Sec. 7. (a) The commission is granted all powers necessary, convenient, or appropriate to carry out and effectuate its public and corporate purposes under this chapter and IC 27-1-29.1 including, but not limited to, and except as otherwise restricted in this chapter or IC 27-1-29.1:

(1) The power to have perpetual existence as a body corporate and politic, and an independent instrumentality, but not a state agency, exercising essential public functions.

(2) The power to sue and be sued.

(3) The power to adopt and alter an official seal.

(4) The power to make and enforce bylaws and rules for the conduct of its business, which bylaws and rules may be adopted by the commission without complying with IC 4-22-2.

(5) The power to make contracts and incur liabilities, borrow money, issue its negotiable bonds or notes in accordance with this chapter, subject to provisions for registration of negotiable bonds and notes, and provide for and secure their payment and provide for the rights of their holders, and purchase and hold and dispose of any of its bonds or notes.

(6) The power to acquire, hold, use, and dispose of its income, revenues, funds, and money.

(7) The power to acquire, rent, lease, hold, use, and dispose of property for its purposes.

(8) The power to fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect fees and charges for the use of its services or facilities.

(9) The power to accept gifts or grants of property, funds, money, materials, labor, supplies, or services from the United States, any governmental unit, or any person, carry out the terms or provisions or make agreements with respect to the gifts or grants, and do all things necessary, useful, desirable, or convenient in connection with procuring, accepting, or disposing of the gifts or grants.

(10) The power to do anything authorized by this article, through its officers, agents, or employees or by contracts with a person.

(11) The power to procure insurance against any losses in connection with its property, operations, or assets in amounts and from insurers as it considers desirable.

(12) The power to cooperate with and exchange services, personnel, and information with any federal, state, or local government agency.

(b) The commission may:

(1) implement a statewide program of loss control and risk management to minimize the liabilities of members of the fund;

(2) contract with any persons or entities to obtain or provide the services of risk managers, actuaries, loss control specialists, attorneys, and other professionals in carrying out its powers and duties under this chapter and to pay for those services from the fund;

(3) exercise control over the defense of members of the fund against tort claims, including the selection and retention of legal counsel, the direction of counsel in the conduct of cases, and the negotiation and acceptance or rejection of any settlement;

(4) establish procedures by which political subdivisions can gain or regain membership and relinquish membership in the fund;

(5) establish procedures and criteria for the imposition of assessments to be paid by members of the fund, and the payment of members' liabilities;

(6) establish programs for the payment of money from the fund to compensate members for damage to or loss of real or personal property;

(7) establish programs for the payment of:

(A) liabilities covered under IC 34-13-3 (or IC 34-4-16.5 before its repeal); and

(B) liabilities that are not covered under IC 34-13-3 (or IC 34-4-16.5 before its repeal), including, but not limited to, liability due to alleged violations of the Constitution of the United States or federal civil rights statutes by law enforcement officers;

(8) establish programs by which members can protect their elected officers and employees against liability arising from their alleged errors or omissions;

(9) establish procedures by which a member of the fund can settle small claims that are within the deductible provision of coverage under the fund;

(10) capitalize the fund by levying against each member of the fund an annual surcharge over and above the assessment imposed against the member under section 12 of this chapter; and

(11) establish any other programs or procedures the commission considers necessary for the implementation of this chapter.

The amount of the surcharge levied against a member of the fund for a particular year under subdivision (10) may not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the member's assessment for the same year.

(c) The commission shall file a report in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 with the general assembly each year concerning the operations of the commission and the condition of the fund.

As added by P.L.162-1986, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.272-1987, SEC.2; P.L.1-1998, SEC.143; P.L.28-2004, SEC.166.