Legislative Updates-take action 2/8/2026

You can make a difference

Join us for important events:

Rally with us every Saturday, 12-1 in Highland on the SE corner of Ridge and 41 at the Highway of Flags Veterans Memorial. Limited parking, along with handicapped spots, is available behind the memorial. If the lot is full, park at Wicker Park and rally on the NW corner of Ridge and 41. Please bring nonperishable food items. We donate to a different pantry each week. Please let us know you’re coming and register here.

Civics 101. Learn how the government works—and how to make a difference—from an experienced staffer and Indivisible. Tues., Feb. 10 at 6pm, Valpo Library, 103 Jefferson St, Valparaiso
Please register here.

Indiana Secretary of State Democratic Candidate Forum Thursday, 2/26 at 6pm. Merrillville Library. Hear from the candidates.Please register here—and bring a friend!

Lake County Sheriff Forum. Thurs., March 19, 6pm at the Merrillville Library. Hear from all the candidates for the Democratic nomination. Please register here—and bring a friend!

Easy actions, from Indivisible National: https://indivisible.org/get-involved/take-action/

Indiana

The Indiana Legislative session will end by Feb. 27. Bills that have advanced so far have now been referred from their originating chamber to the other. Bills that passed the House are now in the Senate; bills that passed the Senate are now in the House. 
Many bills have died–read about some of them here and here.
But be vigilant. The language in ‘dead’ bills can be resurrected by being inserted into bills that have progressed. Read more about ‘dead’ bills at IndianaCapital Chronicle.

Most of the following information is from MadVoters’ Bill Tracker. Much of the information about the education bills are from Chalkbeat Indiana. Most of the environmental bills are from Hoosier Environmental Council. Another good source to track bills that are of most interest is LegiScan.
For a more complete list of bills, their summaries and contact info, see our website:Indiana 2026 Legislative Session – Indivisible NWI

The following bills have passed committee to the House floor for a vote. Contact your representative.
Immigration
We oppose:
SB 076 . Immigration matters. Strengthens the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Mandates that the Indiana Attorney General must defend law enforcement officers, governmental bodies, or postsecondary institutions in civil suits. Prohibits employers from hiring undocumented people. Referred to Judiciary Committee, where it passed and now goes to the House floor for a vote. Read more about this bill at Indiana Capital Chronicle. Contact your representative.
 
The following bills are still in committee. Click on the name of the committee and scroll to the bottom of the page for committee members and their contact links. In addition, contact your representative or senator.
 
Affordability
We oppose:
SB 1. Human services matters. This bill is a priority proposal for the chamber’s Republican caucus, would end Indiana’s expanded eligibility for SNAP, which allows those with slightly more assets to participate than under the federal baseline. That would push an estimated 3,000 households off the program, according to a fiscal analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. Significantly tightens eligibility and administrative requirements for SNAP and Medicaid. Terminating “expanded categorical eligibility” (BBCE) means Indiana will revert to stricter federal income and asset limits, estimated to lead to significant benefit cuts or terminations for millions, including working families and seniors. Expands mandatory work or training requirements to age 64. Requires verification of immigration status and reporting of non-verified individuals. Moving from annual to semiannual (every 6 months) eligibility renewals increases the risk of “procedural” disenrollment, where eligible people lose coverage due to missed paperwork, as well as increases administrative burden and administrative costs. Other provisions would set legal status requirements for SNAP participants — but count all of the income and assets of ineligible immigrants toward their household’s eligibility determination and benefit allotment. Passed out of committee to the Senate floor for a vote. Referred to House Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Rep. Jeff Thompson: h28@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9651. Contact your representative.
 
Education
We Oppose:
SB 88: Various education matters. Prior to being amended, SB 88 mandated that public school curriculum include instruction on the 10 Commandments, and restrictions on discussions about racism, sexism, and classism. This section has since been removed, but concerns remain: the bill mandates that schools include instruction on the importance of waiting until marriage to have children as part of being a “good citizen.” This is out of scope for a public school, and risks shaming students for their personal circumstances. The bills also mandates that colleges accept the Classic Learning Test (which emphasizes conservative content and Christian texts), in addition to the SAT and ACT. The CLT is used mostly by religious-affiliated private schools. It’s clear this bill is intended to elevate conservative, Christian perspectives within the public education sphere. It’s also worth noting that language within this bill is basically copy-paste from the Heritage Foundation, and did not originate from Hoosiers’ real concerns. Referred to the House Education Committee.
 
SB 200. Public school matters. Mandates that schools must allow “youth patriotic organizations” (currently limited to certain organizations as determined by the federal government, like FFA and the Boy and Girl Scouts) to provide information to students on school grounds at least two times per school year. If a school refuses this access, an organization may submit a grievance to the Indiana Department of Education. Schools found in violation of these access requirements may face a reduction in funding or other consequence. Here is why we’re concerned: If federal law changes to classify Turning Point as one of these eligible “youth patriotic” organizations, schools will effectively have their hands tied and be forced to work with them. Referred to House Committee on Education,

SB 239. Various education matters. Creates additional pathways for converting existing public schools into charter schools. Unlike public schools, charter schools don’t have elected school boards accountable to taxpayers and voters. They are also exempt from some regulations required of public schools and have a well-documented history of fraud and closure. Referred to the House Education Committee.
 
HB 1099. Foreign adversaries. Prohibits state universities from admitting Chinese, Russian, Iranian, or North Korean students into certain engineering, technology, or medical programs. Prohibits citizens or residents of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea from purchasing, inheriting, or otherwise acquiring land or property in Indiana; and limits them to renting for no more than 12 months. Prohibits technology contracts between Chinese, Russian, Iranian, or North Korean businesses and state or local governments. This is xenophobia that will harm educational and economic outcomes for Indiana. Referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Transportation.
 
HB 1176. Education matters. Creates additional pathways for converting existing public schools into charter schools. Unlike public schools, charter schools don’t have elected school boards accountable to taxpayers and voters. They are also exempt from some regulations required of public schools and have a well-documented history of fraud and closure. Passed the Senate Education and Career Development Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Also, contact your senator.
  
Environment
We oppose:
SB 277. Indiana Department of environmental management.  Under SB 277, when faced with evidence of “imminent and substantial endangerment” to human health caused by pollution, the IDEM Commissioner would no longer be required to go to court to stop the pollution. That means, in contrast to the current law, the Commissioner will have the option to do nothing to protect Hoosiers’ health livelihoods. In addition to considering whether a state rule is “more stringent than” the applicable federal regulation, the IDEM Commissioner will now be legally required to consider whether that rule would be “burdensome” to the affected industry – but not Hoosiers’ health, livelihoods, or future. In short, SB 277 dismantles Indiana’s system of environmental management and makes enforcement of any remaining environmental protections essentially optional. (Hoosier Environmental Council) Use HEC’s online action form to take easy action. Referred to House Environmental Affairs Committee; 
 
HB 1003: Elimination of the Natural Resources Commission. HB 1003 lumps Indiana’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in with a large number of state government boards and commissions and eliminates them in one fell swoop. HB 1003 runs to 300+ pages, a number of which were being rewritten even as it was being heard in committee. The bill proposes changes to all state agencies and seeks to eliminate multiple statutory boards and commissions, including the NRC. Much of the rationale for these changes was that boards and commissions were no longer needed, rarely met, and often failed to have a quorum to conduct business. None of those reasons applies to the NRC, however, which is instrumental in providing expert guidance and a public forum for natural resource decisions made by Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The NRC was created based on the public trust doctrine that governs shared state resources, such as fish, wildlife, protected natural lands, and waters. HEC (Hoosier Environmental Council) staunchly opposes the proposed sunsetting of the NRC on Dec. 31, 2026. Referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure.
  
Health
We oppose:
SB-236. Criminalizes the mailing or delivery of abortion-inducing drugs like Mifepristone and Misoprostol into Indiana. Enables private citizens to file wrongful death lawsuits and qui tam lawsuits against people or organizations that provide abortion pills – incentivizing people to act as bounty hunters that could receive $100,000. Changes the definition of abortion to exclude miscarriage management and ectopic pregnancy, which is medically inaccurate. Requires terminated pregnancy reports to be shared with the Governor-appointed Inspector General (who had no medical training) and the Indiana Department of Health, risking patient and doctor privacy. Physicians who testified against the bill also cited the chilling effect this bill would have on healthcare accessibility and maternal care deserts. Referred to House Public Health Committee, Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett: h56@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9695
*Abortion-inducing drug ban’s lawsuit, reporting provisions take heat
 
We support:
HB 1335. Nonprofit hospitals. Increases the oversight and accountability for nonprofit hospitals in Indiana. Requires nonprofit hospitals to provide community benefits that exceed the value of their tax exemptions. Mandates that hospitals proactively inform patients about financial assistance and charity care programs. Referred to Senate Health and Provider Services Committee, Chairman Sen. Ed Charbonneau: s5@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9494. Contact your senator. Heard in committee, but no vote taken.
 
SB 085. Health care debt and costs. Protects patients from aggressive medical debt collection practices while requiring greater transparency and financial assistance options from hospitals. Requires hospitals to offer payment plans to eligible individuals and publicize clear information about financial assistance options. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health.

SB 091 Syringe exchange program extension. Extends Indiana’s syringe exchange program until July 1, 2036, which has helped reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis. Without this extension, the program will expire. Referred to House Public Health Committee, 

SB 225. Hospital matters. Increases oversight of hospital business practices and protects patients from aggressive debt collection. Requires hospitals to provide advance notice of closure (120 days for entire hospital, 90 days for a service, like OBGYN department). Referred to House Public Health Committee, Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett: h56@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9695. Hearing scheduled for 2/4.
SB 144. Tobacco products and vapor products. Prohibits sale of vapor products to individuals under age 21. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code. 
 
Veterans
We oppose:
HB 1343. Military or veteran affairs. While much of this broad bill is outside the scope of MADVoters, we do oppose section 5, which would grant police powers to the National Guard. These expanded police powers raise concerns about the militarization of police and encroachment on civil liberties. Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee, It is scheduled for a hearing on 2/10. Read more at Indiana Capital Chronicle.
 
Other
We support:
HB 1177. Child care assistance. Expands the Indiana’s Employer Child Care Expenditure Credit to incentivize more businesses to provide child care benefits. Allows redevelopment commissions to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue to provide financial assistance for the construction or expansion of child care facilities. This turns child care into a piece of local infrastructure, similar to roads or utilities, to attract businesses to specific districts. Referred to the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee where it is scheduled for a hearing 2/10.
 
We oppose:
SB 182. Gender issues. Erases legal recognition of trans, intersex, and non-binary Hoosiers by establishing “sex” and “gender” as synonymous terms throughout the Indiana Code, defining them solely by biological characteristics (chromosomes and anatomy) present at birth. Prohibits changes to an individual’s gender on their birth certificate. Trans, non-binary, and intersex people do exist, and human sexuality and biology is far more complex than 2 genders. Referred to House Public Health Committee. 
 
SB 285. Housing Matters. SB 285 criminalizes homelessness, making it significantly harder for unhoused individuals to secure future employment or permanent housing. If found guilty of sleeping on city or state property, individuals could receive a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and/or a fine up to $500. Diverts some state funds from permanent housing toward substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and short-term shelter solutions – the preferred solution wouldn’t be taking from one but to fund both. Prohibits local governments from enacting policies that “prohibit or discourage” the enforcement of public camping or sidewalk obstruction ordinances, overruling local control. Has been referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
 
SB 008. Library budgets. SB 8 turns the final budget approval for public libraries over to the local government rather than the library board if (1) the library is a majority-appointed board (which is most of them), and (2) the library board’s proposed budget is 2% higher than the previous budget. This is known as a binding review. Currently, binding reviews are done if the proposed budget is 4% or greater, so SB 8 proposes to cut that in half. SB 8 could lead to a loss of financial independence, funding reductions, and political/partisan volatility. Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee. * Statement from Eckhart Public Library

To find and contact your Indiana legislators: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/

Congress

Enacted, signed into law
H.R. 7148: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
This bill funds all federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 2026) except for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS got a two week continuing resolution, aka the ability to operate as they have been, until February 13, 2026.
If no bill to fund DHS has passed both chambers by Feb. 13, then DHS will be “shut down”. However, so much money was appropriated for DHS in last year’s reconciliation bill, that DHS could continue to operate with little or no interruption. Since the bulk of the money went to ICE, it’s certainly possible that parts of DHS like FEMA could cut back or cease operating if no deal is struck by Feb. 13.
It passed in the Senate 71-29, but with changes and so was sent back to the House. The House passed it 217-214; all Indiana representatives voted yea except Reps Mrvan, Carson, and Spartz who voted nay. View the vote. (GovTrack.us)
 
The funding bill pushed back against Trump’s attempts to dramatically slash funding for the U.S. Department of Education amid a broader push to dismantle the agency. His policy hit a major roadblock this week in the form of bipartisan approval of a spending law that gives the department a small raise. 
The measure funds the department at $79 billion this fiscal year — roughly $217 million more than the agency’s fiscal year 2025 funding levels and a whopping $12 billion above what Trump wanted. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
 
The funding package also includes money designated by U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan for community and economic development projects in Gary and Michigan City. The Northwest Indiana congressman successfully earmarked nearly $2.6 million in Community Project Funding requests in the federal transportation and urban development spending plan — on top of the $4.5 million Mrvan secured for Region police technology improvements in January. In Gary, the money will go toward the demolition of the dilapidated and abandoned Ivanhoe Elementary School ($1.1 million) and to support the construction of a heavy cargo logistics apron for multiple users at the Gary/Chicago International Airport ($850,000).
Another $625,000 will be spent in Michigan City to fund the renovation of a multi-use community resource center.  (Times of Northwest Indiana)
 
Some or all of the following bills were included in the funding bill: (GovTrack.us)
H.R. 628: Honor Our Living Donors Act
S. 339: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
H.R. 842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
H.R. 950: Saving Seniors Money on Prescriptions Act
H.R. 929: Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act
S. 532: OPTN Fee Collection Authority Act
S. 752: Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act
S. 735: Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2025
S. 742: Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act of 2025
S. 882: Patients Before Middlemen Act
S. 932: Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025
S. 2237: Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act
S. 2465: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
S. 2497: Fair Billing Act
S. 2572: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026
S. 2587: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
S. 2743: Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act of 2025
S. 2751: Permanent OPTN Fee Authority Act
S. 3290: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2026
S. 3302: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025
 
Passed the House, Senate next

Be aware—the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act may be back…
Republicans are moving quickly to pass a bill requiring voters to show proof of citizenship both to register and at the polls ahead of the 2026 midterm elections — a move that experts warn could disenfranchise millions of Americans. 
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), the sponsor of the SAVE Act, said that House leadership would bring the proposal up for a vote next week. 
The bill would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, as well as requiring photographic identification that proves citizenship to cast a ballot. In most states, that means voters, even those who are already on the rolls, would need to bring a passport or original birth certificate to the polls. Only states with ‘enhanced’ driver licenses — Michigan, New York, Vermont, Minnesota and Washington — satisfy the SAVE America Act’s heightened requirements — a REAL ID (used in most states) won’t cut it. 
Republican backers say the measures are necessary to keep noncitizens from voting, but that is exceedingly rare. Republican states that have reviewed voter rolls turned up very few noncitizens and even fewer that have voted.  
This bill could not overcome the filibuster in the Senate; it would need Democratic support to pass. But now some senators are talking about instituting a talking filibuster. That move could be a successful policy change that would let the bill pass in the Senate with only republican votes. (Democracy Docket)

To find and contact your Members of Congress:  https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials 

In other news

Economy

  • U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs for the month, up 118% from the same period a year ago and 205% from December 2025. The total marked the highest for any January since 2009.
  • At the same time, companies announced just 5,306 new hires, also the lowest January since 2009, which is when Challenger, Gray & Christmas began tracking such data.
  • Also, job openings fell sharply in December to 6.54 million, to their lowest since September 2020. Available jobs are down by more than 900,000 just since October.

(CNBC)