Sec. 26. (a) This section applies only to a contract awarded by a state agency.

     (b) As used in this section, “business providing specialized employee services” refers to a business that satisfies all of the following:

(1) Not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the employees of the business are Indiana residents who meet at least one (1) of the following criteria:

(A) The employee is incarcerated or was formerly incarcerated.

(B) The employee is on probationary status.

(C) The employee is receiving government funded public assistance.

(D) The employee is a military veteran.

(2) The business pays a minimum wage of not less than thirteen dollars and fifty cents ($13.50) per hour.

(3) The business maintains a company representative to assist employees with at least one (1) of the following:

(A) Transitional services out of incarceration or probation.

(B) Job skills based training programs.

(C) Social skills training and assistance relating to personal finance and basic legal assistance.

(4) The business provides employees with health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, and access to retirement savings options.

     (c) The Indiana department of administration shall determine whether a particular business meets the requirements of this section.

     (d) There is a price preference of fifteen percent (15%) for supplies or services purchased from a business providing specialized employee services.

     (e) A business that wants to claim a preference provided under this section must do all of the following:

(1) State in the business’s offer that the business claims the preference provided by this section.

(2) Provide information to the Indiana department of administration necessary to demonstrate that the business is a business providing specialized employee services.

As added by P.L.156-2024, SEC.4.