Indiana

Prohibition of ranked choice voting. Prohibits the use of ranked choice voting.

Department of child services ombudsman. Provides that the office of the department of child services ombudsman (ombudsman office) shall (rather than may, under current law): (1) employ technical experts and other employees to carry out the purposes of the ombudsman office; (2) receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints alleging that the department of child services failed to protect the physical or mental health or safety of a child or failed to follow specific laws, rules, or written policies; (3) issue recommendations if: (A) the ombudsman office determines that a complaint has merit; or (B) an investigation by the ombudsman office reveals a problem with an agency, facility, or program; and (4) take other specified actions and undertake other specified initiatives. Provides that if a local child protection team is involved in the initial investigation of a matter, a different local child protection team shall (rather than may, under current law) assist the ombudsman office in the ombudsman office's investigation of the matter.

State board of accounts. Provides that the state board of accounts is subject to applicable professional auditing standards. Requires the governor to appoint two deputy examiners, one of whom must be a certified public accountant, and the other of whom must be either a certified public accountant or an attorney licensed in Indiana.

Broker companies. Requires a broker company who refers a client or customer to another broker company to disclose if the broker company may be compensated for referring the client or customer.

Congratulating Michelin North America, Inc., upon the occasion of the 65th anniversary of its BFGoodrich tire production facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION congratulating Michelin North America, Inc., upon the occasion of the 65th anniversary of its BFGoodrich tire production facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Constitutional amendment ballot language. Prescribes the ballot language for the proposed constitutional amendment concerning bail.

Special education. Requires the department of education, in collaboration with the Indiana department of health, the department of child services, and the office of the secretary of family and social services to report and make recommendations concerning certain data regarding residential placement, developmental preschool, and special education.

Local regulation. Provides that a homeowners association's governing documents may not include a covenant, policy, or similar measure that: (1) prohibits or restricts the use of; (2) distinguishes between types of; or (3) results in differing standards for different types of; motor vehicles or outdoor equipment based on the fuel source that powers the motor vehicle or outdoor equipment. Provides that a homeowners association's governing documents may not include a covenant, policy, or similar measure that prohibits the display of an American flag.Prohibits a homeowners association from installing, maintaining, or operating an automated license plate reader (ALPR), and prohibits a homeowners association from permitting the installation, maintenance, or operation of an ALPR on the property of the homeowners association unless the ALPR is installed by a law enforcement agency and only the law enforcement agency has access to the ALPR data.Prohibits a county or municipality from adopting or enforcing a utility usage data ordinance. Prohibits a county, municipality, or township from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, order, regulation, resolution, policy, or similar measure that: (1) prohibits or restricts the use, sale, or lease of; (2) distinguishes between types of; or (3) results in differing regulatory standards for different types of; motor vehicles or machines other than vehicles, including outdoor equipment, based on the fuel source that powers the motor vehicle or machine. Requires political subdivisions located within five miles of the end of a runway of a publicly owned, public use airport to adopt an airspace overlay zoning ordinance.

Mental health services. Requires the secretary of family and social services to certify integrated reentry and correctional support programs. Requires the owner of a recovery residence to register with the division of mental health and addiction (division). Sets forth the requirements for registration. Requires the division to post a list of registered recovery residences on the division's public website and include certain information concerning each recovery residence. Requires the division to adopt rules concerning: (1) the issuance, revocation, and denial of a registration; and (2) any rules necessary to implement these provisions. Allows the division to contract with certain entities to administer the registration of recovery residences.

Veterinary licensing. Provides that the board of veterinary medicine may issue a license or registration to a qualified applicant without an examination if the qualified applicant: (1) satisfies the requirements for reciprocity of health care professionals; and (2) otherwise meets the requirements to become a licensed veterinarian or a registered veterinary technician.

Constitutional amendment ballot question. Prescribes the ballot language for the proposed constitutional amendment concerning the residency of a city or town court judge.

Agricultural programs. Creates the pork market development program (pork program) and the soybean market development program (soybean program). Specifies that the pork program and soybean program apply only if assessments are not levied and collected under federal law. Requires the Indiana Pork Producers Association, Inc., to administer the pork program and the Indiana Soybean Alliance to administer the soybean program. Establishes various procedures and requirements for operating the pork program and the soybean program. Makes technical corrections.~

School board candidates. Specifies that if there is more than one candidate for a school board office within certain designated groups of candidates, the candidates shall appear in a certain order and within the grouping and in alphabetical order according to surname.

Various public safety matters. Requires a vendor or provider of an ignition interlock device to register an ignition interlock device with the department of toxicology. Eliminates a requirement for the director of the state department of toxicology to provide periodic reports to the Indiana criminal justice institute (institute) regarding the number of ignition interlock devices used in Indiana. Provides that a registered ignition interlock device must be installed in a motor vehicle in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions for installing the registered ignition interlock device. Codifies administrative rules adopted by the state department of toxicology relating to ignition interlock devices. Provides that prior to being issued an initial license to operate a child care center, the child care center must be inspected and found to be in substantial compliance with applicable building and fire safety laws by the department of homeland security. (Current law provides that a license may be issued only if the child care center is in substantial compliance with the fire and life safety rules as determined by the state fire marshal under rules adopted by the division of family resources (division) or in accordance with a variance or waiver approved by the division.) Provides that prior to being issued an initial registration to operate a child care ministry, the unlicensed child care ministry must be inspected and found to be in substantial compliance with applicable building and fire safety laws by the department of homeland security. Provides that the department of homeland security shall perform inspections of: (1) child care ministries; (2) child care centers; (3) child caring institutions; and (4) group homes. Provides that a license or registration to operate a child care center or child care ministry may be revoked if the division determines that the operator has failed to comply with an order of the department of homeland security. Provides that the operator of an unlicensed child care ministry shall maintain a copy of the most recent department of homeland security inspection findings in a conspicuous place in the unlicensed child care ministry. Provides that the department of child services is not required to consult with the fire prevention and building safety commission when adopting administrative rules pertaining to the licensing and inspection of child care institutions, foster family homes, group homes, and child placing agencies. Provides that administrative rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission must include minimum building and safety requirements applicable for child caring institutions. Provides that prior to being issued an initial license to operate a child caring institution or group home, the child caring institution or group home must be inspected and found to be in substantial compliance with applicable building and fire safety laws by the department of homeland security. Provides that a license or registration to operate a child caring institution or group home may be revoked if the department of child services determines that the operator has failed to comply with an order of the department of homeland security. Provides that in order for an individual to receive a license from the emergency medical services commission, the individual must obtain a national criminal history background check and authorize release of the results of the check to the department of homeland security. Eliminates the requirement for the institute to adopt administrative rules relating to the child restraint system account. Provides that inspections conducted by the department of homeland security shall be conducted periodically in lieu of established periods. Changes a reference, from the department of education to the office of school safety, relating to the duties of a school safety specialist. Repeals: (1) provisions relating to public safety improvement areas; (2) a provision requiring the board of trustees of the institute to adopt rules relating to the law enforcement assistance fund; (3) a provision that authorizes the state fire marshal to charge a child care ministry a $50 fee for processing a registration; (4) a provision requiring the institute to review characteristics of offenders committed to the department of correction over such period of time it deems appropriate and of the offenses committed by those offenders in order to ascertain norms used by the trial courts in sentencing; (5) a provision requiring the bureau of motor vehicles and the institute to enter into a memorandum of understanding to administer the provisions relating to ignition interlock devices; and (6) a provision that requires the institute to adopt rules relating to ignition interlock devices.

Alcoholic beverage permits for county fairs. Allows the alcohol and tobacco commission to issue a permit for the sale of alcoholic beverages on the grounds of a county fair conducted by a local board, subject to certain limitations and requirements. Adds participation in an event sponsored by a local board to the activities permissible within the scope of a permit held by a farm winery, a small brewer, an artisan distiller, a beer retailer, a liquor retailer, and a wine retailer. Adds the state fair and a county fair that is issued a permit to the exceptions to the minor loitering statute.

Honoring Candace Hall upon her retirement from the Indiana Senate. A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Candace Hall upon her retirement from the Indiana Senate.

VFD clothing and automobile allowances. Increases, from $100 to $250, the clothing and automobile allowance for an active member of a volunteer fire department (department). Provides that a unit served by a volunteer fire department shall pay the clothing and automobile allowance directly to each active and participating member of the department.

Permissible unsupervised activity. Defines "independent activity". Provides that a child is not a child in need of services solely because a parent, guardian, or custodian allows the child to engage in an independent activity unless the parent, guardian, or custodian is so reckless in allowing the child to engage in the independent activity that it endangers the child's health or safety given the child's maturity, condition, and ability. Provides a defense for neglect of a dependent that the accused person reasonably believed that an independent activity was not dangerous.

Electronic record of confidential address. Exempts a county recorder from the requirement of accepting an electronic document for recording if the electronic document contains identifying information of a person in the address confidentiality program.

Celebrating the legacy of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION celebrating the legacy of Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German.

Professional licensing agency. Provides that a state agency must determine if an alleged violator has substantially corrected the violation and notify an alleged violator whether the alleged violator is in substantial compliance with a state rule or state statute not more than 90 days after certain occurrences (current law provides for 30 days). Adds certification language for purposes of renewals. Allows certain boards to assess different fines for individuals and businesses for purposes of disciplinary sanctions. Makes various changes to the following boards: (1) The state board of cosmetology and barber examiners. (2) The committee of hearing aid dealer examiners. (3) The respiratory care committee. Provides that certain persons may not own an interest in an appraisal management company. Repeals the Indiana Code chapter relating to the professional licensing agency's duties and merges the agency's duties in another existing Indiana Code chapter.

Annexation. Provides that annexation territory that is divided by railroad tracks satisfies contiguity requirements, if the territory on at least one side of the railroad tracks is contiguous to the municipality.

Department of agriculture. Makes various amendments to the role of supervisors on soil and conservation boards. Removes a requirement that an individual who conducted an inspection of a landfill in a soil and conservation district (district) submit a copy of the report to the division of soil conservation. Provides that a district that fails to provide a copy of each annual financial statement of the district to the soil conservation board by March 31 shall have its funding withheld until the requirements are satisfied. Repeals the Indiana land resource council.

Licensed estheticians and electrologists. Amends the definition of "esthetician" to include certain services. Adds a definition for "microneedling". Requires a person who provides microneedling to provide the professional licensing agency proof of advanced training or certification at the agency's request. Provides that an applicant for an electrologist license does not need to hold a cosmetologist license or esthetician license before applying for an electrologist license. Requires an applicant to complete a combined total of 600 hours of education and experience required under the rules adopted by the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners (board) beginning July 1, 2027. Requires the board to amend the rules for electrology training in a beauty culture school not later than June 30, 2027.