Committee adopts amendment to SB 525 to set training tiers, expand benefits and raise penalties; bill passes 11-0

The House committee approved Amendment 8 to Senate Bill 525 on a voice/roll-call vote, adopting changes that set tiered training for Marion County deputies, extend line‑of‑duty benefits to Department of Corrections staff and increase criminal penalties for certain shooting and reckless conduct. The committee took the amendment by consent and passed the bill as amended, 11-0, with one lawmaker excused.

The amendment implements a framework for tiered training certificates for Marion County sheriff's deputies who successfully completed their academy by the end of the year, provides additional time for the academy to issue tier 2 certificates, and directs the Marion County Sheriff's Department to adopt a tier 1 curriculum set by the board so future graduates there would be certified locally rather than at the Plainfield academy. "What this does is ... Marion County Sheriff's deputies, up to the employment date of the end of this year that have been through their academy successfully will be receiving tier 2 training certificates," the presenter said.

The amendment also adds Department of Corrections personnel to the definition of public safety officer so those correctional employees become eligible for line‑of‑duty death and injury benefits. The presenter said the committee added that language in November and that it "was passed." The measure applies the same tier 1/tier 2 framework to school resource officers and restores an ability to charge fleeing in certain cases that earlier language had exempted.

Amendment 8 raises the penalty for criminal recklessness from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor and creates new definitions and penalties for discharging a firearm from a vehicle into another vehicle or into a building or place where people are likely to be present; the text adds liability for passengers under a level‑6 felony provision when the passenger is involved in the offense. The presenter summarized those changes as increasing penalties and adding passenger exposure to felony charges.

Finally, the amendment incorporates language—attributed to the bill's author and stakeholders—that creates a summer study committee to review sheriff's department training and consider whether a merit system or any changes to the consolidated police/sheriff structure should be recommended. The presenter said stakeholders including Homeland Security, the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, the Marion County Sheriff's Department, the Sheriff's Association and the State Police helped craft the language.

Committee action and next steps: the committee took Amendment 8 by consent after a motion and second, then recorded a roll-call vote on the bill as amended. The clerk announced the final result: the bill "passes as amended, 11." The committee chair closed the session.

Votes at a glance SB 525 (as amended by Amendment 8) — Passed 11-0 (one excused). Amendment 8 — Adopted by consent (motion seconded).