Introduced Version SENATE BILL No. 92 _____ DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Citations Affected: IC 35-35-3-3; IC 35-38-1-21; IC 35-42-4-10. Synopsis: Sex offenses. Prohibits plea agreements concerning: (1) promotion of child sexual trafficking; (2) promotion of sexual trafficking of a younger child; (3) child sexual trafficking; or (4) child solicitation; if a term of the plea agreement requires the prosecuting attorney to dismiss a charge in exchange for the defendant's agreement to plead guilty to a less serious offense. Adds facilities that provide entertainment exclusively directed toward children to the list of facilities at which a sexually violent predator or an offender against children may not work or volunteer, and increases the penalty for the offense of unlawful employment by a sexual predator to a Level 4 felony, with an enhancement to a Level 3 felony if the person has a prior conviction based on the violation of a condition of sex offender registration. Provides that a sexually violent predator or an offender against children who knowingly or intentionally is present at a facility that provides entertainment exclusively directed toward children commits attendance at a juvenile entertainment facility by a sex offender, a Level 4 felony, with an enhancement to a Level 3 felony if the person has a prior conviction based on the violation of a condition of sex offender registration. Effective: July 1, 2025. Dernulc January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law. 2025 IN 92—LS 6229/DI 106 Introduced First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025) 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 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. SENATE BILL No. 92 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: 1 SECTION 1. IC 35-35-3-3, AS AMENDED BY P.L.50-2017, 2 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 3. (a) No plea agreement may be made by the 4 prosecuting attorney to a court with respect to: 5 (1) IC 35-42-3.5-1.2 (promotion of child sexual trafficking; 6 promotion of sexual trafficking of a younger child); 7 (2) IC 35-42-3.5-1.3 (child sexual trafficking); or 8 (3) IC 35-42-4-6 (child solicitation); 9 if a term of the plea agreement requires the prosecuting attorney 10 to dismiss a charge for an offense described in subdivisions (1) 11 through (3) in exchange for the defendant's agreement to plead 12 guilty to a less serious offense. 13 (a) (b) No plea agreement may be made by the prosecuting attorney 14 to a court on a felony charge except: 15 (1) in writing; and 16 (2) before the defendant enters a plea of guilty. 17 The plea agreement shall be shown as filed, and if its contents indicate 2025 IN 92—LS 6229/DI 106 2 1 that the prosecuting attorney anticipates that the defendant intends to 2 enter a plea of guilty to a felony charge, the court shall order the 3 presentence report required by IC 35-38-1-8 and may hear evidence on 4 the plea agreement. 5 (b) (c) If the plea agreement is not accepted, the court shall reject it 6 before the case may be disposed of by trial or by guilty plea. If the court 7 rejects the plea agreement, subsequent plea agreements may be filed 8 with the court, subject to the same requirements that this chapter 9 imposes upon the initial plea agreement. 10 (c) (d) A plea agreement in a misdemeanor case may be submitted 11 orally to the court. 12 (d) (e) In a misdemeanor case, if: 13 (1) the court rejects a plea agreement; and 14 (2) the prosecuting attorney or the defendant files a written 15 motion for change of judge within ten (10) days after the plea 16 agreement is rejected; 17 the court shall grant the motion for change of judge and transfer the 18 proceeding to a special judge under the Indiana Rules of Criminal 19 Procedure. However, there may not be more than one (1) transfer of the 20 proceeding to a special judge under this subsection. 21 (e) (f) If the court accepts a plea agreement, it shall be bound by its 22 terms. 23 SECTION 2. IC 35-38-1-21 IS AMENDED TO READ AS 24 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 21. (a) A court that 25 receives a petition from the department of correction under 26 IC 35-38-3-5 may, after notice to the prosecuting attorney of the 27 judicial circuit in which the defendant's case originated, hold a hearing 28 for the purpose of determining whether the offender named in the 29 petition may be placed in home detention under IC 35-38-2.5 instead 30 of commitment to the department of correction for the remainder of the 31 offender's minimum sentence. 32 (b) Notwithstanding IC 35-35-3-3(e), IC 35-35-3-3(f), and after a 33 hearing held under this section, a sentencing court may order the 34 offender named in the petition filed under IC 35-38-3-5 to be placed in 35 home detention under IC 35-38-2.5 instead of commitment to the 36 department of correction for the remainder of the offender's minimum 37 sentence. 38 SECTION 3. IC 35-42-4-10, AS AMENDED BY P.L.156-2020, 39 SECTION 130, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS 40 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 10. (a) As used in this section, 41 "offender against children" means a person who is an offender against 42 children under section 11 of this chapter. 2025 IN 92—LS 6229/DI 106 3 1 (b) As used in this section, "sexually violent predator" means a 2 person who is a sexually violent predator under IC 35-38-1-7.5. 3 (c) A sexually violent predator or an offender against children who 4 knowingly or intentionally works for compensation or as a volunteer: 5 (1) on school property; 6 (2) at a youth program center; 7 (3) at a public park; 8 (4) as a child care provider (as defined by IC 31-33-26-1); 9 (5) for a child care provider (as defined by IC 31-33-26-1); or 10 (6) as a provider of: 11 (A) respite care services and other support services for primary 12 or family caregivers; or 13 (B) adult day care services; or 14 (7) at a facility that provides entertainment exclusively 15 directed toward a child less than eighteen (18) years of age; 16 commits unlawful employment by a sexual predator, a Level 6 felony. 17 Level 4 felony. However, the offense is a Level 5 felony Level 3 18 felony if the person has a prior unrelated conviction based on the 19 person's failure to comply with any requirement imposed on an 20 offender under IC 11-8-8. 21 (d) A sexually violent predator or an offender against children 22 who knowingly or intentionally is present at a facility that provides 23 entertainment exclusively directed toward a child less than 24 eighteen (18) years of age commits attendance at a juvenile 25 entertainment facility by a sex offender, a Level 4 felony. However, 26 the offense is a Level 3 felony if the person has a prior unrelated 27 conviction based on the person's failure to comply with any 28 requirement imposed on an offender under IC 11-8-8. 2025 IN 92—LS 6229/DI 106