Indiana

Various education matters. 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.

Carbon. Requires a utility to accept certain methods of payment from the department of natural resources (department) for utility service provided to a property owned by the department. Prohibits a utility from limiting or restricting the: (1) dollar amount to less than $10,000; or (2) number of allowable payment transactions for a singular invoice to less than five; with respect to a payment made by one of the specified payment methods. Provides that for any singular property owned by the department, the department may request from a utility a consolidated bill for the property. Requires a utility that receives such a request to provide the department with a singular invoice for the entire property, unless the utility is unable to do so because of billing limitations or other operational constraints. Requires the natural resources commission to obtain primary enforcement authority from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to regulate Class VI underground injection wells. Grants the natural resources commission authority to adopt rules to regulate Class VI underground injection wells. Provides a mechanism and regulatory scheme for underground storage of carbon dioxide in Indiana but excludes the carbon sequestration pilot project from application of the new requirements. Specifies that the carbon sequestration pilot project's Class VI wells are not experimental.

Wake boarding and wake surfing. Specifies restrictions that apply to wake boarding or wake surfing on a public freshwater lake. Establishes a penalty. Specifies restrictions that apply to wake boarding or wake surfing on a small lake.

Department of education and education matters. Makes various changes to education provisions concerning the following: (1) Creating a teaching and learning framework for the implementation of mathematics academic standards. (2) Development of a data science math pathway. (3) Submission of a report to the general assembly concerning recommendations on strategies to support academically and fiscally underperforming schools, and interventions as necessary. (4) Evaluating, approving, and publishing high quality curricular materials time lines. (5) Local board membership for a local centralized school facilities board and local student transportation board. (6) Salary differentiation regarding teachers who possess a literacy endorsement. (7) Amounts expended in participating in an interlocal agreement included in determining amounts school corporations expend on full-time teacher salaries for purposes of teacher salary minimum funding requirements. (8) Summer school program and reimbursement administration. (9) Criteria required for eligibility of a waiver for conducting four day school weeks. (10) Oversight of career and technical education program designation. (11) Uses of teacher appreciation grants. (12) The calculation of operating referendum distributions and school safety referendum distributions to charter schools with regard to virtual instruction. (13) Petitions regarding reconsidering payments of choice scholarships. (14) Membership of the board for proprietary education. (15) The effective date regarding the changes to the definition of "eligible choice scholarship student". (16) Career specialist permit eligibility. Provides that an emergency permit may be renewed up to two times to an individual enrolled in an alternative teacher certification program if the program provides documentation verifying the individual's good standing in the program to the department of education. Creates a new qualification option for a transition to teaching program participant who seeks to obtain a license to teach in grades 5 through 12. Removes a provision that provides that the department may not release less than 10 items per subject matter level per grade level regarding the statewide summative assessment. Removes a requirement that for a parent or student to use a career scholarship account (CSA) annual grant amount for costs related to transportation a CSA participating entity must pay a matching amount for the transportation costs. Requires each state educational institution that offers a two year graduate degree program in mental or behavioral health to evaluate the graduate degree program to determine the feasibility of providing the program in a specifically structured manner to allow full-time students to complete the program within: (1) one year; or (2) five years if the program is combined with a baccalaureate degree program. Requires the Indiana department of education to elect to participate as a covered state in the federal tax credit scholarship program for elementary and secondary education under Section 25F of the Internal Revenue Code (enacted in Public Law 119-21, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025). Makes conforming changes to the school scholarship tax credit in current law. Requires the governor and the department of workforce development, in consultation with the commission for higher education, to: (1) establish a process to identify eligible workforce training programs; (2) establish a process for institutions and programs to apply for recognition as an eligible workforce training program; (3) coordinate certain workforce training matters; and (4) require eligible workforce training programs to provide certain datasets to the department. Provides that the department of workforce development must maintain alignment with federal rules governing workforce Pell grants. Repeals certain provisions concerning postsecondary career and technical education.

Homeowners association governance. Amends the statute governing residential real estate sales disclosures to provide that in the case of a resale or refinance of property covered by the governing documents of a homeowners association (HOA), an HOA or an agent of the HOA providing a statement of unpaid assessments or other charges relating to a property may not charge more than $50 for the statement. (HEA 1152-2026 prohibits an HOA from charging a fee for the statement.) Provides that an HOA member is considered to be in attendance at a meeting of the HOA if the member attends by remote or virtual means in accordance with the statutory procedures for remote meetings of nonprofit corporations. Requires the board of an HOA to provide to HOA members at least four days advance written notice of any meeting of the board. Provides that the meeting notice must include: (1) a meeting agenda; and (2) in the case of a notice for an annual meeting, a statement of the right of HOA members to demand a special meeting of the members, including a statement of the required number of members needed to demand a special meeting. Amends the provision in HEA 1152-2026 that prohibits an HOA, an agent of an HOA, or an HOA management company from charging a homeowner a fee associated with any service provided by the HOA to specify that such services include services that are included in the homeowner's association assessment but do not include any optional service that is offered to a homeowner in connection with the homeowner's individual lot in the subdivision and that the homeowner opts to receive. Provides that a schedule of any optional services offered must be approved by the board and distributed to HOA members on at least an annual basis and whenever there is a change in the fees for any of the offered services. Prohibits an HOA, an agent of an HOA, or an HOA management company from charging a homeowner a fee associated with the production of a statement of account setting forth the amount of any unpaid assessments or other charges due and owing from the homeowner. Requires an HOA or its agent to maintain an account statement for a homeowner and provide the statement to the homeowner upon request. Provides that the governing documents of an HOA may not require that the consent of more than 2/3 of the owners be required to amend the HOA's governing documents. Provides that an HOA's governing documents may not require the consent of more than 2/3 of first lien mortgage holders in order to amend the governing documents. Removes the provision in current law that provides that the governing documents may require the approval of at least 95% of the owners to convey common areas or to dissolve the plan of governance for the HOA. Authorizes an HOA to assess a fine for a member's violation of a covenant if the HOA first: (1) adopts a schedule of fines for specified violations; and (2) provides to the member a notice setting forth the violation, the amount of the fine, and the date on which the fine will be assessed. Requires a schedule of fines to include a maximum aggregate fine amount for any single violation.

Various education matters. 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.

Tax and fiscal matters. Provides, in a county that uses a property tax statement as the notice of assessment, that the county treasurer must send a property tax statement to all property owners regardless of whether the property has any liability. Requires the county treasurer to indicate on the property tax statement whether a taxpayer's property tax liability for property taxes first due and payable in 2027 is less than the taxpayer's property tax liability for property taxes first due and payable in 2026. Requires the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) to report to the budget committee concerning any purchase or sale of land. Amends provisions regarding budget committee review of tax credits in determining the annual aggregate tax credit cap and specifies allocation of the credits. Provides that real property owned by certain Indiana nonprofit hospital systems is not exempt from property taxation under certain circumstances and unmet conditions. Provides that certain transfer fee covenants are limited only to transfers that involve the sale of property and do not include transactions where the property is gifted, donated, or transferred. Provides that personal property owned by certain entities remains subject to minimum valuation limitations. Amends provisions and revises the effective date for the rounding provisions for cash transactions with regard to the penny phaseout for payments to business entities in ESB 243-2026. Amends the percentage increase in a public library's proposed budget that determines whether the public library's proposed budget is subject to binding review by the applicable county, city, or town fiscal body. Allows the Delaware County executive to adopt an ordinance to consolidate the functions of a board, bureau, commission, authority, or any other similar entity authorized to administer funds received from the Delaware County: (1) innkeeper's tax; or (2) food and beverage tax; into a single, consolidated entity as designated in the consolidating ordinance. Adds certain organizations to the list of organizations for which conducted sales are exempt from state gross retail and use tax. Allows the city of Bedford to impose a food and beverage tax. Requires the IEDC to award $35,000,000 to development authorities each fiscal year that may be granted to taxpayers proposing a qualified investment in a qualified redevelopment site pursuant to a development plan. Establishes the small town opportunity initiative. Amends the venture capital investment tax credit (tax credit) to specify: (1) that certain investment policies of funds that qualify as a "qualified Indiana investment fund" apply only to investable capital, excluding management fees, legal fees, and other expenses incurred in the operation of the fund; (2) that a taxpayer is not prevented from combining individual tax credits of less than $10,000 for assignment; and (3) qualified business eligibility. Prohibits the IEDC from awarding an applicable tax credit to a taxpayer that is organized under the laws of a country that is a foreign adversary or that is otherwise related under certain circumstances to a country that is a foreign adversary. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services and division of family resources to require a vendor to offer certain technology solutions to prevent theft of SNAP benefits when issuing a request for proposals. Provides that if a Level 2 certified technology park (park): (1) has reached the limit of deposits for a Level 2 park; (2) maintains its certification; and (3) is located within a qualified military base enhancement area; the park shall become a Level 3 park and may receive an additional annual incremental income tax deposit of up to $250,000 until July 1, 2029. Allows the budget agency to augment the appropriation to the grain buyers and warehouse licensing agency from the grain buyers and warehouse licensing agency license fee fund.

Various criminal law matters. Provides that if a person has one prior OWI conviction, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 10 days or perform community service, and if a person has two prior OWI convictions, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 20 days or perform community service. Provides that a person receives good time credit while serving a sentence imposed under this statute (under current law, a person does not receive good time credit). Provides that this statute does not increase the maximum sentence for the offense as provided by either IC 35-50-2 or IC 35-50-3. Specifies that "vehicle", for purposes of the crime of operating while intoxicated, includes a watercraft, and repeals the separate crime of operating a motorboat while intoxicated. Provides that an initial hearing may be waived and allows a person to apply for a specialized driving privilege after an initial hearing. Adds operating while intoxicated due to use of a controlled substance to the habitual traffic violator statute. Requires a law enforcement officer to offer a chemical test that includes a blood test to any person who the officer has reason to believe operated a vehicle that was involved in a fatal accident. Specifies that ignition interlock devices may only be used when the underlying offense is operating while intoxicated resulting from the use of alcohol. Specifies that certain provisions do not prevent an otherwise eligible individual from applying for a specialized driving privilege after the initial hearing. Increases the penalty for battery on certain health care employees and school employees. Specifies that the enhancement for battery committed against a department of child services (DCS) employee applies only to those DCS employees whose responsibilities include personally supervising a child or parent, personally providing services to a child or parent, or personally interviewing a child or parent as part of an investigation. Requires the employer of a health care or school employee who is the victim of battery to make a semiannual report to the department of labor concerning workplace batteries. Provides that certain uses of a drone constitute remote aerial harassment. Specifies that a child charged with dangerous possession of a firearm may be tried by a juvenile court under certain circumstances. Makes dangerous possession of a firearm a Level 5 felony if the child: (1) has a prior conviction for unlawful carrying of a handgun; or (2) possesses the firearm on school property, within 500 feet of a school, or on a school bus. Specifies that certain individuals may not be subject to a county residency requirement, including a public defender (except for the chief public defender), court personnel, and a deputy prosecuting attorney. Prohibits the release of personally identifying information concerning a railroad crew in a public report concerning a railroad fatality. Repeals provisions that require: (1) the department of education to maintain a public data base concerning public school employees who were physically injured on the job by students; and (2) each public school to provide to the department of education information concerning certain public school employees physically injured on the job by a student.

Public safety. 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.

Public school matters. Provides that certain: (1) indemnity; (2) choice of law; and (3) automatic renewal; provisions contained in contracts entered into, amended, or renewed after June 30, 2026, between the governing body of a school corporation or the equivalent authority for a charter school and a vendor are against public policy and are void and unenforceable. Provides that certain youth organizations may submit a grievance to the department of education if a public school refuses to allow the organization to provide information to students under certain conditions. Provides that, if a public school allows a postsecondary educational institution to provide certain information to students, the public school shall allow military personnel to provide certain information to students.