HB 1313

                                                            Introduced Version
           HOUSE BILL No. 1313
                 _____
              DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 20-26-5-48; IC 20-28-9-18; IC 20-29;
IC 20-30-2; IC 21-39-11; IC 22-2-6-2.
Synopsis: Education matters. Prohibits a school corporation, public
school, governing body of a school corporation, or state educational
institution from spending public funds to: (1) hire or contract with, for
the purpose of lobbying a member of the general assembly, a person
required to register as a lobbyist; or (2) pay a nonprofit association or
organization that: (A) primarily represents school corporations, public
schools, governing bodies, or state educational institutions; and (B)
hires or contracts with a person required to register as a lobbyist.
Provides that a taxpayer or resident of Indiana may bring a civil action
for a violation of the prohibited conduct. Provides that a school
corporation may not convert a scheduled instructional day to virtual
instruction because of the planned or coordinated absence of teachers
or other personnel for the purpose of participating in a protest,
demonstration, or political advocacy event. Provides that a school
corporation that violates this provision is subject to a reduction in state
tuition support for each day of violation. Provides that a school
employer may not deduct any dues, fee, assessment, or other sum of
money from the wages or other earnings of an employee to hold for or
pay to a school employee organization. Repeals provisions regarding
certain deductions of dues from pay by school employers.
Effective: July 1, 2026.
                               Ireland
   January 6, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
2026  IN 1313—LS 6994/DI 110
                                                                                       Introduced
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
   Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
  Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   HOUSE BILL No. 1313
    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 education.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1    SECTION 1. IC 20-26-5-48 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
3 1, 2026]: Sec. 48. (a) As used in this section, "lobbyist" has the
4 meaning set forth in IC 2-7-1-10.
5    (b) As used in this section, "public school" does not include a
6 charter school.
7    (c) A school corporation, public school, or governing body of a
8 school corporation may not spend public funds to:
9      (1) hire or contract with, for the purpose of lobbying a
10      member of the general assembly, a person required to register
11      as a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2; or
12      (2) pay a nonprofit association or organization that:
13(A) primarily represents school corporations, public
14schools, or governing bodies; and
15(B) hires or contracts with a person required to register as
16a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2.
17    (d) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit the
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1 following:
2      (1) An employee of a school corporation or public school or a
3      member of a governing body from providing information for
4      a member of the general assembly or appearing before a
5      committee of the general assembly.
6      (2) An employee or member described in subdivision (1) from
7      advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or
8      attempting to influence the outcome of legislation pending
9      before the general assembly if the actions would not require
10      a person to register as a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2.
11      (3) A school corporation or public school from reimbursing a
12      full-time employee or member of the governing body for
13      direct travel expenses incurred by the employee or member
14      for engaging in an activity described in subdivision (1) or (2).
15      (4) A full-time employee of a nonprofit association or
16      organization that primarily represents school corporations,
17      public schools, or governing bodies from:
18(A) providing legislative services related to bill tracking,
19bill analysis, and legislative alerts;
20(B) communicating directly with a member of the general
21assembly to provide information if the communication
22would not require a person to register as a lobbyist under
23IC 2-7-2; or
24(C) testifying for or against legislation before the general
25assembly.
26    (e) If a school corporation, public school, or governing body of
27 a school corporation violates this section, a taxpayer or resident of
28 Indiana may bring a civil action against the school corporation,
29 public school, or governing body.
30    (f) The court may award to a taxpayer or resident of Indiana
31 who prevails in an action under subsection (e) the following:
32      (1) Injunctive relief.
33      (2) Costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
34    SECTION 2. IC 20-28-9-18, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005,
35 SECTION 12, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
36 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 18. (a) Upon a teacher's written request, a
37 governing body shall withhold the requested amount of money from the
38 salary of the teacher for a purpose described in subsection (c).
39    (b) Upon a written request from a beneficiary of the Indiana state
40 teachers' retirement fund, a governing body may receive a given
41 amount of money for a purpose described in subsection (c).
42    (c) Except as provided under IC 20-29-5-6.5, the governing body
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1 shall hold the amounts described in subsections (a) and (b) and pay the
2 amounts, as requested by the teacher or the beneficiary, to an insurance
3 company or other agency or organization in Indiana that provides,
4 extends, supervises, or pays for:
5(1) insurance or other protection; or
6(2) the establishment of or payment on an annuity account;
7 for the teacher. If a dividend accrues on a policy, the dividend shall be
8 paid or credited to the teacher.
9    (d) Except as provided under IC 20-29-5-6.5, if less than twenty
10 percent (20%) of the teachers employed by a governing body request
11 payment of the amounts described in subsection (c) to a single
12 recipient, withholding the amounts of money for insurance, dues, or
13 other purposes is discretionary with the governing body.
14    SECTION 3. IC 20-29-5-6 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE JULY 1,
15 2026]. Sec. 6. (a) Subject to subsection (c), the school employer shall,
16 on receipt of the written authorization of a school employee:
17(1) deduct from the pay of the employee any dues designated or
18certified by the appropriate officer of a school employee
19organization that is an exclusive representative of any employees
20of the school employer; and
21(2) remit the dues described in subdivision (1) to the school
22employee organization.
23    (b) Deductions under this section must be consistent with:
24(1) IC 22-2-6;
25(2) IC 22-2-7; and
26(3) IC 20-28-9-18.
27    (c) The following apply to a deduction authorization by a school
28 employee under subsection (a) or when a school employer agrees with
29 a school employee organization to deduct school organization dues
30 from a school employee's pay:
31(1) A school employee has the right to resign from, and end any
32financial obligation to, a school employee organization at any
33time. The right described in this subdivision may not be waived
34by the school employee.
35(2) The authorization for withholding form shall include the
36school employee's full name, position, school employee
37organization, and signature and shall be submitted directly to the
38school employer by the school employee. After receiving the
39authorization for withholding form, the school employer shall
40confirm the authorization by sending an electronic mail message
41to the school employee at the school employee's school provided
42work electronic mail address and shall wait for confirmation of
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1the authorization before starting any deduction. If the school
2employee does not possess a school provided work electronic mail
3address, the school employer may use other means it deems
4appropriate to confirm the authorization.
5(3) An authorization for school employee organization dues to be
6deducted from school employee pay shall be on a form prescribed
7by the attorney general, in consultation with the board, and shall
8contain a statement in 14 point type boldface font reading: "The
9State of Indiana wishes to make you aware that you have a First
10Amendment right, as recognized by the United States Supreme
11Court, to refrain from joining and paying dues to a union (school
12employee organization). Your membership and payment of dues
13are voluntary, and you may not be discriminated against for your
14refusal to join or financially support a union. By signing this form,
15you are agreeing to authorize your employer to deduct union dues
16from your salary in the amounts specified in accordance with your
17union's bylaws. You may revoke this authorization at any time.".
18(4) Authorizations by a school employee for the withholding of
19school employee organization dues from the school employee's
20pay shall not exceed one (1) year in duration and shall be subject
21to annual renewal.
22(5) Upon the submission of a written or electronic mail request to
23a school employer, a school employee shall have the right to cease
24the withholding of school employee organization dues from their
25pay. Upon receipt of a request, the school employer shall:
26(A) cease the withholding of school employee organization
27dues from the school employee's pay beginning on the first day
28of the employee's next pay period; and
29(B) provide written or electronic mail notification of the school
30employee's decision to the school employee organization.
31The notification in clause (B) must occur within a reasonable time
32to ensure that the school employee is not required to have dues
33withheld during the school employee's next pay period or any
34subsequent pay period.
35(6) A school employer shall annually provide, at a time the school
36employer prescribes, written or electronic mail notification to its
37school employees of their right to cease payment of school
38employee organization dues and to withdraw from that
39organization. The notification must also include the following:
40(A) The authorization form described in subsection (c)(3).
41(B) The amount of dues that the school employee will be liable
42to pay to the school organization during the duration of the
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1authorization, if the employee does not revoke the
2authorization before it expires.
3     (d) On or before July 1, 2021, and not later than July 30 of each year
4 thereafter, the attorney general, in consultation with the board and the
5 department, must notify all school employers of the provisions
6 described in subsection (c). This notice must include the authorization
7 form described in subsection (c)(3).
8     (e) Subsection (c)(3) does not apply to a collective bargaining
9 agreement or any other contract entered into or renewed before July 1,
10 2022. However, subsection (c)(3) applies to any collective bargaining
11 agreement or contract entered into, renewed, modified, extended, or
12 amended after June 30, 2022.
13     SECTION 4. IC 20-29-5-6.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
14 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
15 1, 2026]: Sec. 6.5. (a) A school employer may not deduct any dues,
16 fees, assessment, or other sum of money from the wages or other
17 earnings of an employee to hold for or pay to a school employee
18 organization.
19     (b) Nothing in this section may be construed to impair a
20 collective bargaining agreement or any other contract entered into
21 or renewed before July 1, 2026. However, this section applies to
22 any collective bargaining agreement or contract entered into,
23 renewed, modified, extended, or amended after June 30, 2026.
24     SECTION 5. IC 20-29-9-3 IS REPEALED [EFFECTIVE JULY 1,
25 2026]. Sec. 3. If an exclusive representative:
26(1) engages in; or
27(2) aids or abets in;
28 a strike, the exclusive representative shall lose the exclusive
29 representative's dues deduction privilege for one (1) year.
30     SECTION 6. IC 20-30-2-2.7, AS ADDED BY P.L.139-2022,
31 SECTION 13, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
32 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2.7. (a) This section applies to the following:
33(1) Except as provided in subsection (b), a public school
34maintained by a school corporation.
35(2) A charter school that is not a virtual charter school (as defined
36in IC 20-24-1-10).
37     (b) This section does not apply to a dedicated virtual education
38 school.
39     (c) As used in this section, "virtual student instructional day" means
40 a student instructional day to which the following apply:
41(1) A school provides virtual instruction or remote learning to at
42least fifty percent (50%) of the students enrolled to attend
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1in-person instruction at the school.
2(2) A school counts the student instructional day toward meeting
3the one hundred eighty (180) day requirement established by
4section 3 of this chapter.
5    (d) Except as provided in subsections (e) and (g), (h), a school shall
6 deliver:
7(1) teacher directed synchronous instruction; or
8(2) a hybrid of:
9(A) teacher directed synchronous instruction for at least fifty
10percent (50%) of the particular instructional day; and
11(B) asynchronous learning;
12 during the instructional time of a virtual student instructional day.
13    (e) Except as provided in subsection (g), (h), a school may conduct
14 not more than three (3) virtual student instructional days each school
15 year that do not meet the requirements under subsection (d).
16    (f) Except as provided in subsection (g), (h), if a school conducts a
17 student instructional day described in subsection (c)(1) that does not
18 meet the requirements of this section, the school may not count the
19 student instructional day toward meeting the one hundred eighty (180)
20 day requirement established by section 3 of this chapter.
21    (g) A school corporation may not convert a scheduled
22 instructional day to virtual instruction under this section because
23 of the planned or coordinated absence of teachers or other
24 personnel for the purpose of participating in a protest,
25 demonstration, or political advocacy event.
26    (g) (h) A school may submit to the department a request to waive
27 the requirements set forth in this section to include a virtual student
28 instructional day otherwise excluded under subsection (f) to meet the
29 one hundred eighty (180) day requirement established by section 3 of
30 this chapter if the virtual student instructional day was conducted
31 because of extraordinary circumstances. The department may waive the
32 requirements for the school after consideration of the request.
33    (h) (i) The state board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to
34 implement this section. However, the state board shall, in consultation
35 with the department, adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 that define teacher
36 directed synchronous instruction and asynchronous learning and
37 provide that the instruction or learning must be of the same quality and
38 rigor as required under section 2.5(b) of this chapter.
39    SECTION 7. IC 20-30-2-4, AS AMENDED BY P.L.178-2022(ts),
40 SECTION 14, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
41 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 4. (a) Subject to subsection (c), if a school
42 corporation fails to conduct the minimum number of student
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1 instructional days during a school year as required under section 3 of
2 this chapter, the department shall reduce the August tuition support
3 distribution to that school corporation for a school year by an amount
4 determined as follows:
5STEP ONE: Determine the remainder of:
6(A) the amount of the total tuition support allocated to the
7school corporation for the particular school year; minus
8(B) that part of the total tuition support allocated to the school
9corporation for that school year with respect to student
10instructional days one hundred seventy-six (176) through one
11hundred eighty (180).
12STEP TWO: Subtract the number of student instructional days
13that the school corporation conducted from one hundred eighty
14(180).
15STEP THREE: Determine the lesser of five (5) or the remainder
16determined under STEP TWO.
17STEP FOUR: Divide the amount subtracted under STEP ONE (B)
18by five (5).
19STEP FIVE: Multiply the quotient determined under STEP FOUR
20by the number determined under STEP THREE.
21STEP SIX: Subtract the number determined under STEP THREE
22from the remainder determined under STEP TWO.
23STEP SEVEN: Divide the remainder determined under STEP
24ONE by one hundred seventy-five (175).
25STEP EIGHT: Multiply the quotient determined under STEP
26SEVEN by the remainder determined under STEP SIX.
27STEP NINE: Add the product determined under STEP FIVE to
28the product determined under STEP EIGHT.
29     (b) If the total amount of state tuition support that a school
30 corporation receives or will receive during a school year decreases
31 under this section by an amount that is equal to or more than two
32 hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) from the amount the school
33 corporation would otherwise be eligible to receive during the school
34 year as determined under IC 20-43, the budget committee shall review
35 the amount of and the reason for the decrease before implementation
36 of the decrease.
37     (c) If fewer than all of the schools in a school corporation fail to
38 conduct the minimum number of student instructional days during a
39 school year as required under section 3 of this chapter, the reduction in
40 August tuition support required by this section shall take into account
41 only the schools in the school corporation that failed to conduct the
42 minimum number of student instructional days and only the grades for
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1 which the required number of student instructional days was not
2 conducted.
3    (d) A school corporation that violates section 2.7(g) of this
4 chapter is subject to a reduction in state tuition support under
5 subsection (a) for each day of violation.
6    SECTION 8. IC 21-39-11 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
7 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
8 JULY 1, 2026]:
9    Chapter 11. Use of Public Funds for Lobbying the General
10 Assembly Prohibited
11    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "lobbyist" has the meaning set
12 forth in IC 2-7-1-10.
13    Sec. 2. A state educational institution or board of trustees may
14 not spend public funds to:
15      (1) hire or contract with, for the purpose of lobbying a
16      member of the general assembly, a person required to register
17      as a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2; or
18      (2) pay a nonprofit association or organization that:
19(A) primarily represents state educational institutions or
20boards of trustees; and
21(B) hires or contracts with a person required to register as
22a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2.
23    Sec. 3. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit the
24 following:
25      (1) An employee of a state educational institution or a
26      member of a board of trustees from providing information for
27      a member of the general assembly or appearing before a
28      committee of the general assembly.
29      (2) An employee or member described in subdivision (1) from
30      advocating for or against or otherwise influencing or
31      attempting to influence the outcome of legislation pending
32      before the general assembly if the actions would not require
33      a person to register as a lobbyist under IC 2-7-2.
34      (3) A state educational institution from reimbursing a
35      full-time employee or a member of the board of trustees for
36      direct travel expenses incurred by the employee or member
37      for engaging in an activity described in subdivision (1) or (2).
38      (4) A full-time employee of a nonprofit association or
39      organization that primarily represents state educational
40      institutions or boards of trustees from:
41(A) providing legislative services related to bill tracking,
42bill analysis, and legislative alerts;
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1(B) communicating directly with a member of the general
2assembly to provide information if the communication
3would not require a person to register as a lobbyist under
4IC 2-7-2; or
5(C) testifying for or against legislation before the general
6assembly.
7    Sec. 4. (a) If a state educational institution or board of trustees
8 violates this chapter, a taxpayer or resident of Indiana may bring
9 a civil action against the state educational institution or board of
10 trustees.
11    (b) The court may award to a taxpayer or resident of Indiana
12 who prevails in an action under subsection (a) the following:
13      (1) Injunctive relief.
14      (2) Costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
15    SECTION 9. IC 22-2-6-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.147-2019,
16 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
17 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) Any assignment of the wages of an
18 employee is valid only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
19      (1) The assignment is:
20(A) in writing;
21(B) signed by the employee personally;
22(C) by its terms revocable at any time by the employee upon
23written notice to the employer; and
24(D) agreed to in writing by the employer.
25      (2) An executed copy of the assignment is delivered to the
26      employer within ten (10) days after its execution.
27      (3) The assignment is made for a purpose described in subsection
28      (b).
29    (b) A wage assignment under this section may be made for the
30 purpose of paying any of the following:
31      (1) Premium on a policy of insurance obtained for the employee
32      by the employer.
33      (2) Pledge or contribution of the employee to a charitable or
34      nonprofit organization.
35      (3) Purchase price of bonds or securities, issued or guaranteed by
36      the United States.
37      (4) Purchase price of shares of stock, or fractional interests in
38      shares of stock, of the employing company, or of a company
39      owning the majority of the issued and outstanding stock of the
40      employing company, whether purchased from such company, in
41      the open market or otherwise. However, if such shares are to be
42      purchased on installments pursuant to a written purchase
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1agreement, the employee has the right under the purchase
2agreement at any time before completing purchase of such shares
3to cancel said agreement and to have repaid promptly the amount
4of all installment payments which theretofore have been made.
5(5) Except as provided under IC 20-29-5-6.5, dues to become
6owing by the employee to a labor organization of which the
7employee is a member.
8(6) Purchase price of merchandise, goods, or food offered by the
9employer and sold to the employee, for the employee's benefit,
10use, or consumption, at the written request of the employee.
11(7) Amount of a loan made to the employee by the employer and
12evidenced by a written instrument executed by the employee
13subject to the amount limits set forth in section 4(c) of this
14chapter.
15(8) Contributions, assessments, or dues of the employee to a
16hospital service or a surgical or medical expense plan or to an
17employees' association, trust, or plan existing for the purpose of
18paying pensions or other benefits to said employee or to others
19designated by the employee.
20(9) Payment to any credit union, nonprofit organizations, or
21associations of employees of such employer organized under any
22law of this state or of the United States.
23(10) Payment to any person or organization regulated under the
24Uniform Consumer Credit Code (IC 24-4.5) for deposit or credit
25to the employee's account by electronic transfer or as otherwise
26designated by the employee.
27(11) Premiums on policies of insurance and annuities purchased
28by the employee on the employee's life.
29(12) The purchase price of shares or fractional interest in shares
30in one (1) or more mutual funds.
31(13) A judgment owed by the employee if the payment:
32(A) is made in accordance with an agreement between the
33employee and the creditor; and
34(B) is not a garnishment under IC 34-25-3.
35(14) The purchase, rental, or use of uniforms, shirts, pants, or
36other job-related job related clothing at an amount not to exceed
37the direct cost paid by an employer to an external vendor for those
38items.
39(15) The purchase of equipment or tools necessary to fulfill the
40duties of employment at an amount not to exceed the direct cost
41paid by an employer to an external vendor for those items.
42(16) Reimbursement for education or employee skills training.
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1      However, a wage assignment may not be made if the education or
2      employee skills training benefits were provided, in whole or in
3      part, through an economic development incentive from any
4      federal, state, or local program.
5      (17) An advance for:
6(A) payroll; or
7(B) vacation;
8      pay.
9      (18) The employee's drug education and addiction treatment
10      services under IC 12-23-23.
11    (c) The interest rate charged on amounts loaned or advanced to an
12 employee and repaid under subsection (b) may not exceed the bank
13 prime loan interest rate as reported by the Board of Governors of the
14 Federal Reserve System or any successor rate, plus four percent (4%).
15    (d) The total amount of wages subject to assignment under
16 subsection (b)(14) and (b)(15) may not exceed the lesser of:
17      (1) two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per year; or
18      (2) five percent (5%) of the employee's weekly disposable
19      earnings (as defined in IC 24-4.5-5-105(1)(a)).
20    (e) Except as provided under 29 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918,
21 and 1926, an employee shall not be charged or subject to a wage
22 assignment under subsection (b)(14) or (b)(15) for protective
23 equipment including personal protective equipment identified under 29
24 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918, and 1926.
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