Bills recently signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels

By DAVID A. MANN
David.Mann@newsandtribune.com

March 27, 2008 10:46 am

— Bills recently signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels
• Senate Bill 31 — The bill establishes notice and hearing procedures for rights-of-way additions to the state highway system.
• Senate Bill 226 — The bill provides that a municipality that seeks to sell or dispose of nonsurplus municipally owned utility property must adopt an ordinance appointing three Indiana residents to serve as appraisers among other changes.
• Senate Bill 78 — The bill specifies that a qualified personal residence trust is entitled to certain property-tax deductions and the homestead credit during specified periods, among other changes.
• House Bill 1071 — The bill provides for the reimbursement of a county that has purchased or will purchase a new voting system, among other items.
• Senate Bill 307 — The bill permits the disclosure of Social Security numbers for purposes of administration of the Uniform Commercial Code by the secretary of state among other items.
• House Bill 1284 — The bill exempts a commissioner of insurance from having to have an examination warrant in order to request for certain information. It also permits a group life insurance policy to cover a spouse or dependent child for more than 50 percent of the amount provided for the insured.
• Senate Bill 302 — The bill allows members of certain licensing boards to participate in emergency meetings to suspend the licenses of practitioners who represent a clear and immediate danger to the public health and safety, if a means of communication is used that allows all board members and the public to simultaneously communicate with each other. It also makes changes in the procedures for renewing numerous state licenses.
• Senate Bill 339 — The bill repeals and relocates provisions concerning the licensing of commercial driver training schools and instructors among other changes.
• House Bill 1379 — The bill defines “stranger originated life insurance” as a practice that initiates a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third party investor who has no insurable interest in the insured. It also prohibits an insurer from alleging stranger originated life insurance as a basis for denial of payment.
• House Bill 1187 — The bill provides that notice of special meetings given by a non-profit corporation is fair and reasonable if delivered in person, by mail or electronic means.
• House Bill 143 — The bill specifies certain requirements related to childhood lead poisoning prevention for laboratories, health departments and retail establishments.
• Senate Bill 227 — The bill renames the “Sexual Assault Standards and Certification Board” as the “Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Standards and Certification Board” and moves control of the board to the criminal justice institute from the Department of Workforce Development.
It also provides that victims’ advocates may not give testimony, produce records or disclose certain information without the victim’s consent, among other changes.
• Senate Bill 62 — The bill eliminates the requirement that a sheriff post notice of a foreclosure sale in at least three public places in each township where the real estate is located.
• House Bill 1140 — The bill specifies requirements related to coverage and reimbursement for medically necessary prosthetic devices under a state employee health plan.
• Senate Bill 42 — The bill adds to the duties of the Select Joint Commission on Medicaid Oversight. The commission now has a duty to determine whether a managed care organization that has contracted with the state to provide Medicaid services has performed the terms of the contract, among other items.
• Senate Bill 157 — The bill changes the term “methadone treatment” to “opioid treatment” for purposes of the law.
The legislation requires approval and certification for each location that an opioid treatment program is operated. It also requires random testing for patients who’ve used certain drugs. And it requires certain rules on operating standards, control plans and fees, among other items.
• Senate Bill 164 — The bill specifies that the office of Medicaid Policy and Planning and contracted a managed care organization and personnel must meet certain requirements concerning payment and denial of claims, among other items.
• Senate Bill 208 — The bill allows a county to authorize county taxpayers to pay property taxes by automatic deduction from a checking account starting in July 2009.
A county council may also authorize the payment of property taxes by a monthly installment plan.
• Senate Bill 350 — The bill requires a county to transfer money to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction to satisfy the non-federal share of medical assistance payments to community mental health centers, among other changes.
• House Bill 1105 — The bill increases from 60 to 65, the mandatory retirement age for a participant in the excise police, gaming agent, and conservation enforcement officers’ retirement plan. It also caps the plan’s annual retirement allowance at 75 percent of the participant’s average annual salary and establishes a deferred retirement option plan for participants.
It also requires a law enforcement officer who has less than 25 years of experience and has been out of law enforcement for 10 years to repeat the full basic training course in order to regain law enforcement powers.
Those with more than 25 years of experience must attend a refresher course and a pre-basic training course, among other changes.
• House Bill 1119 — The bill removes the $35,000 salary exemption for retired members of the public employees’ retirement fund (PERF) and the teachers’ retirement fund who are reemployed in a covered position.
It also allows an appointing authority to grant a leave of absence to a police officer or firefighter for service in an elected office, among other items.
• House Bill 1159 — The bill requires the Regulatory Flexibility Committee to study certain issues concerning human service information and referral services in Indiana.
House Bill 1246 — The bill establishes the Concurrent Enrollment Partnership, which will coordinate dual credit programs among Indiana high schools and state educational institutions.
• Senate Bill 43 — There are state environmental rules subject to automatic expiration. This bill requires the Department of Environmental Management — or the appropriate rulemaking board — to publish a notice identifying which of the rules will be readopted and which will be allowed to expire.
It also establishes procedures to prevent a county storm water management board and a municipal works board from imposing storm water management fees in the same area.
There are numerous other changes to environmental law included in the bill as well.
• Senate Bill 72 — The bill authorizes a special death benefit for a police and fire department chaplains that die in the line of duty.
It also makes changes to the public employee retirement fund rules.
• Senate Bill 339 — The bill repeals and relocates provisions concerning the licensing of commercial driver training schools and instructors among other changes.
• House Bill 1379 — The bill defines “stranger originated life insurance” as a practice that initiates a life insurance policy for the benefit of a third party investor who has no insurable interest in the insured. It also prohibits an insurer from alleging stranger originated life insurance as a basis for denial of payment.
• House Bill 1187 — The bill provides that notice of special meetings given by a non-profit corporation is fair and reasonable if delivered in person, by mail or electronic means.
• House Bill 143 — The bill specifies certain requirements related to childhood lead poisoning prevention for laboratories, health departments and retail establishments.
• Senate Bill 227 — The bill renames the “Sexual Assault Standards and Certification Board” as the “Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Standards and Certification Board” and moves control of the board to the criminal justice institute from the Department of Workforce Development.
It also provides that victims’ advocates may not give testimony, produce records or disclose certain information without the victim’s consent, among other changes.
• Senate Bill 62 — The bill eliminates the requirement that a sheriff post notice of a foreclosure sale in at least three public places in each township where the real estate is located.
• House Bill 1140 — The bill specifies requirements related to coverage and reimbursement for medically necessary prosthetic devices under a state employee health plan.
• Senate Bill 42 — The bill adds to the duties of the Select Joint Commission on Medicaid Oversight. The commission now has a duty to determine whether a managed care organization that has contracted with the state to provide Medicaid services has performed the terms of the contract, among other items.
• Senate Bill 157 — The bill changes the term “methadone treatment” to “opioid treatment” for purposes of the law.
The legislation requires approval and certification for each location that an opioid treatment program is operated. It also requires random testing for patients who’ve used certain drugs. And it requires certain rules on operating standards, control plans and fees, among other items.
• Senate Bill 164 — The bill specifies that the office of Medicaid Policy and Planning and contracted a managed care organization and personnel must meet certain requirements concerning payment and denial of claims, among other items.
• Senate Bill 208 — The bill allows a county to authorize county taxpayers to pay property taxes by automatic deduction from a checking account starting in July 2009.
A county council may also authorize the payment of property taxes by a monthly installment plan.
• Senate Bill 350 — The bill requires a county to transfer money to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction to satisfy the non-federal share of medical assistance payments to community mental health centers, among other changes.
• House Bill 1105 — The bill increases from 60 to 65, the mandatory retirement age for a participant in the excise police, gaming agent, and conservation enforcement officers’ retirement plan. It also caps the plan’s annual retirement allowance at 75 percent of the participant’s average annual salary and establishes a deferred retirement option plan for participants.
It also requires a law enforcement officer who has less than 25 years of experience and has been out of law enforcement for 10 years to repeat the full basic training course in order to regain law enforcement powers.
Those with more than 25 years of experience must attend a refresher course and a pre-basic training course, among other changes.
• House Bill 1119 — The bill removes the $35,000 salary exemption for retired members of the public employees’ retirement fund (PERF) and the teachers’ retirement fund who are reemployed in a covered position.
It also allows an appointing authority to grant a leave of absence to a police officer or firefighter for service in an elected office, among other items.