On April 20, as the legislative session wraps up, Governor Eric Holcomb signed nearly 80 House and Senate Bills into legislation, including: 

•Senate Bill 136 - Conviction Data
The bill defines a "prohibited person" from possessing a firearm or carrying a handgun. It provides that the office of the judicial administration may establish a system to transmit specific data to determine whether a person is prohibited. The bill was co-authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz.

•Senate Bill 167 - FAFSA
The bill requires all students in their senior year (except for students at certain nonpublic schools) to complete and submit the FAFSA not later than April 15 unless: (1) a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an emancipated minor, signs a waiver that the student understands what the FAFSA is and declines to complete it; or (2) the principal or school counselor of the student's high school waives the requirement for a group of students due to the principal or school counselor being unable to reach the parents or guardians of the students by April 15 after at least two reasonable attempts to contact the parents or guardians. Requires that the: (1) model notice prepared by the commission for higher education; and (2) notice that each school corporation is required to send regarding the FAFSA; include information regarding the requirements and exceptions for completing the FAFSA. The bill was authored by Sen. Jean Leising (R) and Sen. Stacy Donato ®.

•Senate Bill 168 - Statewide assessment results
The bill requires (rather than permits) the Department of Education to include in a contract with a statewide assessment vendor entered into or renewed after June 30, 2023, a requirement that the vendor provides a summary of a student's statewide assessment results. In addition it makes a conforming change and a technical correction. The bill was Authored by Sen. Jean Leising (R) and Sen. Linda Rogers.

•Senate Bill 172 - Maximum price of pull tab in charity gaming
The bill increases the maximum price of a charity gaming ticket for a pull tab, punchboard, or tip board game from $1 to $5 and raises the maximum selling price for one ticket for type II gaming from $1 to $5. The bill was authored by Sen. Jean Leising and Sen. Scott Alexander.

•Senate Bill 286 -  Credit time
The bill permits a person placed on pretrial home detention to earn accrued time and good time credit in the same manner as other persons on home detention but provides that specified misconduct will result in the deprivation of all credit time earned on pretrial home detention. In addition, it amends the sentencing guidelines for a habitual offender. The bill was authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman, Sen. Eric Koch and Sen. Mike Bohacek. 

•Senate Bill 345 - Termination of parental rights
The bill defines "safe haven infant" and provides that a licensed child-placing agency may not take certain actions against an individual based on the individual's immunization status. Allows the emergency medical services provider to notify either the department of child services (department) or a licensed child-placing agency to take custody of a safe haven infant. The department and a licensed child-placing agency must contact certain agencies to determine if the safe haven infant has been reported missing. It provides that a safe haven infant is presumed eligible for Medicaid and establishes procedures for termination of parent-child relationship involving a safe haven infant. It requires the department's attorney or a licensed child-placing agency to file a petition to terminate the parent-child relationship not later than 15 days after taking custody of the safe haven infant. Requires a licensed child-placing agency to place the safe haven infant with a preapproved adoptive parent. Provides that both parents' consent to termination of the parent-child relationship is irrevocably implied without further court action if, after at least 28 days, neither parent petitioned the court for custody. Requires that a putative parent notice be published and provides specific language for the notice. Requires an affidavit of publication of the putative parent notice to be filed with the court. Prohibits the court from inquiring about the reason for the parents' absence. Provides that a prospective adoptive family may only be charged certain costs by the licensed child placement agency. The bill was co-authored in part by Sen. Jeff Raatz.

Senate Bill 373 - Assistance for funeral and cemetery expenses
The bill raises the dollar amounts considered when determining Medicaid payments for funeral director expenses and cemetery expenses. Requires the division to increase the dollar amounts considered when determining Medicaid payments for the funeral director and cemetery expenses by $100 annually for three years beginning on July 1, 2024. The bill was authored by Sen. Eric Koch and Sen. Linda Rogers. It was co-authored in part by Rep. Cory Criswell.

Senate Bill 423 - Animal impoundment
The bill defines "impound agency" for purposes of the law concerning offenses related to animals. It specifies requirements for an impounding agency and care of an impounded animal. Requires the impounding agency to reasonably notify the owner 10 business days after the animal is euthanized. It provides that the notice to an owner must set forth the reason or reasons why the animal was euthanized. It also provides certain civil immunity for a veterinarian acting within the scope of the veterinarian's duties. The bill was authored by Sen. Jean Leising and Sen. Susan Glick.To see a full list of Senate and House Bills signed into law by Holcomb, visit https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/senate.