Sen. Greg Goode

Provides that an individual who has obtained a license to teach in a charter school may be eligible to obtain an initial practitioner professional educator license under certain conditions. Removes a requirement that an individual must hold a bachelor's degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics as a component of certain pathways to receive an initial practitioner license. Provides that academic needs based salary increases may not: (1) apply to all eligible teachers in a bargaining unit uniformly; or (2) be based on certain other factors. Repeals the: (1) state educational institution (institution) annual report to the legislative council (council) and commission for higher education (commission) concerning financial aid; (2) commission report to the general assembly concerning certain institution information; (3) student athlete cardiac arrest provisions; and (4) Ivy Tech Community College report to the budget committee concerning campus information. Expires certain physical facilities reporting requirements on June 30, 2029. Provides that a state educational institution that has been denied approval to continue a degree program may: (1) permit students to enroll in the degree program until June 1 of the year following the denial; and (2) provide students enrolled in the degree program with the opportunity to finish their degree prior to the degree program's closure. Requires the commission to submit an annual report concerning degree program closures to the general assembly. Changes the reporting of disclosable gifts to January 31 and July 31 of a given year (current law requires disclosure on January 1 and July 1 of a given year). Changes certain amounts concerning construction, land purchases, and repair and rehabilitation by an institution to $3,000,000. Voids a provision in the Indiana Administrative Code. Requires each institution to submit a report annually to the budget committee and the commission for higher education listing certain capital projects for the immediately preceding full calendar year that did not receive review by the commission. Specifies the contents of the report. Provides that a student enrolled in a health profession education program may not be required to receive an immunization as a condition of: (1) participating in; or (2) obtaining; clinical training or clinical experience required by the program if a parent of the student or student objects on religious grounds. Adds requirements regarding the principles of the core transfer library.

Amends the definition of "threat" in the intimidation statute to include posting a person's personal information on a social media platform with the intent to cause: (1) bodily injury to the person; (2) damage to the person's property; or (3) the commission of a crime against the person. Increases the penalty for intimidation if committed against a legislator.

Consolidates duties and responsibilities for Ivy Tech Community College (college). Includes logistics, information technology, and life sciences as areas of expertise for members of the college's board of trustees (board). Provides that members of a campus board may represent an employer that operates within the campus service area. Provides that the campus board, in collaboration with the campus chancellor, shall nominate and submit candidate names in the event of a campus board vacancy. Requires the campus board to: (1) develop and recommend certain plans to the board; and (2) make certain budget recommendations to the campus chancellor. Realigns and consolidates the primary purposes of the college. Consolidates duties and responsibilities for the board. Requires the Indiana economic development corporation, not later than December 1, 2026, to: (1) develop an education to employment research program; and (2) create a framework for education to employment data analysis and data sharing. Repeals certain provisions regarding the purpose and requirements of the college.

Amends definitions, requirements, restrictions, and exceptions regarding wireless communication device policies adopted and implemented by school corporations and charter schools. Requires the department of education to publish model policy language and implementation guidance. Provides that, with exceptions, a school corporation, a school maintained by a school corporation, and a charter school, including school personnel, are immune from civil liability for any actions taken in good faith to comply with the school's wireless communication device policy.

Authorizes a county that operates a community corrections program to establish a county community corrections trust fund (fund). Specifies the funding sources and permissible uses of the fund. Specifies reporting and auditing requirements relating to the administration of the fund. Makes technical corrections to a reference to community corrections programs located in the civil procedure law.

Adds one voting member to the Indiana defense task force (task force) appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate and one voting member to the task force appointed by the speaker of the house. Adds the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard or the adjutant general's designee as a nonvoting member of the task force. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2026, and each May 1 thereafter, the task force shall submit a report to the Indiana economic development corporation's office of defense development and the budget committee. Provides that the report shall identify the task force's identified priorities for expenditures for the following state fiscal year. Provides that on or before August 1, 2027, and each August 1 thereafter, the corporation's office of defense development shall submit a report to the task force and the budget committee that details expenditures from amounts appropriated to the corporation's office of defense development for priorities identified by the task force for the previous state fiscal year. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 state fiscal year, and each state fiscal year thereafter, the corporation's office of defense development shall consider and incorporate, to the extent practicable, the task force's identified priorities for expenditures when the corporation's office of defense development formulates its annual budget. Provides that the IEDC and an operating partner shall administer the federal Unmanned Aircraft System Test Site program Indiana.

Establishes the Indiana rural health transformation fund and makes allotments and expenditures from the fund subject to budget committee review before the allotment and expenditure may occur. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to report biannually to the budget committee concerning the use of the money in the fund. Prohibits recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from using SNAP benefits to purchase candy and soft drinks. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to apply for a waiver or authorization to implement the prohibition if a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is required. Terminates the state's participation in the use of expanded categorical eligibility within the federal SNAP. Specifies gross income standards and countable resources for SNAP eligibility. Establishes immigration eligibility requirements for SNAP and requires the division of family resources to verify compliance with the requirements and submit information to the federal government about individuals for whom the division could not verify the immigration status. Specifies the time frame for Medicaid eligibility redeterminations. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) to transmit certain information to the federal government to prevent multiple state Medicaid enrollment. Specifies the time frame concerning the initial date of Medicaid assistance based on the application date. Sets forth additional countable income requirements for Medicaid. Modifies immigration status requirements for Medicaid, including presumptive eligibility and the healthy Indiana plan (HIP), and requires the office to verify compliance of the requirements and report information to the federal government. Modifies work and exemption requirements for HIP and requires the conditions to be met in the three preceding months before an individual applies to HIP. Requires the office to verify compliance with the work requirements on an ongoing basis and at least quarterly. Prohibits the office from expanding the medically frail exemption beyond the federal definition of the term. Removes the 12 month eligibility period for HIP and requires semiannual renewal. Sets forth additional copayments for the use of an emergency room setting for nonemergency services and other services under HIP.

Requires the department of child services to: (1) create a statement called "the foster youth bill of rights", which is to summarize a foster youth's rights and responsibilities; (2) update the statement periodically; (3) distribute the statement to specified individuals; and (4) publish the statement on the department's website. Defines "foster youth" for purposes of the foster youth bill of rights. Makes conforming changes.

Allows a participant in the state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan to elect a joint and survivor option for the payment of the participant's retirement allowance. Provides for a thirteenth check in calendar year 2026 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.

Increases the maximum number of individuals an entity may employ to be eligible for the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Provides that costs incurred: (1) for the operating costs of a child care facility operated for a taxpayer's employees; or (2) under a contract with a child care facility to provide child care services to employees of the taxpayer, or under a contract with an intermediate entity that contracts with one or more child care facilities for child care services; are qualified expenditures for purposes of the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Allows a redevelopment commission to use revenue collected in a tax increment financing district to expend money or provide financial assistance to entities for the purpose of encouraging or incentivizing the construction or expansion of child care facilities.