Gary Community School Corporation. Terminates the Gary Community School Corporation's (school corporation) status as a distressed political subdivision on June 30, 2024. Provides that the members of the governing body of the school corporation shall be elected at the municipal general election held on November 7, 2023, and take office upon taking the oath required by the Constitution of the State of Indiana not later than November 14, 2023. Requires the governing body to select a superintendent not later than February 1, 2024. Requires the emergency manager and chief financial officer to consistently inform the superintendent of the school corporation regarding the day to day operations of the school corporation. Requires the emergency manager to provide monthly financial and academic reports to the governing body. Provides that the current emergency manager's appointment terminates on June 30, 2024. Provides that the elected governing body assumes all powers, rights, duties, and obligations of the school corporation on July 1, 2024. Provides that, before the governing body sells real property, a building, or another structure owned by the school corporation, the governing body shall: (1) provide written notice to the mayor of the city of Gary at least 30 days before selling the real property, building, or other structure; and (2) provide public notice and hold at least one public hearing within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation to hear public testimony on the proposed sale. Transfers, not later than July 1, 2023, to the common school fund from the state general fund an amount sufficient to pay off all debts from advances and loans that were made to the school corporation from the common school fund. Removes or repeals provisions regarding the establishment and use of a school improvement fund.

Dangerous access to a firearm. Requires a firearm owner to: (1) keep the firearm locked and unloaded; and (2) store firearm ammunition in a location separate from the firearm; when the firearm owner is not present or a minor is present in a home or vehicle where a firearm is located. Makes the knowing, intentional, or reckless violation of this requirement a Level 6 felony.

Food and beverage taxes. Authorizes the following municipalities to impose a food and beverage tax: (1) The town of Merrillville. (2) The city of Jasper.

Access to transcripts. Provides that a state educational institution or private postsecondary educational institution operated for profit (institution) in Indiana may not: (1) refuse to provide a transcript for a current or former student of the institution on the grounds that the student owes a debt to the institution; (2) charge a higher fee for obtaining a transcript or provide less favorable treatment of a request for a transcript of a current or former student who owes a debt to the institution; or (3) withhold from a current or former student's transcript any degrees earned on the grounds that the student owes a debt to the institution; if the student has paid certain amounts in the past year on the debt owed. Provides that a current or former student may bring a civil action against an institution for a violation of these provisions.

School safety. Makes changes to the permissible uses of the Indiana secured school fund. Moves provisions in the Indiana Code pertaining to the appointment of a school safety specialist, school safety specialist programs, and school safety plans. Makes changes to the Indiana secured school fund application procedures. Makes changes to the Indiana secured school fund reporting requirements. Makes various changes to provisions regulating the appointment of a school safety specialist, school safety specialist program, and school safety plans. Requires before December 31, 2023, that each county shall establish a county school safety commission. (Current law provides that a county may establish a county school safety commission.) Requires each school corporation and charter school to establish a safe school committee. Requires the division of school building physical security and safety of the department of education to establish and maintain guidelines, in consultation with the department of homeland security and institute for criminal justice, for developing and maintaining school safety plans and assist the secured school safety board in conducting the review and submitting certain reports. Provides that the governing body of a school corporation or charter school organizer shall: (1) approve or disapprove all school safety specialists chosen by the superintendent of the school corporation or leadership of the charter school; and (2) review the school safety plan. Makes changes to the duties of a school resource officer. Makes changes to information reported by a school corporation or charter school pertaining to a school resource officer that is reported to the department of homeland security. Requires the secured schools safety board to include certain aggregate information relating to the number of school resource officers employed by schools. Provides that an organizer of a charter school shall require each charter school under the authority of the organizer to conduct annual emergency preparedness drills. Makes changes to distribution amounts from the state user fee fund. Makes conforming amendments. Repeals provisions establishing the Indiana safe schools fund, school safe haven programs, and existing provisions relating to the establishment of school safety specialists, county school safety commissions, school safety specialist training and safe school programs. Defines various terms. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or accredited nonpublic school may receive a matching grant from the Indiana secured school fund to purchase student safety management technology. Makes a technical correction.

Purple star designation. Requires the commission for higher education (CHE) and the Indiana department of veterans' affairs to develop and implement the higher education purple star designation for the following purposes: (1) To recognize postsecondary educational institutions that are supportive and inclusive of veterans and military connected families. (2) To provide veterans and military connected families with enhanced support for pursuing and finishing a degree or postsecondary credential. Provides that the application for a designation must be made available to interested postsecondary educational institutions on the website of the CHE before May 1, 2024.

Animal impoundment. Defines "impound agency" for purposes of the law concerning offenses related to animals. Specifies requirements for an impound agency and care of an impounded animal. Requires the impound agency to make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner 10 business days after the animal is euthanized. Provides that the notice to an owner must set forth the reason or reasons why the animal was euthanized. Provides certain civil immunity for a veterinarian acting within the scope of the veterinarian's duties.

Drug schedules. Adds specified substances to the list of controlled substances. Defines "fentanyl containing substance" and increases the penalty for dealing a drug that is a fentanyl containing substance.

Graduate retention incentives. Provides for an exemption from the adjusted gross income tax for up to five years for an individual who graduates from a public or private four year college or university if the individual accepts a full-time position of employment in Indiana after graduation. Provides that if an individual leaves a full-time position in Indiana and subsequently accepts another full-time position in Indiana, the exemption carries over for the balance of the five year period. Provides that the department of state revenue shall prescribe a form requiring the Indiana employer to notify the department if the individual leaves employment with the Indiana employer before the end of the five year exemption.

Public information regarding delinquent acts. Amends, with respect to provisions allowing public access to certain juvenile court records and records regarding allegations of certain delinquent acts: (1) the circumstances under which such records may be accessed by the public; and (2) the information in the records that may be accessed; without a court order.

Prekindergarten licensing. Provides that the department of education shall establish a program for individuals seeking to teach prekindergarten and that the individual needs an associate's degree from an accredited postsecondary educational institution.

Natural resources matters. Authorizes the Little Calumet River basin development commission to make bank improvements and remove sediment and flood-causing debris in the area subject to its jurisdiction, subject only to the authority of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Authorizes the division of water (division) of the department of natural resources (department), under certain circumstances, to file with the county recorder an affidavit stating that a violation or deficiency that is the subject of an enforcement action involving a structure classified by the department as a high hazard structure exists on a particular property in the county. Provides that the affidavit must: (1) include a sworn statement that a violation or deficiency exists on the property; (2) be recorded in the deed records of the county; (3) be designed and worded so as to provide notice to the public; and (4) include certain details about the property and current owner. Requires the department to file a release of the affidavit when the violation or deficiency is resolved. Requires the division to pay the fees for recording the affidavit and for recording a release of the affidavit. Amends the law on natural resources commission (commission) rules concerning lakes and reservoirs to eliminate provisions concerning the mediation of disputes. Amends the flood control law: (1) to require a person who applies for a permit to create or maintain a structure, obstruction, deposit, or excavation on a site in a floodway to provide documentation of the person's ownership of the site or an affidavit from the owner of the site authorizing the performance of the proposed work; and (2) to allow a person who applies for a permit to file an amendment to the permit application. Amends the floodplain management law: (1) to require the commission to meet at least once every five years with officials of counties and municipalities to promote cooperation among counties and municipalities, provide technical and data assistance, conduct training, and provide communications and outreach; (2) to provide that county and municipality officials may request to meet with the commission on a periodic basis; (3) to require a permit for the creation, use, or maintenance of a structure, obstruction, deposit, or excavation on any state owned or state managed property in a floodplain; (4) to provide that the lowest floor of any structure erected on state owned or state managed property in a floodplain must be least two feet above the 100 year frequency flood elevation; and (5) to require the commission to review and timely respond to any request from a county or municipality to revise the delineation of a flood hazard area. Provides that a person who applies for a permit authorizing the construction of a structure or other construction activity in or near a floodplain may elect whether: (1) mapping data provided by the department; or (2) an engineering study provided by the applicant; will be used by the local floodplain administrator when reviewing the person's permit application, and prohibits a local floodplain administrator from issuing a permit if the issuance of the permit would affect the county's or municipality's eligibility to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Amends the timber buyers law to provide that information in a timber buyer's records about the timber buyer's transactions with a particular timber grower may be disclosed to that timber grower. Provides that if a local governmental agency in county located along the Lake Michigan shore does not approve or deny a completed application for a nonemergency seawall or revetment permit within 30 business days after it is submitted, the permit is automatically approved and considered issued to the applicant. Requires the department to coordinate with local governmental agencies for purposes of the seawall or revetment permit process. Makes conforming changes.

Various firearms matters. Provides that a member of the firearm industry shall comply with certain firearm industry standards of conduct. Makes an act or omission by a member of the firearm industry in violation of these standards of conduct actionable by: (1) a person who has suffered harm in Indiana because of the member's conduct; (2) the attorney general; (3) a city attorney; and (4) a county attorney. Prohibits a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector from selling or delivering a: (1) firearm that is not a handgun to a person who is less than 21 years of age; or (2) semiautomatic assault weapon. Repeals the offense of unlawful carrying of a handgun. Makes it a Class A misdemeanor to carry a handgun without being licensed to carry a handgun. Specifies exceptions. Enhances the offense to a Level 5 felony in particular instances. Provides that a person who has been convicted of domestic battery may not possess or carry a handgun unless the right has been restored. Allows a person who is protected by a protection order and meets other requirements to carry a handgun without a license for 60 days after the protection order is issued. Provides that licenses to carry handguns are either qualified or unlimited and describes the distinction between the two. Specifies the burden of proof and grounds for dismissal for certain firearms offenses. Prohibits a person from keeping or storing an unsecured firearm on any premises controlled by the person under certain circumstances. Makes the failure to secure a firearm a Level 6 felony if the offense results in injury or death, enhances the offense to a Level 5 felony in particular instances, and provides a defense. Requires a person wishing to transfer a firearm to another person to transact the transfer through a firearms dealer (dealer), subject to certain exceptions, and specifies the procedure to be used by the dealer to effect the transfer. Grants a dealer civil immunity in certain circumstances. Provides that a person who makes a false statement to a dealer for the purpose of completing a transfer commits firearm transfer fraud, a Level 6 felony, and enhances the penalty in particular instances. Specifies that a dealer or other person who transfers a firearm in violation of certain requirements commits unlawful transfer of a firearm, a Level 6 felony, and enhances the offense to a Level 5 felony in particular instances. Defines terms. Makes conforming amendments and technical corrections.

Food hub pilot project. Establishes the food hub pilot program (pilot program) for the purpose of developing, financing, and constructing a food hub in the city of Gary. Provides that the northwest Indiana regional development authority: (1) shall administer the pilot program; (2) may contract with one or more qualified nonprofit organizations or community development financial institutions to administer the pilot program through a public-private partnership; (3) shall develop, finance, and construct the food hub in cooperation with public and private sector partners; and (4) may issue bonds to fund the pilot program.

Innovation development districts. Provides that before the state purchases more than 100 acres of land for economic development purposes, the state must give notice to the executive of each local unit in which the land is located. Provides that a school corporation that receives a portion of the aggregate percentage of incremental property tax revenue transferred may use those funds with no restrictions or specified uses.