Indiana

Memorializing Timothy Faulk. A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing Timothy Faulk.

Line maintenance in public rights-of-way. Sets forth minimum standards and requirements for the installation and maintenance of communications service or utility service facilities (facilities) in a public right-of-way. Defines a "permittee" as: (1) a person to whom an initial permit or authorization for the installation of a facility in a public right-of-way is granted by a unit; or (2) a service provider responsible for maintaining a facility that has been installed in a public right-of-way. Defines a "line pollution violation" as a violation attributable to a permittee and involving: (1) noncompliance with any standard or requirement set forth in the bill; or (2) the presence of any damaged, abandoned, loose, or improperly secured facilities within a public right-of-way. Provides that a permittee responsible for a line pollution violation is liable to the unit owning the public right-of-way for a fine in an amount determined by the unit, but not to exceed: (1) $500 per violation for each day the violation remains uncured; or (2) a total fine of $2,500. Requires a permittee to ensure that any person responsible for installing, replacing, relocating, or repairing any underground facility that is owned or operated by the permittee and located within a public right-of-way complies with the requirements set forth in: (1) Indiana's statute concerning underground utility facilities; and (2) any applicable local ordinance or regulation; with respect to any work involving drilling, trenching, boring, hand digging, or plowing.

Regulation of interchange fees. Prohibits a payment card network from taking certain actions with respect to electronic payment transactions. Prohibits a payment card network from establishing, putting forward, or implementing a fee schedule that the payment card network knows or reasonably should know has been used by at least one issuer other than the payment card network to determine the amount of an interchange fee received or charged with respect to a charitable contribution, unless the interchange fee does not exceed certain amounts. Provides that a person that alleges damages arising from a payment card network's violation of certain provisions has a cause of action against the payment card network.

Coverage for cancer screening. Requires a state employee health plan to cover supplemental breast examinations. Requires a policy of accident and sickness insurance and a health maintenance organization to cover diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations. Provides that the coverage for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations may not be subject to any cost sharing requirements.

Memorializing Alice Wong. A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing Alice Wong.

Firefighter cancer insurance. Requires a group health insurance program for firefighters to provide coverage for the screening of certain forms of cancer. Requires a local unit public employer to provide cancer insurance for active firefighters, retired firefighters, and firefighters who are receiving disability benefits. Allows the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system to enter into agreements with one or more insurance companies to provide group cancer insurance for active firefighters, retired firefighters, and firefighters who are receiving disability benefits. Requires the department of homeland security to develop a firefighter cancer awareness and prevention program to provide relevant information to fire department personnel and volunteers concerning best practices for reducing the risk of cancer.

Assistance in obtaining veterans' benefits. Provides that a person may not receive compensation for: (1) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of; or (2) advising, consulting, or assisting an individual regarding; a veterans' benefits matter, except as permitted under federal law. Provides that a person may not receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to provide services related to veterans' benefits matters. Provides that a person may not receive excessive or unreasonable fees for services related to veterans' benefits matters. Provides that a person may not condition the repayment of fees: (1) upon the opening of a joint account with the recipient of veterans' benefits from which the person may make withdrawals; (2) upon the use of electronic funds transfers; or (3) by requiring an individual to act, in any manner, in violation of federal requirements relating to preauthorized transactions. Provides that a person may not collect, or attempt to collect, any fee for services rendered after receipt of benefits by a veteran or any other individual eligible for the benefits, if the person participated in the veterans' benefits matter prior to the issuance of veterans' benefits, and if the transaction was structured with an intent to avoid prohibited acts. Provides that a person seeking to receive compensation for services related to veterans' benefits matters must, before rendering any services, enter into a written agreement that is signed by both parties and that complies with federal regulations, including all terms regarding the payment of fees for services rendered. Requires a person to provide certain disclosures when entering into a business relationship with an individual or advertising for compensation services. Provides that a violation constitutes a deceptive act under the law concerning deceptive consumer sales and senior consumer protection provisions.

Firing squad. Authorizes the death penalty to be carried out by firing squad: (1) if execution by lethal injection cannot be carried out due to the unavailability of a required drug; or (2) upon request by the condemned person. Establishes a procedure for execution by firing squad. Makes conforming amendments and technical corrections.

Elimination of straight ticket voting. Removes a voter's option to vote for all candidates of a political party or an independent ticket at one time (straight ticket voting) in a general or municipal election. Repeals superseded statutes relating to straight ticket voting. Makes technical corrections.

Condemnation of Hoosier homestead property. Establishes the Hoosier homestead program administered by the Indiana state department of agriculture to commemorate and maintain a registry of farms owned by the same family for at least 100 years. Provides that only the portion of a farm that satisfies the familial ownership and other requirements receives the Hoosier homestead designation and is subject to the provisions regarding eminent domain. Requires all property taxes to be paid up to date to be registered as a Hoosier homestead property or to renew registration as a Hoosier homestead property. Provides with certain exceptions, that if a county, city, town, or school corporation (unit) exercises eminent domain to take a fee simple interest in a Hoosier homestead, the property owner is entitled to: (1) testify at a public meeting of the condemning unit's legislative body; and (2) compensation that is the greater of: (A) 200% of the fair market value of the parcel; or (2) 200% of the value of the land and replacement cost of the improvements to the land minus depreciation. Requires the owner to also be compensated for relocation costs, other damages, and business losses resulting from the condemnation of the property.

Intelligent speed assistance device. Defines an "intelligent speed assistance device" as an aftermarket device that uses technology to limit the speed of a motor vehicle to not more than the speed limit of the area being traveled. Allows a court to require a person who has been convicted of a crime for which the operation of a motor vehicle is an element of the offense to use an intelligent speed assistance device. Requires the court to notify the bureau of motor vehicles (bureau) if an order is issued requiring the use of an intelligent speed assistance device and for the bureau to send a notice to the individual subject to the court order. Makes it a Class B misdemeanor to tamper with, or solicit another person to tamper with, an intelligent speed assistance device. Permits the bureau to establish rules related to the use of intelligent speed assistance devices and to approve vendors of intelligent speed assistance devices.

Restriction on noncompete agreements. Prohibits an employer and an employee from entering into a noncompete agreement if the employee's annual compensation is less than $150,000.

International money wiring fee. Requires a money transmitter (entities licensed under the Money Transmission Modernization Act) to collect and remit an international money wiring fee from senders of a money transmission to a location outside of the United States. Allows a money transmitter to retain a collection allowance from the fee amounts remitted. Provides an income tax credit to individuals who are a citizen or national of the United States, or an alien who has lawful permanent resident status or conditional permanent resident status, and paid an international money wiring fee during the taxable year. Renames the community services quality assurance fund the community based services fund (fund). Requires 20% of the revenue from the international money wiring fee to be deposited in the state general fund and 80% of the revenue to be deposited in the fund to be used to fund the family supports Medicaid waiver and community integration habilitation Medicaid waiver programs, including applied behavior analysis, in order to reduce the wait list and make additional waiver slots available under these two programs. Provides that, of the money in the fund for that purpose, 50% is subject to review by the budget committee before being expended and the remaining 50% may be used any time following the deposit of the money in the fund.

Straight ticket voting. Removes a voter's option to vote for all candidates of a political party or an independent ticket at one time (straight ticket voting) in a general or municipal election. Repeals superseded statutes relating to straight ticket voting.

Contracts for road projects. Allows the commissioner of the Indiana department of transportation (commissioner) to let a contract for the construction, improvement, or maintenance of a road to a bidder that is not the lowest and best bidder if all of the following apply: (1) The bidder is responsive and qualified. (2) The bidder commits to employing Indiana residents for not less than 65% of the total workforce for the project. (3) The bidder's bid is not more than: (A) 5% greater than the bid submitted by the lowest and best bidder; and (B) the estimated cost of the project. (4) The commissioner determines that awarding the contract to the bidder is in the best interests of the project and the community. (5) The bidder demonstrates certain compliance requirements.

State sandwich. Designates the breaded tenderloin sandwich as the official state sandwich of Indiana.

Tax matters. Provides a real and personal property tax exemption for Indiana nonprofit senior living communities beginning with property taxes that are first due and payable in 2027.

Property and local income taxes. Amends provisions added in SEA 1 in the 2025 session that require the department of local government finance to neutralize the effect of certain property tax provisions enacted in that bill. Amends the threshold for the business personal property tax exemption enacted in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Reinstates excess tax levy appeal provisions that were repealed in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Amends the various local income tax (LIT) rates that may be adopted under provisions added in SEA 1 in the 2025 session. Amends the population thresholds used to determine if a city or town is eligible to adopt a municipal LIT. Repeals provisions that require counties and municipalities to readopt their LIT rate each year. Moves the effective date for the local income tax changes enacted in SEA 1 in the 2025 session from 2028 to 2029. Makes corresponding changes to move the expiration date regarding a county with a single voting bloc enacted in HEA 1142 in the 2025 session.

Recognizing February as American Heart Month. Recognizing February as American Heart Month.

Redistricting standards. Establishes redistricting standards for state legislative congressional districts. Requires the initial proposed plans for congressional and state legislative districts to comply with the redistricting standards. Allows the general assembly, during the process by which the initial proposed plans become effective by being enacted as a law, to consider and adopt modifications to the initial proposed plans that deviate from the redistricting standards as long as the reason or reasons for each deviation are publicly explained and documented. Specifies that the general assembly may not establish or modify legislative or congressional districts other than at the first regular session of the general assembly convening immediately following the federal decennial census, except in response to a court order that has invalidated some part of a redistricting plan.

Time observance in Indiana. Exempts Indiana from daylight saving time.

Assessment of property. Provides that all tangible property that is subject to assessment shall be assessed on a just valuation basis and in a uniform and equal manner regardless of: (1) who owns the tangible property; or (2) who the person or entity is that is liable for property taxes due on the tangible property. Requires a county assessor to, as soon as possible, post an approved reassessment plan on the department of local government finance's (DLGF) website and any transparency portal developed by the state regarding public information. Provides that if an assessor changes the underlying parcel characteristics, including property classification or agricultural land type, of a property, based on verifiable evidence of a change in use, the assessor shall provide notice to the property owner that includes all verifiable evidence used to change assessment methods from agricultural land and document each change and the reason that each change was made for any class of property. Provides that land shall be assessed or reassessed as agricultural land only when it is devoted to agricultural use regardless of: (1) who owns the land; or (2) who the person or entity is that is liable for property taxes due on the land. Requires the DLGF to inform assessors and the presidents of county councils in writing if it finds that: (1) the reassessment of a group of parcels under a county's reassessment plan or other property assessment activities are not being properly conducted; (2) work required to be performed by local officials is not being properly conducted; or (3) property assessments are not being properly made. Provides that the failure of the DLGF to inform local officials shall be construed as an indication by the DLGF that assessment activities are being conducted properly. Requires the DLGF, if it determines that assessment activities are not being conducted properly, to order a state conducted assessment or reassessment.

Eminent domain. Provides that if a unit of local government (unit) provides forgivable loans, the unit must (as a condition of providing forgivable loans) require that a person operating a business on a property may be entitled to compensation for business losses resulting from a condemnation of the property.

Deduction for surviving spouses of WW I veterans. Restores the property tax deduction available to a surviving spouse of a World War I veteran that was limited to property taxes imposed for an assessment date before January 1, 2025, by SEA 1-2025 (P.L. 68-2025).

Prohibited food additives. Prohibits the use of various food additives in Indiana.