Establishes the task force on wastewater infrastructure investment and service to underserved areas (task force). Provides that the task force consists of the following 18 members: (1) Six members of the senate, with the president pro tempore appointing four members (one of whom serves as co-chair of the task force), and the minority leader appointing two members. (2) Six members of the house of representatives, with the speaker appointing four members (one of whom serves as co-chair of the task force), and the minority leader appointing two members. (3) Six gubernatorial appointees, including the following: (A) One officer or employee of the state. (B) One member representing operators of wastewater management systems. (C) One engineer, or another professional, with expertise in wastewater management systems. (D) One member representing ratepayers. (E) One member representing municipalities served by a wastewater operator not under the jurisdiction of the utility regulatory commission. (F) One member of the general public. Sets forth the duties of the task force. Requires the task force to develop a long term plan for addressing wastewater needs in Indiana. Requires the task force to issue a report setting forth its recommendations to: (1) the executive director of the legislative services agency for distribution to members of the general assembly; and (2) the governor; not later than December 1, 2021. Provides that the bill's provisions concerning the task force expire January 1, 2022. Establishes the water infrastructure grant program (program) to be administered by the Indiana finance authority (authority). Establishes the water infrastructure grant fund (fund) as a source of money for grants, loans, and other financial assistance to, or for the benefit of, participants in the program. Sets forth purposes for which money in the fund may be used, including the planning, designing, acquisition, construction, renovation, improvement, or expansion of: (1) water systems; and (2) wastewater or storm water collection and treatment systems. Requires the authority to adopt guidelines to establish criteria for the making of grants, loans, and other financial assistance from the fund. Sets forth certain conditions that apply to the making of grants, the making of loans, and the providing of other financial assistance from the fund. Requires the authority to establish a project prioritization system for the purposes of awarding loans and grants from the fund. Sets forth certain variables that the project prioritization system must include. Provides that the authority may provide advisory services and other services to a participant in connection with a grant, a loan, or other financial assistance from the fund. Requires the public finance director to submit to the budget committee and the legislative council, in each odd-numbered year through 2023, a report concerning grants, loans, or other financial assistance made available to participants from the fund.
Sponsored bills
Replaces statutory references to "dangerous communicable disease" with "serious communicable disease". Replaces statutory references to "carrier" with "individual with a communicable disease". Makes conforming amendments.
Provides for placement of a newborn safety device at any facility that is staffed by an emergency medical services provider on a 24 hour per day, seven day per week basis, provided the newborn safety device: (1) is located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to staff; and (2) includes a dual alarm system that is connected to the facility and is tested at least one time per month to ensure the alarm system is in working order. Provides for placement of a newborn safety device at any fire department, including a volunteer fire department that: (1) meets the minimum response time established by the county, not to exceed four minutes; (2) is located within one mile of a hospital, police station, or emergency medical services station that meets certain requirements; (3) is equipped with an alert system that, when the newborn safety device is opened, automatically connects to the 911 system and transmits a request for immediate dispatch of an emergency medical services provider to the location of the newborn safety device and is tested at least one time per month to ensure the alert system is in working order; and (4) is equipped with an independent video surveillance system that allows at least two members of a fire department to monitor inside the newborn safety device at all times. Provides that a person who in good faith voluntarily leaves a child in a newborn safety device located at such a facility or fire station is not obligated to disclose the parent's name or the person's name. Makes conforming amendments.
Allows a person admitted as a patient to a hospital or ambulatory outpatient surgical center (facility) to receive visitation by specified individuals during a declared emergency or public health emergency. Requires visitors to comply with applicable disease control or prevention guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when visiting a patient. Requires a facility to permit the visitation of a person admitted as a patient in a facility during specified compassionate care scenarios. Allows a facility to limit visitation in certain instances. Provides certain civil immunity for a facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols. Requires health facilities and residential care facilities (health facilities) to allow visitation of a resident in a compassionate care situation. Requires the state department of health to adopt standards and guidelines concerning the essential family caregiver program during a declared emergency or public health emergency and requires facilities to participate in the program. Allows for the designation of an essential family caregiver for a resident of a health facility and allows for visitation during restricted visitation at the health facility. Specifies requirements for an individual to be designated as an essential family caregiver and allows for the reconsideration and reporting of a denial of a request for designation. Allows the state department of health to adopt certain rules concerning the program. Provides certain civil immunity for a health facility, its employees, and contractors for an injury or harm caused by or resulting from: (1) the exposure of a contagious disease or other harmful agent that is specified during a disaster emergency; or (2) acts or omissions by visitors who are present in the health facility; as a result of the implementation of the required protocols.
Specifies that it is the policy of the state to recognize the parenting rights of a parent regardless of whether the parent has a disability. Provides that the right of a person with a disability to parent the person's child may not be denied or restricted solely because the person has a disability. Provides that: (1) a court, in: (A) considering the appointment of a person as a guardian; (B) hearing an action to modify custody or an action to determine or modify parenting time; or (C) determining whether to grant a petition for adoption; and (2) the department of child services, in determining whether to grant a person a license to operate a foster family home; may not discriminate against, and shall take into consideration the provision of reasonable accommodations to, a person with a disability.
Establishes the Indiana broadband connectivity program (program) for the purpose of expanding availability of broadband Internet connectivity throughout Indiana. Provides that as part of the program, the office must establish a public broadband portal through which an individual may report that minimum broadband Internet (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 25 megabits per second downstream and at least three megabits per second upstream) is unavailable at the individual's residential or business address. Provides that a broadband Internet provider may: (1) register with the program; (2) receive, at least every three months, listings of addresses submitted to the office as addresses at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable; (3) report to the office any listed address at which the provider's minimum broadband Internet service is already available; and (4) bid for an award of a grant for purposes of extending connectivity to broadband Internet service (defined as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 50 megabits per second downstream and at least five megabits per second upstream) to an address at which minimum broadband Internet is unavailable. Provides that in evaluating any bids received under the program, the office shall select the provider whose bid presents the lowest cost to the state. Provides that a grant awarded to a provider under the program may not exceed the following: (1) A per-line extension amount that exceeds $25,000, regardless of the number of addresses served by the line extension. (2) A per-passing amount that exceeds the state's cost per passing for all rural broadband grants awarded from the fund as of the last day of the immediately preceding state fiscal year. Requires the office to provide to the general assembly an annual report containing specified data regarding the program. Provides that the office may maintain a geographic information system (GIS) or similar data base that contains spatial data regarding the availability of broadband Internet service in Indiana. Provides that the office may evaluate the broadband Internet coverage map created by the Federal Communications Commission under the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (FCC map) and: (1) if the office finds that the FCC map: (A) provides address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provides a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; use the FCC map to update the office's broadband Internet coverage map; or (2) if the office finds that the FCC map does not: (A) provide address level broadband Internet coverage information; or (B) provide a greater level of detail than the office's broadband Internet coverage map; report that finding to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications during the 2022 legislative interim.
Establishes the Indiana crime guns task force (task force) to address violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties by delivering, in cooperation with state and federal officials, a uniform strategy to trace firearms used to commit crimes. Establishes an executive board to direct and oversee the task force. Requires the Indiana criminal justice institute to establish and administer the task force fund. Makes conforming amendments.
Requires the Indiana department of transportation (INDOT) to create a broadband corridor program (dig once program) to manage the location, installation, and maintenance of communications infrastructure that is used for the provision of broadband services and is located within the rights-of-way of limited access highways. Requires INDOT to adopt policies, procedures, and standards under the dig once program for required installation of fiber conduit by a public or private entity that performs an excavation within a limited access highway right-of-way.
Defines "mental health diagnosis" and sets forth requirements that must be met in order for certain licensed professionals to provide a mental health diagnosis. Requires certain mental health professionals who are making a mental health diagnosis and who determine that the patient may have a physical condition that requires medical attention or has not been examined by a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant in the preceding 12 months to: (1) advise the patient to schedule, and offer to assist the patient with scheduling, a physical examination for the patient; (2) provide the patient with a list of practitioners and certain information concerning the practitioners; and (3) coordinate patient care with the practitioner as appropriate. Requires documentation of the actions of the licensed professional in the patient's medical record.
Reestablishes the 21st century energy policy development task force (task force), following its expiration on December 2, 2020. Provides that the task force consists of 17 members as follows: (1) Six members of the house of representatives, with four of those members appointed by the speaker, and two appointed by the minority leader. (2) Six members of the senate, with four of those members appointed by the president pro tempore, and two appointed by the minority leader. (3) The utility consumer counselor or the utility consumer counselor's designee. (4) The public finance director or the public finance director's designee. (5) Three members appointed by the governor, each of whom must have specified experience with respect to energy. Provides that: (1) one of the members appointed by the speaker; and (2) one of the members appointed by the president pro tempore; shall serve as co-chairs of the task force. Provides that an individual appointed to serve on the task force at any time before December 2, 2020, under the expired statute governing the task force may be appointed to serve on the task force after December 1, 2020, under these new provisions, at the discretion of the appointing authority. Provides that: (1) all meetings of the task force shall be open to the public in accordance with the state's open door law; and (2) all records of the task force are subject to the requirements of the state's public records law. Sets forth specific issues that the task force must study not later than November 1, 2022. Requires the task force to: (1) develop recommendations for the general assembly and the governor concerning these issues; (2) issue a report setting forth the recommendations developed; and (3) not later than November 1, 2022, submit the report to the executive director of the legislative services agency, the governor, the chair of the utility regulatory commission, and the utility consumer counselor. Provides that these provisions expire July 2, 2023.