Indiana § 36-8-8-19 - Baseline statewide physical and mental examinations

§ 36-8-8-19. Baseline statewide physical and mental examinations

Sec. 19. (a) The baseline statewide physical examination required by section 7(a) of this chapter shall be prescribed by the system board and shall be administered by the appointing authority, as determined by the local board, after the appointing authority extends a conditional offer for employment. The baseline statewide physical examination shall be administered by a licensed physician and must include all of the following:

(1) A general medical history.

(2) The tests identified in rules that shall be adopted by the system board.

(b) The system board shall adopt minimum standards by rule that a police officer or firefighter must meet for the baseline statewide physical examination described in subsection (a). The baseline statewide physical examination and related standards must:

(1) reflect the essential functions of the job;

(2) be consistent with business necessity; and

(3) be evaluated by the system board one (1) time before January 1, 2015, and every five (5) years thereafter.

(c) The system board shall, in consultation with the commissioner of mental health, select the baseline statewide mental examination described in section 7(a) of this chapter. The standards for passing the baseline statewide mental examination shall be determined by the local board. The baseline statewide mental examination and related standards must:

(1) reflect the essential functions of the job;

(2) be consistent with business necessity; and

(3) be evaluated by the system board one (1) time before January 1, 2015, and every five (5) years thereafter.

The purpose of the baseline statewide mental examination is to determine if the police officer or firefighter is mentally suitable to be a member of the department. The local board may designate a community mental health center or a managed care provider (as defined in IC 12-7-2.1-219), a hospital, a licensed physician, or a licensed psychologist to administer the examination. However, the results of a baseline statewide mental examination shall be interpreted by a licensed physician or a licensed psychologist.

(d) The employer shall pay for no less than one-half (1/2) the cost of the examinations.

(e) Each local board shall name the physicians who will conduct the examinations under this section.

(f) If a local board determines that a candidate passes the local physical and mental standards, if any, established under IC 36-8-3.2-6, the baseline statewide physical examination described in subsection (a), and the baseline statewide mental examination described in subsection (c), the local board shall send the following to the Indiana public retirement system:

(1) Copies and certification of the results of the baseline statewide physical examination described in subsection (a).

(2) Certification of the results of the physical agility examination required under IC 36-8-3.2-3 or IC 36-8-3.2-3.5.

(3) Certification of the results of the baseline statewide mental examination described in subsection (c).

(g) The system board or the system board's designee shall then determine whether the candidate passes the baseline statewide physical standards adopted under subsection (b). If the candidate passes the baseline statewide standards, the system board or the system board's designee shall also determine whether the candidate has a Class 3 excludable condition under section 13.6 of this chapter. The system board or the system board's designee shall retain the results of the examinations and all documents related to the examination until the police officer or firefighter retires or separates from the department.

(h) To the extent required by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the system board shall do the following:

(1) Treat the medical transcripts, reports, records, and other material compiled under this section as confidential medical records.

(2) Keep the transcripts, reports, records, and material described in subdivision (1) in separate medical files for each member.

(i) A local board may, at the request of an appointing authority or on the local board's own motion, issue subpoenas, discovery orders, and protective orders in accordance with the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure to facilitate the receipt of accurate and original documents necessary for the proper administration of this chapter. A subpoena or order issued under this subsection:

(1) must be served in accordance with the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure; and

(2) may be enforced in the circuit or superior court with jurisdiction for the county in which the subpoena or order is served.

As added by P.L.365-1983, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.202-1984, SEC.2; P.L.342-1985, SEC.8; P.L.4-1992, SEC.52; P.L.40-1994, SEC.82; P.L.99-2010, SEC.14; P.L.23-2011, SEC.30; P.L.6-2012, SEC.253; P.L.145-2026, SEC.251.