Provides that the state department of health (department) may officially be known as the Indiana department of health. Removes by July 1, 2022, appeals panels from the appeals process of department orders. Provides that the executive board or the department's designee may act as the ultimate authority for department matters under the administrative and procedures laws. Provides that the state health commissioner (commissioner) is the appointing authority and director of the department. Provides that any physicians employed by the department are governed by the state ethics commission's conflict of interest requirements. Allows the commissioner to designate in writing employees in the department who are licensed as a physician and may engage in the practice of medicine outside of their official duties. Provides that the state is not liable for any act performed by a physician employed by the department for any medical care provided to a patient by the physician that is provided in an individual capacity as a licensed physician. Removes the executive board of the department from determining the commissioner's salary. Provides that the commissioner's salary is determined by the governor and the state budget agency. Removes the executive board's approval for the commissioner to organize the personnel and functions of the department into divisions and subdivisions. Specifies that the state department of health may release certain information to an Indiana nonprofit entity that performs health data services for health care providers if specified conditions are met. Extends the expiration of the syringe exchange program until July 1, 2026.
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Requires the Indiana management performance hub to: (1) use its data resources and technology to cross-reference with data bases of certain state agencies to identify certain former students with disabilities (eligible individuals); (2) coordinate with the state department of health to determine whether identified eligible individuals are deceased; and (3) provide the information concerning eligible individuals to the department of workforce development (DWD). Requires the state department of health to, not later than November 1, 2021, coordinate with the Indiana management performance hub. Requires the DWD to: (1) communicate with identified eligible individuals; and (2) provide to the eligible individuals a copy of a resource list concerning training and education opportunities and employment services resources. Requires the state advisory council on the education of children with disabilities (council) to annually update and submit the resource list to the department of education and the DWD. Requires the department of education and DWD to post a copy of the most recently updated resource list on the department's and DWD's Internet web sites. Requires the DWD, in consultation with the department of education, to prepare and submit an annual report to the general assembly and the council. Requires the state board of education to, not later than December 1, 2021, adopt rules to create an alternate diploma for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Requires the state department of health (department), in consultation with the office of the secretary of family and social services, to study and prepare a plan (plan) to improve the health and behavioral health of Indiana residents based on specified criteria. Requires the department to submit and present the plan to the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services (interim study committee). Requires the department to prepare and present an annual report to the interim study committee regarding the progress made in meeting the metrics and goals of the plan. Requires that the department establish and maintain on the department's Internet web site a web page that indicates the performance and progress of the metrics and goals of the most significant areas identified in the plan. Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant program (grant program). Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant fund. Requires the department to administer the grant program. Provides requirements for grant proposals and specifies the types of proposals for which the grants must be awarded. Requires the management performance hub to develop and publish on an Internet web site a web page that tracks Indiana's metrics on the most significant areas of health and behavioral health impacting Indiana residents and demonstrate any progress made in these metrics. Provides that the web page must include specific progress reported by organizations awarded a grant under the grant program.
Defines "wellness program". Specifies that the proceedings and deliberations of a wellness program are confidential. Specifies certain exceptions. Provides that all minutes, records, reports, written expert opinions, written communications, and other comparable memoranda prepared or created by a wellness program are privileged. Specifies certain exceptions. Prohibits all wellness program personnel and participants from revealing or disclosing the substance of wellness program communications, records, and determinations to any person or entity outside of the wellness program. Specifies certain exceptions. Allows a court to order in writing the release of confidential or privileged information belonging to a wellness program after a hearing if the court makes specified findings. Provides that the exchange of confidential or privileged information or memoranda between wellness groups does not result in the waiver of applicable confidentiality and privilege provisions. Provides that confidentiality and privilege provisions applicable to certain records do not make the records inaccessible to people or entities that would otherwise be eligible to receive or access the records under existing state or federal law. Provides that the confidentiality and privilege provisions applicable to wellness groups do not abrogate, limit, or restrict any other privacy protection applicable to a patient or the patient's health or medical information. Specifies that certain individuals may not be named as a party in a civil suit in connection with certain actions taken with respect to a wellness program. Provides that a member, consultant, or participant who comprises or participates in a wellness program is not required to report a licensed physician to the medical licensing board for any act, omission, statement, discovery, or disclosure unless the licensed physician presents a threat to himself or herself, to his or her patients, or to the general public.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.
A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing the victims of the Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting.
Requires the state department of agriculture and the department of natural resources, in consultation with Purdue University, the utility regulatory commission (IURC), agricultural producers, woodland owners, foresters, certain technical experts, the agricultural industry, the forest industry, and environmental and conservation groups, to: (1) study and make findings and recommendations concerning the potential role of the state in a voluntary carbon credit market; and (2) issue a written report to the general assembly. Requires the director of the department of natural resources to designate the operator of the carbon sequestration pilot project (pilot project) before July 31, 2021. Provides that material compliance by the pilot project with a permit for a Class VI carbon dioxide underground injection well is an affirmative defense for the pilot project against certain civil actions or claims. Provides that: (1) a claimant may overcome the affirmative defense by proving actual interference with the use of the property or direct physical injury to tangible property; and (2) recovery by a public utility for any effect of the pilot project on the sources of the utility's public water supply is not prohibited or limited. Defines a "federal phaseout mandate" as any federal statutory or regulatory requirement that: (1) is established after April 20, 2021, by Congress, a federal agency, or a federal executive order; and (2) requires the phaseout or discontinuance of a particular type of electric generating facility, technology, or fuel source. Requires the IURC to consider in the context of: (1) applications for certificates of public convenience and necessity for new generating facilities; and (2) integrated resource planning; the impact of federal phaseout mandates on the estimated useful life of certain generating facilities of an electric utility, including on depreciation expense associated with such facilities.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION memorializing Irv Cross.
Establishes the Hoosier hospitality small business restart grant program (program) to provide grants to eligible entities to accelerate economic recovery from the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Establishes the small business restart grant fund (fund). Provides that the Indiana economic development corporation (corporation) administers the program and fund. Allows the corporation to award grants from the fund. Provides parameters for the program. However, authorizes the corporation to change the parameters of the program, which, if a change is made, must be reviewed by the budget committee at the meeting following the change. Makes an appropriation.
Requires housing with services establishments to make certain disclosures concerning Alzheimer's and dementia special care and file the disclosure with the division of aging. Requires the division of aging to publish the disclosures.