A Citizen's Guide to Indiana

Allows a person registering a vehicle to donate at least $1 to be placed in a special account for grants to units of local governments to purchase fire equipment for volunteer fire departments. Provides that an emergency medical dispatch agency does not have to be certified by the emergency medical services commission as an emergency medical dispatch agency until July 1, 2006.

Requires state and local law enforcement agencies to issue annually to their retired law enforcement officers a photographic identification. Allows a retiring member of the arson division of the office of the state fire marshal to retain the member’s service weapon and requires the office to issue the retiring member a badge and an identification card. Requires a retired law enforcement officer who carries a concealed firearm under federal law to obtain annually, at the officer’s expense, an endorsement or certification that the officer meets the training and qualification standards to carry that type of firearm. Provides that an entity that provides the endorsement or certification is immune from civil or criminal liability for providing the endorsement or certification.

Prohibits a private employer from disciplining an employee who is a volunteer firefighter or a member of a volunteer emergency medical services association for being late to work when the employee is responding to a fire or an emergency call. Authorizes a private employer to: (1) request proof that the employee was engaged in fire or emergency activity when absent; and (2) require the employee to notify the employer of the expected absence before the scheduled start time. Provides that an employer other than the state is not required to pay salary or wages for volunteer firefighting time away from employment, although other accrued benefit remuneration may be paid. Provides that an employer may designate an employee as an essential employee and reject the employee’s notification of expected absence. Specifies that the agent of a public employer other than the state who has authorized an absence for volunteer firefighting purposes has not committed ghost employment. Makes a conforming change regarding the statute of limitations for an action brought by a volunteer firefighter against a political subdivision employer disciplined for being absent from employment while responding to an emergency.

Suspends enforcement by the fire prevention and building safety commission of, and requires the office of the state fire marshal to recommend amendments to, certain sections of the international fire code concerning tents and cooking and open flames.

Allows a private university to purchase coverage from the special death benefit fund for all firefighters employed by the university, including firefighters employed by the university who died in the line of duty after June 30, 2004, and before July 1, 2005. Allows a private university, college, or junior college to purchase coverage from the special death benefit fund for all police officers appointed by the university, college, or junior college. including police officers employed by the university, college, or junior college who died in the line of duty after June 30, 2004, and before July 1, 2005. Imposes a $5 fee on each bail bond and deposits the fees collected in the special death benefit fund.

Requires direct deposit by electronic funds transfer of all payments to a person who has a contract with the state or submits invoices for payment from the state. Provides a procedure for the auditor of state to grant a waiver of this requirement. Provides that a person who entered into a contract with the state before July 1, 2005, must authorize direct deposit of payments to the person or request a waiver of the requirement not later than June 30, 2006. Requires direct deposit by electronic funds transfer of a state employee’s earnings. Provides a procedure for the auditor of state to grant a waiver of this requirement. Provides that a state employee hired before July 1, 2005, must authorize direct deposit of the employee’s earnings or request a waiver of the requirement not later than June 30, 2006.

I suspect there will be a number of state employees unhappy with this one. Seems like there was language in the state’s direct deposit authorization that was a little fishy causing some of the more cautious employees to go without direct deposit. The strict language of this statutes requires only that the employee give his or her authorization and designate a bank and an account number. The state being the state, you know there will be a standard form with all kinds of gobbledy-gook. I’d like to see the case where the employee refuses to sign but simply provides a hand written statement saying, “I, Employee X, authorize direct deposit of my earnings to The Bank in Account 123456.” /s/ Employee X.

Provides that the gasoline tax applies to gasoline used or sold in Indiana (current law provides that the tax applies to gasoline used in Indiana). Authorizes the transportation finance authority to issue bonds or notes secured by lease rentals relating to highway improvement projects and anticipated to be paid by the department of transportation from federal transportation revenues received in the current federal fiscal year or to be received in a future federal fiscal year. Limits the total amount of the lease rentals securing the bonds or notes during any state fiscal year to 50% of the increase in the amount of federal transportation revenues received by the state since the federal fiscal year ending September 30, 2004. Authorizes the transportation finance authority to issue bonds or notes for local road projects that are secured by lease rentals payable by cities, towns, and counties. Provides that when issuing the bonds or notes, the authority is subject to certain rules concerning minority and women’s business participation.

This one looks very interesting (in a very, very dry kind of way.) I don’t have time to look at it in any detail tonight, unfortunately.

Specifies that for purposes of the law regulating off-road vehicles and snowmobiles, the definition of “operate” applies to both types of vehicles. Specifies that snowmobiles must be registered under the off-road vehicle and snowmobile law. Makes possessing an off-road vehicle or snowmobile with an altered or defaced vehicle number a Class B misdemeanor. Makes failure of a dealer to maintain rented vehicles in a safe operating condition or to maintain liability insurance a Class C infraction (instead of a Class B misdemeanor). Allows bird hunting stamps in an electronically generated form. Allows commemorative bird hunting stamps to be sold. Provides that hunting and fishing licenses and stamps expire on March 31. Requires electronically obtained licenses to be signed to be valid. Amends procedures to obtain a duplicate license. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the natural resources study committee.)

I don’t have enough time to sift through the Senate Bills tonight, but here is a synopsis:

SB 32. Handgun licenses and noncitizens. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 60 Changes for the Wabash River Heritage Foundation. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 88 Judges’ retirement benefits. Passed 42 – 6.
SB 89 Lighting and marking of agricultural equipment. Passed 46 – 2.
SB 139 Professional licensing agency. Passed 47 – 1.
SB 181 Environmental assessment before demolition. Passed 43 – 5.
SB 213 Sales tax on out-of-state sales. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 233 Child solicitation. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 259 Rulemaking by instrumentalities of the state. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 296 Adds a community college mission to Ivy Tech. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 303 Marion superior court. Passed 47 – 1.
SB 362 Notice of existence of insurance policy. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 373 Statutes of limitation in property matters. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 379 Delivery sales of tobacco products. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 422 Adoption procedural requirements. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 465 Use of cattle guards. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 481 Transitional living services. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 493 Geographic information systems. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 527 Board of animal health issues. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 538 Lead Poisoning. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 571 Multi-jurisdictional economic development. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 607 Combining licensing bureau and agency. Passed 48 – 0.
SB 638 Merger of townships. Passed 45 – 3.