HB 1426

                                                               Introduced Version
            HOUSE BILL No. 1426
                  _____
               DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 16-31-3-2; IC 36-8-10.5-7.
Synopsis: Training concerning Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Requires firefighters and persons who are certified or licensed
providers of emergency medical services to complete training on
Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Effective: January 1, 2026 (retroactive).
                     Smith H, Bartels
January 8, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public
Safety.
2026  IN 1426—LS 6809/DI 92
                                                                                       Introduced
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
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 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
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 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   HOUSE BILL No. 1426
   A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 public safety.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1     SECTION 1. IC 16-31-3-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.139-2023,
2 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JANUARY 1, 2026 (RETROACTIVE)]: Sec. 2. The commission shall
4 establish standards for persons required to be certified or licensed by
5 the commission to provide emergency medical services. To be certified
6 or licensed, a person must meet the following minimum requirements:
7(1) The personnel certified or licensed under this chapter must do
8the following:
9(A) Meet the standards for education and training established
10by the commission by rule.
11(B) Successfully complete a basic or an inservice course of
12education and training on sudden infant death syndrome that
13is certified by the commission in conjunction with the state
14health commissioner.
15(C) Successfully complete a basic or an inservice course of
16education and training on autism that is certified by the
17commission.
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1(D) Successfully complete a research based training program
2concerning suicide assessment, treatment, and management
3that is:
4(i) demonstrated to be an effective or promising program;
5and
6(ii) recommended by the Indiana Suicide Prevention
7Network Advisory Council.
8(E) After December 31, 2024, complete basic training, which
9may be completed online or by other means of virtual
10instruction, that addresses the mental health and wellness of
11persons required to be licensed under this chapter, including:
12(i) healthy coping skills to preserve the mental health of
13persons required to be licensed under this chapter and
14manage the stress and trauma related to the provision of
15emergency medical services;
16(ii) recognition of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder
17and signs of suicidal behavior; and
18(iii) information on mental health resources available for
19persons required to be licensed under this chapter.
20(F) After December 31, 2025, successfully complete a basic
21training, which may be completed online or by other
22means of virtual instruction, on Alzheimer's disease and
23dementia that is certified by the commission.
24(2) Ambulances to be used must conform with the requirements
25of the commission and must either be:
26(A) covered by insurance issued by a company licensed to do
27business in Indiana in the amounts and under the terms
28required in rules adopted by the commission; or
29(B) owned by a governmental entity covered under IC 34-13-3.
30(3) Emergency ambulance service shall be provided in accordance
31with rules adopted by the commission. However, the rules
32adopted under this chapter may not prohibit the dispatch of an
33ambulance to aid an emergency patient because an emergency
34medical technician is not immediately available to staff the
35ambulance.
36(4) Ambulances must be equipped with a system of emergency
37medical communications approved by the commission. The
38emergency medical communication system must properly
39integrate and coordinate appropriate local and state emergency
40communications systems and reasonably available area
41emergency medical facilities with the general public's need for
42emergency medical services.
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1(5) Emergency medical communications shall be provided in
2accordance with rules adopted by the commission.
3(6) A nontransporting emergency medical services vehicle must
4conform with the commission's requirements.
5     SECTION 2. IC 36-8-10.5-7, AS AMENDED BY P.L.93-2024,
6 SECTION 209, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
7 [EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2026 (RETROACTIVE)]: Sec. 7. (a) The
8 education board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 establishing
9 minimum basic training requirements for full-time firefighters and
10 volunteer firefighters, subject to subsection (b) and section 7.5 of this
11 chapter. The requirements must include training in the following areas:
12(1) Orientation.
13(2) Personal safety.
14(3) Forcible entry.
15(4) Ventilation.
16(5) Apparatus.
17(6) Ladders.
18(7) Self-contained breathing apparatus.
19(8) Hose loads.
20(9) Streams.
21(10) Basic recognition of special hazards.
22     (b) A person who fulfills the certification requirements for:
23(1) Firefighter I; or
24(2) Firefighter II;
25 is considered to comply with the requirements established under
26 subsection (a).
27     (c) In addition to the requirements of subsections (a), (d), and (f),
28 the minimum basic training requirements for full-time firefighters and
29 volunteer firefighters must include successful completion of a basic or
30 inservice course of education and training on sudden infant death
31 syndrome that is certified by the Indiana emergency medical services
32 commission (created under IC 16-31-2-1) in conjunction with the state
33 health commissioner.
34     (d) In addition to the requirements of subsections (a), (c), and (f),
35 the minimum basic training requirements for full-time and volunteer
36 firefighters must include successful completion of an instruction course
37 on vehicle emergency response driving safety. The education board
38 shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to operate this course.
39     (e) In addition to the requirements of subsections (a), (c), (d), and
40 (f), the minimum basic training requirements for full-time and
41 volunteer firefighters must include successful completion of a basic or
42 inservice course of education and training in interacting with
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1 individuals with autism that is certified by the Indiana emergency
2 medical services commission (created under IC 16-31-2-1).
3     (f) This subsection does not apply to volunteer firefighters. After
4 December 31, 2024, in addition to the requirements of subsections (a),
5 (c), (d), and (e), the minimum basic training requirement for full-time
6 firefighters must include training, which may be completed online or
7 by other means of virtual instruction, that addresses the mental health
8 and wellness of firefighters, including:
9(1) healthy coping skills to preserve the mental health of
10firefighters and to manage the stress and trauma related to
11employment as a firefighter;
12(2) recognition of:
13(A) symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder; and
14(B) signs of suicidal behavior; and
15(3) information on mental health resources available for
16firefighters.
17     (g) In addition to the requirements of subsections (a), (c), (d),
18 (e), and (f), the minimum basic training requirements for full-time
19 and volunteer firefighters must include successful completion of a
20 basic or inservice course of education and training in interacting
21 with individuals with Alzheimer's disease and dementia that is
22 certified by the Indiana emergency medical services commission
23 created by IC 16-31-2-1.
24     (g) (h) The education board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
25 concerning the adoption of the most current edition of the following
26 National Fire Protection Association standards, subject to amendment
27 by the board:
28(1) NFPA 472.
29(2) NFPA 1001.
30(3) NFPA 1002.
31(4) NFPA 1003.
32(5) NFPA 1006.
33(6) NFPA 1021.
34(7) NFPA 1031.
35(8) NFPA 1033.
36(9) NFPA 1035.
37(10) NFPA 1041.
38(11) NFPA 1521.
39(12) NFPA 1670.
40     SECTION 3. An emergency is declared for this act.
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