Sec. 14. (a) In order to be eligible for payment under this chapter, a liability of a political subdivision must arise out of a claim based upon an act or omission that takes place while the political subdivision is a member of the fund.

     (b) The maximum amount payable from the fund for any liability, whether or not it is covered under IC 34-13-3 (or IC 34-4-16.5 before its repeal), is:

(1) for injury, death, or damage suffered by any one (1) person as a result of the act or omission from which the liability arises:

(A) three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for a cause of action that accrues before January 1, 2006;

(B) five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for a cause of action that accrues on or after January 1, 2006, and before January 1, 2008; or

(C) seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) for a cause of action that accrues on or after January 1, 2008; and

(2) one million dollars ($1,000,000) for all injury, death, or damage suffered by all persons as a result of the act or omission from which the liability arises.

     (c) No amount may be paid from the fund in respect of punitive damages paid by or assessed against a member of the fund.

     (d) No amount may be paid from the fund in the case of a liability based upon bodily injury or property damage arising out of the discharge, dispersal, release, or escape of smoke, vapors, soot, fumes, acids, alkalis, toxic chemicals, liquids, gases, waste materials, or other irritants, contaminants, or pollutants into or upon land, the atmosphere, or any watercourse or body of water unless the discharge, dispersal, release, or escape:

(1) is caused by an act or omission of a political subdivision that is a member of the fund; and

(2) occurs as a result of:

(A) a household hazardous waste; or

(B) a conditionally exempt small quantity generator (as described in 40 C.F.R. § 261.5(a));

collection, disposal, or recycling project conducted by or controlled by the political subdivision.

     (e) The commissioner may pay a liability of a member of the fund in a series of annual payments. The amount of any annual payment under this subsection must be one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, except for the final payment in a series of payments.

     (f) The commission may negotiate a structured settlement of any claim.

     (g) As used in this section, “household hazardous waste” means solid waste generated by households that consists of or contains a material that is:

(1) ignitable, as described in 40 C.F.R. § 261.21;

(2) corrosive, as described in 40 C.F.R. § 261.22;

(3) reactive, as described in 40 C.F.R. § 261.23; or

(4) toxic, as described in 40 C.F.R. § 261.24.

As added by P.L.162-1986, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.273-1987, SEC.1; P.L.256-1995, SEC.1; P.L.1-1998, SEC.145; P.L.108-2003, SEC.1.