets forth the terms and conditions for a project for which funding has been awarded under a program; the Indiana broadband office (office) shall publish the contract on the office's website. Provides that not later than 60 days after a contract is executed: (1) the attaching entity that executed the contract; and (2) each pole owner that owns at least 300 poles with respect to which the attaching entity intends to submit an attachment request in connection with a project under the program; shall hold a meeting for the purpose of discussing general project plans. Provides that not later than four months after the National Telecommunications Information Administration approves the office's final proposal for funding under the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, if an attaching entity that has been awarded funding under a program does not have a process management agreement in effect with a pole owner that owns at least 300 poles with respect to which the attaching entity intends to submit an attachment request in connection with a project under the program, the attaching entity and the pole owner shall negotiate an agreement that sets forth specified processes, timelines, mutual performance obligations, and conflict resolution options. Provides that if the attaching entity and a pole owner do not reach an agreement as to the terms, conditions, and timelines for a process management agreement, or otherwise have the prescribed negotiated agreement in effect, within the required four month period, certain conditions apply with respect to the dealings between the attaching entity and the pole owner with respect to any application for a pole attachment permit that does not seek the attachment of more than 3,000 poles within a period of not more than 30 days. Authorizes the office to adopt a rapid response mediation process to be followed if a dispute arises between an attaching entity and a pole owner regarding the processes and timelines for the timely completion of an attachment request. Provides that these provisions expire July 1, 2030.

Provides that the commission on improving the status of children in Indiana (CISC) must create and provide staff support to a statewide youth, family, and caregiver engagement initiative to carry out certain duties. Adds that CISC must provide staff to the statewide juvenile justice oversight body.

Provides that a granted waiver or variance expires three years after the date that the waiver or variance becomes effective. Removes the requirement that a child receiving child care from a school must be the child of a student or employee of the school. Provides that, not later than June 30, 2026, the division of family resources (division) shall establish an organizational license category for multi-site child care centers operating under one owner, and specifies obligations of the division with regard to the new license category. Provides that, subject to exceptions, certain properties may not be required to comply with a new or different set of building, fire safety, or equipment laws than were originally enforced by the department: (1) before July 1, 2025; or (2) two years after the earlier of the date of the: (A) initial inspection; or (B) plan review. Allows a child care home that was licensed to operate a Class 2 structure before July 1, 2025, to continue operating in the structure notwithstanding the building, fire safety, or equipment laws and regulations.

Extends the availability of the employer child care expenditure tax credit through July 1, 2027. Provides that under specified circumstances, an individual who: (1) is at least 15 years of age; and (2) is a student at a school corporation that operates a child care program; may volunteer as a caregiver for the child care program before completing the statutory requirements for individuals to act as a volunteer caregiver at a child care program. Adds two representatives of out-of-school-time programs to the membership of the early learning advisory committee. Provides for purposes of regulation of licensed child care centers that the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) shall: (1) ensure that: (A) Indiana's staff to child ratio for a specified age range is not more stringent than the average of the staff to child ratios permitted for that age range under the laws of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio; and (B) Indiana's maximum group size for a specified age range is not more stringent than the average of the maximum group sizes permitted for that age range under the laws of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio; and (2) annually publish on the office's website the: (A) staff to child ratio; and (B) maximum group size; that a licensed child care center is required to maintain for the specified age ranges. Provides exceptions to the bill's group size provisions for: (1) an indoor or outdoor area of a child care center that provides at least 75 square feet of space per child; and (2) a child care center's cafeteria. Provides that if the office has received at least five applications from child care providers wishing to participate in the micro center pilot program (pilot program) but has selected less than five applicants for participation in the pilot program, the office shall select additional applicants for participation in the pilot program such that at least five child care providers are participating in the pilot program.

Allows an eligible county and city to establish by ordinance, a Midwest continental divide commission and district for the purpose of acquiring, developing, funding, constructing, equipping, and owning economic improvement projects in or serving the district. Amends an appropriation made in P.L.201-2023 to the northern Indiana regional economic development authority to allow funds to be used to support and fund the commission and the commission's projects.