Honoring Jim Shannon. A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION honoring Jim Shannon.

Absentee voting. Provides that an agency of the state or a political subdivision may not provide an individual with an application for an absentee ballot unless requested by the individual or a member of the individual's family. Provides that an absentee ballot application must request that the applicant include: (1) certain identification numbers; or (2) a photocopy of: (A) the applicant's Indiana driver's license, (B) the applicant's Indiana identification card number for nondrivers, or (C) other specified proof of identification. Provides that the application form must state that an applicant may include only one of the identification numbers or one of the documents, but the application may be delayed if the county election board cannot match at least one of the numbers with the voter's registration record. Allows an individual to provide, for purposes of accessing an absentee ballot application submitted in an electronic format: (1) the individual's Indiana identification card number for nondrivers; or (2) the unique identifying number assigned to the voter's registration record in the computerized list; as an alternative to the options available under current law. (Current law requires the provision of the individual's Indiana driver's license number or the last four digits of the individual's Social Security number.) Specifies that certain information and documentation is confidential. Specifies when a county voter registration office is required to redact particular confidential information. Requires a county election board to implement specified procedures if the county election board cannot match at least one of the numbers with the voter's registration record. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles (BMV) to provide particular information each day to the secretary of state (secretary) and the election division. Requires the secretary and the election division to provide specified information to each county voter registration office. Specifies that if certain information provided by the BMV is not a part of the voter's registration record, the county voter registration office shall update the voter's registration record to include this information. Requires a circuit court clerk or director of a board of elections and registration (clerk) to transmit certain information to an applicant who submits an application to receive an absentee ballot by mail if the application does not fully comply with particular laws. Specifies a process by which a clerk may: (1) deliver a second absentee ballot application; (2) approve a second absentee ballot application; and (3) provide an absentee ballot; to a voter who timely submits a defective application to receive an absentee ballot. Provides that a voter who receives an absentee ballot under certain provisions may return the voted ballot: (1) in person to the absentee voter board; or (2) to the county election board; before the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots. Requires uniform application if a clerk uses this provision. Makes conforming changes.

Homestead property tax liability cap. Provides a credit against an individual's homestead property tax liability equal to the amount by which the property tax liability increases by more than 10% from the prior year. Requires the county auditor to apply the credit against an individual's homestead property tax liability without the need to file an application.

Fire protection. Provides that an individual who is certified as a fire inspector may conduct a fire inspection. Provides that an individual who is certified as a fire inspector and not an employee of the fire department may conduct a fire inspection after completing additional requirements. Requires a structure constructed or initially converted or remodeled after June 30, 2023, for use as an animal facility to have a fire alarm system or staff on duty any time a dog or cat is present on the premises. Authorizes periodic local or state fire inspections to determine compliance.

Twenty-first century scholars program. Amends certain qualifications for eligibility to participate in the twenty-first century scholars program.

Student health matters. Allows a school corporation to contract with a health care provider, health system, or community partner to establish a school based health center (center) and provide services to certain students. Sets forth requirements to establish a center. Provides that the state board shall amend any rules necessary to comply with the requirements to establish a center.

Heritage commerce district. Establishes the Indiana heritage commerce district program. Permits a municipality with a population of not more than 50,000 and that has been designated as an Indiana main street program area for not less than two years to establish a heritage commerce district. Establishes the heritage commerce district fund. Provides that the office of community and rural affairs may make grants not exceeding $500,000 annually to qualified districts. Provides that grant applicants must provide local matching funds. Specifies sources from which a grant applicant may solicit and accept local matching funds for purposes of a grant. Makes an appropriation.

Construction of certain intersections. Provides that the Indiana department of transportation (department) may not engage in planning or perform construction to install a roundabout or a reduced conflict intersection until the department has received input and approval from the legislative body of the unit that has control over the intersection or junction where the roundabout or reduced conflict intersection would be located.

Dependent child exemptions. Provides that a fetus is considered a dependent child for purposes of the dependent child state adjusted gross income exemptions.

Earned income tax credit. Recouples the state earned income tax credit qualifications with the federal earned income tax credit qualifications under the Internal Revenue Code as in effect January 1, 2023. Increases the state earned income tax credit to an amount equal to 12% (instead of 10%) of the federal earned income tax credit that an individual claimed for a taxable year.

Energy utilities. Amends the Indiana Code chapter concerning federally mandated requirements for energy utilities as follows: (1) Specifies that for purposes of the statute, "federally mandated costs" include the following: (A) Costs that an energy utility has incurred, or estimates that it will incur, in connection with a compliance project. (B) Costs that are directly related to the preparation and conduct of a regulatory proceeding. (C) Costs related to a compliance project and incurred by an energy utility before the date of: (i) the energy utility's application to the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (certificate) with respect to the compliance project; or (ii) the IURC's order with respect to the application; if the IURC finds the costs are just and reasonable. (2) Provides that an energy utility's application for a certificate for a compliance project must be filed either: (A) before; or (B) within a reasonable time with respect to; any federally mandated compliance date. (3) Specifies that recovery of the 80% of IURC-approved federally mandated costs that an energy utility may recover through a rate adjustment mechanism must commence no earlier than: (A) the date of a final agency action regarding the federally mandated requirement; or (B) in the absence of a final agency action, the date on which the federally mandated requirement becomes effective. Requires a public utility to notify the IURC if: (1) the public utility intends or decides to retire, sell, or transfer an electric generation facility with a capacity of at least 80 megawatts; and (2) the retirement, sale, or transfer: (A) was not set forth in; or (B) is to take place on a date earlier than the date specified in; the public utility's short term action plan in the public utility's most recently filed integrated resource plan (IRP). Provides that upon receiving such notice from a public utility, the IURC shall consider and may investigate the public utility's intention or decision to retire, sell, or transfer the electric generation facility. Provides that in considering the public utility's intention or decision, the commission shall examine the impact the retirement, sale, or transfer would have on the public utility's ability to meet: (1) the public utility's planning reserve margin requirements or other federal reliability requirements; and (2) the reliability adequacy metrics set forth in Indiana law. Provides that if the retirement, sale, or transfer was not set forth in, or is to take place earlier than specified in, the public utility's short term action plan in the public utility's most recently filed IRP, the IURC shall not permit the public utility's depreciation rates to be amended to reflect the accelerated date for the retirement, sale, or transfer of the electric generation asset unless the IURC finds that such an adjustment is necessary to ensure the ability of the public utility to provide reliable service to its customers, and that the unamended depreciation rates would cause an unjust and unreasonable impact on the public utility and its ratepayers. Authorizes the IURC to adopt a general administrative order to implement these provisions. Provides that these provisions: (1) do not apply to: (A) the retirement, sale, or transfer of a public utility's electric generation facility if the retirement, sale, or transfer is necessary for the public utility to comply with a federal consent decree; or (B) an electric generation facility that generates electricity for sale exclusively to the wholesale market; and (2) expire July 1, 2026.

Torts involving commercial trucking industry. Creates a procedure to bifurcate a trial of a civil action filed against the operator of a commercial motor vehicle and the employer of the operator or the owner of the commercial motor vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident. Requires certain defendants to file a motion to bifurcate within a specified period of time. Provides that certain evidence may be presented in the first phase of a bifurcated trial. Allows a plaintiff to pursue punitive damages in the second phase of a bifurcated trial.

Communications infrastructure in utility easement. Provides that if an electricity supplier provides a property owner with notice of the electricity supplier's intent to: (1) install new communications infrastructure; or (2) allow: (A) an affiliated entity of the electricity supplier; or (B) a communications service provider; to install new communications infrastructure; within an electric easement on the property, the property owner shall allow the electricity supplier, affiliated entity, or communications service provider to access the electric easement for purposes of the attachment or installation of communications infrastructure within the electric easement. Provides that a property owner is not entitled to damages for a decrease in the value of the property caused by an electricity supplier's use of an electric easement on the property for communications infrastructure if an appraisal of the property cannot determine a value for the property due to a lack of comparable properties.

Twenty-first century scholars program. Provides that the commission for higher education shall do the following: (1) In cooperation with the department of education, identify students who meet the requirements to participate in the twenty-first century scholars program (program). (2) Notify the student and the custodial parent or guardian of the student, if the student is an unemancipated minor, that: (A) the student is eligible to participate in the program; (B) the student must agree to the conditions required to participate in the program; and (C) the student has the right to opt out of the program at any time.

Administration of anesthesia in dental office. Provides that a rule requiring an office based setting to be accredited by an accreditation agency does not apply to certain individuals providing anesthesia in a dental office. Allows an anesthesiologist, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and an anesthesiologist assistant to administer moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia to a patient in a dental office if certain standards are met.