Indiana § 8-1-2-102 - Political influence or activities; free or reduced rates or charges for products or services; violations; offense

§ 8-1-2-102. Political influence or activities; free or reduced rates or charges for products or services; violations; offense

Sec. 102. (a) The definitions set forth in IC 3-5-2.1 apply to this section.

(b) No public utility, or any agent or officer thereof, or any agent or officer of a political subdivision constituting a public utility, as defined in this chapter, may offer or give, for any purpose, to any political committee or any member or employee thereof, candidate for, or incumbent of, any office or position under the constitution or laws of Indiana, or under any political subdivision or to any person, at the request, or for the advantage of, any of them, any frank, privilege, or property withheld from any person for any product or service produced, transmitted, delivered, furnished, or rendered, or to be produced, transmitted, delivered, furnished, or rendered by any public utility or any free product or service.

(c) No political committee, or member or employee thereof, or candidate for or incumbent of any office or position under the constitution or laws of Indiana or under any political subdivision may ask for or accept from any public utility, or any agent or officer thereof, or any agent or officer of any political subdivision constituting a public utility, as defined in this chapter, or use, in any matter or for any purpose, any frank or privilege withheld from any person for any product or service produced, transmitted, delivered, furnished, or rendered, or to be produced, transmitted, delivered, furnished, or rendered by any public utility.

(d) A person who knowingly violates this section commits a Level 6 felony.

(e) This chapter does not:

(1) prevent any public utility, carrier, or agent or officer thereof, from furnishing free or reduced service or transportation to any bona fide employee or officer thereof;

(2) prohibit any carrier from carrying free, or at reduced rates, agricultural experiment and demonstration cars or trains and the lecturers and necessary demonstrators accompanying such trains or cars; or

(3) prohibit any carrier from carrying free, or at reduced rates, its furloughed, pensioned, or superannuated employees, persons who have become disabled or infirm in its service, the remains of any person killed in its service, or the unremarried surviving spouses and dependent children under eighteen (18) years of age of persons who died in its service.

Formerly: Acts 1913, c.76, s.111; Acts 1915, c.95, s.1; Acts 1973, P.L.63, SEC.1; Acts 1975, P.L.76, SEC.1. As amended by Acts 1978, P.L.2, SEC.802; P.L.3-1997, SEC.424; P.L.158-2013, SEC.131; P.L.186-2025, SEC.78.