Sen. Blake Doriot

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate Resolution (SR 1) honoring Senator Brandt Hershman for his retirement after serving District 7 in the Indiana State Senate since 2000. The resolution formally expresses the Senate's gratitude for his service, highlighting his leadership roles (including Majority Floor Leader and Committee Chair) and his work on tax policy improvements. The key mechanism is directing the Senate Secretary to send a copy of the resolution to Senator Hershman and his wife. It does not create new laws or affect any policy, as it is purely a symbolic gesture of appreciation.

Requires the department of education (department) to: (1) compile a list of business and industry partners that provide guaranteed incentives to high school students who earn the honors employment plus seal; and (2) publish the list on the department's website. Provides that, in addition to conditions established in current law to convert an existing public elementary or secondary school, an existing public elementary or secondary school may be converted into a charter school if certain other conditions apply. Allows, if the conditions are met, the governing body of a school corporation to: (1) convert more than one existing public elementary or secondary school within the school corporation; and (2) operate two or more conversion charter schools under a single charter. Allows participating innovation network charter schools to enter into an agreement with more than one school corporation. Establishes the following for or with regard to participating innovation network charter schools that entered into an agreement with more than one school corporation: (1) Requirements regarding the location of a participating innovation network charter school. (2) Terms of a participating innovation network charter school agreement. (3) Duties of the department. Amends certain requirements and procedures that apply to the closure and transfer of covered school buildings. Provides that a lease or sale of a covered school building to a charter school or state educational institution includes certain assets. Requires parental notification if a school determines a student is at risk of not achieving grade level proficiency in mathematics.

Allows the executive board of the Indiana department of health to adopt rules concerning time temperature control for food safety, but provides that the rules may not be applied to a homestead vendor or small farm vendor. Provides that homestead vendors and small farm vendors are exempt from specified health regulations applicable to food establishments. Provides that the Indiana department of health, a local unit of government, the health and hospital corporation of Marion County, or a local health department may not impose any rules, regulations, certifications, or licensing requirements on a homestead vendor or small farm vendor that are not required under federal law, but may investigate complaints against a homestead vendor or small farm vendor regarding a foodborne illness derived from the homestead vendor's or small farm vendor's food products. Permits homestead vendors and small farm vendors to sell specified meat products and other foods from: (1) the property of the homestead vendor or small farm vendor; or (2) a farmers market. Requires a homestead vendor or small farm vendor to provide consumers with specified information regarding the homestead vendor's or small farm vendor's food products through signage or labeling. Provides for conditions under which a homestead vendor or small farm vendor may ship or deliver a food product directly to a consumer. Imposes handling, refrigeration, transportation, and storage requirements for homestead vendor and small farm vendor food products. Provides that public buildings used by homestead vendors and small farm vendors are exempt from certain public building and safety regulations. Provides that buildings, structures, or stands used for sale of homestead vendor or small farm vendor food products are subject to specified fire safety, building, and equipment laws.

Allows the Indiana department of transportation (department) to assume the responsibilities and duties of the United States Department of Transportation with respect to certain federal environmental laws. Provides that the department waives its civil immunity and consents to the jurisdiction of the federal courts for responsibilities and duties assumed under certain federal environmental laws. Amends language regarding a local unit's eligibility for: (1) a grant from the local road and bridge matching grant fund (fund); and (2) a distribution from the fund based on the local unit's share of total lane mileage. Provides limitations for an overweight truck permit that is issued for a single trip. Provides for the use of the Indiana Plane Coordinate System as a means to describe real property. Provides that the department may give preference in awarding grants from the fund to local units that have adopted an enhanced asset management plan. Provides that a county may impose a vehicle excise tax or wheel tax on a vehicle that is registered in the county and not registered in a municipality in the county where a vehicle excise tax or wheel tax went into effect after December 31, 2026. Amends certain requirements for township capital improvement plans.

Amends the statute that authorizes a conservancy district providing water service to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) if the conservancy district serves less than 2,000 customers, so as to authorize a withdrawal from the IURC's jurisdiction if the conservancy district serves less than 3,000 customers. Amends the existing statute authorizing alternative regulatory procedures for water or sewer utilities with customer bases not exceeding specified numbers to include within the scope of the statute a procedure that promotes economic development opportunities in rural areas while providing just and reasonable protections to a utility's existing ratepayers. Prohibits a water or wastewater utility (utility) from charging or collecting a capacity related fee or a tap fee to an eligible customer for connecting workforce housing to the utility's water or wastewater system (system) under certain circumstances. Provides that if the utility determines that the extension of service to the workforce housing will not result in a positive contribution to the utility's overall cost of service over a 20 year period, the utility may charge and collect from the eligible customer a capacity related fee or a tap fee that does not exceed the difference between: (1) the otherwise applicable capacity related fee or tap fee; minus (2) the contribution to the utility's overall cost of service over a 20 year period that will result from the extension of service to the workforce housing. Provides that for purposes of these provisions, an "eligible customer" means a not-for-profit organization that: (1) has entered into an agreement with the Indiana housing and community development authority under which the person will construct workforce housing in Indiana; and (2) seeks to connect the workforce housing to the system of a utility under the terms of a special contract with the utility. Authorizes a water or wastewater utility that is eligible under existing law to recover costs for service enhancement improvements (eligible utility) to adjust the statutory adjustment tracker to reflect certain per unit chemical and power costs if those costs have increased or decreased by more than 3% over the two most recent years. Provides that if the costs: (1) have increased by more than 3% over the two year period, the amount of the adjustment shall be included in the adjustment rider as an expense; or (2) have decreased by more than 3% over the two year period, the amount of the adjustment shall be included in the adjustment rider as a credit. Provides that an eligible utility is not required to seek preapproval of a plan from the IURC in order to seek recovery of the costs of chemicals and power. Requires an eligible utility for which the IURC has issued an order approving an adjustment rider for the recovery of chemical or power costs to file a petition for a change in its adjustment amount: (1) not later than 30 days after the end of each 12 month period after the date of the IURC's order approving the adjustment rider; and (2) until the IURC issues an order in the eligible utility's next general rate case. Specifies that the costs of chemicals and power may be recovered in full and without deferring 20% of the costs for recovery as part of the eligible utility's next general rate case.

Removes vacation pay and sick pay from the definition of "deductible income". Amends the definition of "suitable work" to apply solely to extended benefit claims. Amends the definition of "employment" with respect to certain religious, charitable, or educational organizations. Provides that the department of workforce development may make certain direct deposit disbursements under limited circumstances. Provides that the date a determination of eligibility is sent is prima facie evidence of proper service. Codifies certain administrative rules with respect to benefit payments, the filing of claims, and notice. Removes outdated or expired provisions. Removes references to dependents' allowances for purposes of calculating extended benefits. Provides that an individual who files a disaster unemployment assistance claim may be eligible for additional benefits under certain circumstances. Makes conforming changes.

Defines "surplus interconnection service" (SIS), with respect to established interconnection service connecting an electric generating facility with an electric transmission system, as any portion of that service that: (1) has not been used; and (2) is not reasonably expected to be needed; the use of which would result in the total amount of interconnection service at the point of interconnection remaining the same. Provides that an electric utility that is required to file integrated resource plans (IRPs) with the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) must include in any IRP filed after December 31, 2029, an analysis of the potential for SIS to meet immediate needs for capacity and energy at utility owned facilities. Provides that with respect to any petition filed with the IURC after December 31, 2029, for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction, purchase, or lease of an electric generation facility, the IURC shall consider whether: (1) the petitioner has conducted an analysis of the use of SIS as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, the proposed construction, purchase, or lease of the facility; and (2) the proposed construction, use, or lease of the facility will make use of, or allow for the use of, SIS. Requires the IURC to conduct a study to evaluate the potential use of SIS by electric utilities. Sets forth specific topics that the IURC must evaluate as part of the study. Requires the IURC to include in its 2027 annual report its findings with respect to the topics evaluated in the study.

Provides that contracts entered into, amended, or renewed by a qualified entity for the provision of a technological product or service must contain a provision requiring the contractor to confirm that the contractor and any subcontractors working under the contract for the contractor are not prohibited persons. Requires certain persons acting on behalf of a hostile foreign country to register with the attorney general. Establishes a procedure to deny state benefits to persons who aid a foreign terrorist organization. Requires a state educational institution to meet certain requirements regarding the admission and enrollment of a foreign student into qualifying programs at state educational institutions. Requires an approved postsecondary educational institution to provide to the commission for higher education the number of foreign students currently enrolled in a qualifying program and the number of foreign students enrolled in a qualifying program for each academic year for the preceding 10 years. Prohibits certain individuals and business entities from acquiring real property located in Indiana. Provides that an agreement or cooperative agreement between a unit and a prohibited person is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable. Repeals existing statutes regarding foreign ownership of agricultural land.

Provides that the maintenance, repair, renovation, modernization, or expansion of buildings, structures, or facilities used in connection with a shooting range, including improvements to safety, security accessibility, or environmental controls, is a continuation of a permitted use and may not be treated by a local unit of government as: (1) an expansion of a nonconforming use; or (2) a basis to deny, delay, or condition approval of any permit that is otherwise required under applicable building codes or safety regulations. Provides that if an area is zoned for commercial use, a retail sporting goods store is a permitted use on each lot or parcel. Provides that if a property is zoned for commercial, industrial, or agricultural use, an indoor shooting range is permitted on any lot or parcel if certain conditions are satisfied.

Provides that a county board or assessing official shall not enter a property to conduct a physical inspection without first receiving the permission of the taxpayer to enter the property. Provides that under specific circumstances, that an individual may serve as a tax representative of any taxpayer concerning property subject to property taxes. Changes the expiration date for the county option circuit breaker tax credit. Describes elements that must be included in a report that must be prepared by the department of local government finance and presented to an interim study committee regarding automated valuation systems.