What you need to know about how bills become law in Indiana & the timeline for this session–from MadVoters.
The Indiana Legislative session has started–and it’s a short one. It will end by Feb. 27. Bills will move fast or die quickly.
Proposed legislation
The following isn’t a complete list–nearly 600 bills have been filed so far. MadVoters, Hoosier Environmental Council, Chalkbeat Indiana and other groups have focused on the following as some of the more significant bills.
Most of the bills listed first on under each category are supported by MadVoters, the Hoosier Environmental Council and Indivisible NWI. Each bill has been assigned to a committee, but that doesn’t mean it will receive a hearing and a vote. Bills must pass out of committee in order to receive a vote on the House or Senate floor. Many bills die in committee because no hearing or vote is scheduled. If you want a bill to pass, you must apply pressure to the committee chair to schedule a hearing and then a vote. Click on the link to the committee provided for each bill; scroll down to the members of that committee to contact the chairman to urge they schedule a hearing. When a vote is scheduled, contact all members of that committee to let them know how you want them to vote. Use the same tactics for bills you oppose–urge committee chairs not to schedule a hearing and if a vote is scheduled, let committee members know how you want them to vote.
Bills are organized below by topic; those listed first do not fall into one of those categories.
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.
The following bills have passed the Senate and go to the House next.
We are neutral or are watching:
SB 212. State income tax conformity. Amends the definition of “Internal Revenue Code” to conform with certain provisions enacted in Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1) (commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025). This bill adopts a few of the federal tax breaks to Indiana taxes. (The state tax code generally conforms with federal law for the simplicity of determining taxable income. But lawmakers aren’t yet sure which of the tax breaks in the federal bill will be applied to state taxes. For example, a hefty tax break for businesses included in what Republicans dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” won’t be applied to state taxes under this legislation.) Passed the Senate unanimously and was referred to the House.
We support:
SB 015. Foster youth. Requires DCS to create a Foster Youth Bill of Rights statement.
We oppose:
SB 012. Prohibition of ranked choice voting. Prohibits the use of ranked choice voting in Indiana elections. This means that voters will not be able to rank candidates by preference, and elections will continue using traditional voting methods. This bill doesn’t resolve low voter turnout or improve voter access. Tully [League of women Voters] said the league in Indiana supports ranked choice voting to “reduce the toxicity of negative campaigning, to advance those candidates who have broad support, to keep candidates and campaigns issues-focused.” Contact your senator.
The following bills have passed the House and go to the Senate next.
House Bill 1019. Constitutional amendment ballot question. Contains the ballot language Hoosier voters will see at the Nov. 3 general election when they’ll decide whether to ratify or reject a proposed constitutional amendment, authored by Aylesworth, that was approved by the General Assembly in 2023 and 2025. It would allow any qualified individual residing in the county where a city or town court is located, or the nearest neighboring Indiana county, to be eligible to seek election or appointment as a municipal court judge without having to relocate their residence to the community.
House Bill 1025. Residency of public defenders. Expands any residency requirement for attorneys working as public defenders, as well as public defender office employees, to include all counties contiguous to the county where the individual works. A county’s chief public defender could still be required to live in the county.
The following bills have passed out of committee. They will be voted on very soon on the Senate or House floor.
Education
We oppose:
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. Contact your representative.
HB 1266 Dept. of education and education matters. Creates systematic financial disadvantages for public schools while making it easier to redirect public dollars away from the schools serving 90% of Indiana’s students. expands eligibility for teacher appreciation grants, school safety grants, and robotics programs to additional institutions—slicing existing appropriations into smaller pieces. Requires public schools to develop new math frameworks, create intervention plans for underperforming schools, and meet new data science pathway requirements—all without dedicated funding. Meanwhile, private schools receiving $497 million in state-funded vouchers face no equivalent mandates. Section 39 removes the transportation cost-matching requirement for Career Scholarship Accounts, making it easier to use public funds for private alternatives. Charter schools gain new access to property tax referendum dollars through Section 37. And the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact makes it easier for teachers to leave Indiana—but does nothing to help us retain the teachers we’ve already trained and developed. Contact your representative.
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. Contact your senator.
HB 1423. Indianapolis public school corporation. Greatly reduces decision-making power of IPS’s elected school board and transfers it with an all-appointed board (heavily influenced by pro-charter interests). Not only is this taxation without representation, but it adds another costly layer of bureaucracy. Contact your representative.
Health
We support:
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. Contact your senator.
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. Passed committee 10-0. Read more: *Damien Center urges lawmakers to extend Indiana needle exchange programs. Contact your senator.
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.
*Abortion-inducing drug ban’s lawsuit, reporting provisions take heat
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. Contact your senator.
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. Passed committee 6-2. View the vote. Contact your senator.
Other
We support:
SB 140. Doxxing. Criminalizes doxxing. The right to privacy and freedom from intimidation are foundational for democracy. Passed out of committee 10-1 to the Senate floor for a vote. Contact your senator.
Senate Bill 9 would require a defendant to be present in the courtroom while a victim delivers a statement about the crime and the sentence, unless the defendant poses a safety risk or causes a significant disruption. Passed unanimously out of committee to the Senate floor for a vote. (Indiana Capital Chronicle) Contact your senator.
HB 1065. Ban on gratuities for public officials. Bans bribes and rewards over $100 to public officials for performing a service. Contact your representative.
HB 1066. Purchase and lease of government vehicles. Requires public officials to purchase only base models of vehicles for official use, ensuring that tax dollars are not used for luxury vehicles as Secretary of State Diego Morales and Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith did. Contact your representative.
HB 1307. Department of child services ombudsman. Mandates improved oversight for DCS via an ombudsman office to investigate complaints. Contact your representative.
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. Contact your senator.
HB 1119. Execution methods. Authorizes the death penalty to be carried out by firing squad or nitrogen hypoxia, in addition to lethal injection. Read more at WRTV. Contact your representative.
SB 267. Influence campaign reports. Written under the guise of “transparency in political funding,” SB 267 is a blatant attempt to target legal protesting via governmental burden and overreach. This bill proposes that anyone who provides $500 in compensation (including supplies, printing, materials) to another for an “influence campaign” (a rally, demonstration, public action, etc about a current event, candidate, or elected official) must submit a report within 24 hours that includes their name, address, employer, occupation, list of expenses, and the recipient’s name and address. This violates our right to privacy and protest and represents significant overreach, exceeding FEC requirements and proposing additional disclosures of protests and rallies. Contact your senator.
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. Contact your senator.
We are neutral or are watching:
HB 1035: Permissible unsupervised activity. Specifies that a child does not need Department of Child Services intervention for engaging in independent activities like staying home or in a car alone, or playing or biking outside, unless a parent has endangered the child’s safety by allowing them to do the activity, based on the child’s “maturity, condition, or ability. (Chalkbeat Indiana) Passed out of committee 10-1.
HB 1315. Township reorganization. Hundreds of Indiana township governments could be forced into consolidation under a renewed attempt in the Legislature for streamlining the 1,000-plus such bodies across the state. This bill would require many townships to merge with other townships, with others being taken over by city or county governments. The proposal would require consolidations by township units that don’t operate fire departments, have fewer than 6,700 residents and don’t meet a minimum level of emergency financial assistance distribution. A township with at least 80% of its territory and half of its population living within city limits would have its functions assumed by the city unless the township operates a fire department. (Indiana Capital Chronicle). Passed out of Committee 10-3 and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
The following bills are still in committee; they are scheduled for a vote:
We oppose:
HB 1086. Display of Ten Commandments. Requires display of 10 Commandments in each classroom and school library. Referred to the House Committee on Education where a vote is scheduled 1/26.
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. Passed out of Veterans Affairs and Public Safety to the House Ways and Means Committee. It’s scheduled for a vote 1/21. Contact members of the committee.
The following bills are still in committee; they are scheduled for a hearing:
Affordability
We are neutral or are watching:
SB 238. Tax or fiscal policy. Serves as a “corrective measure” to 2025 SEA 1 by moving major LIT changes from 2028 to 2029. Restores the option of excess tax levies, which were repealed in 2025, to allow schools and local governments to collect property taxes above the standard cap in cases of emergency or extraordinary growth. Referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy. It is scheduled for a hearing 1/20 at 6:30am CT.
HB 1001. Housing matters. Seeks to increase housing supply, particularly affordable housing, by streamlining approval processes and reducing local regulatory barriers. Referred to the House Committee on Local Government where it has been scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 20 at 7:30 central time.
HB 1002. Electric utility affordability. Seeks to enhance customer financial stability, improve utility accountability, and create a structured rate-making process. These changes include mandating budget billing options, offering opt-out mechanisms without penalties, and implementing multi-year rate plans with performance metrics. Referred to the House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications where is scheduled for a vote on Jan. 20 at 9:30 central time.
The following bills are still in committee:
We are neutral or are watching:
SB 129: Social media access. Requires social media operators to obtain parental consent for minor users to view social media. Referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
HB 1070. Online lottery sales and voluntary exclusion. The House Public Policy Committee advanced the legislation 9-3 authorizing online sales of Hoosier Lottery tickets. If passed, Indiana will join Illinois and 17 other states where so-called iLottery games are legal. Under the plan, Hoosiers age 18 and up could establish an online Hoosier Lottery account and purchase tickets for regularly drawn lottery games, such as Powerball, MegaMillions or Hoosier Lotto, or buy digital versions of scratch-off lottery tickets. (NWI Times)
SB 270. Township mergers. Similar to HB 1315 (seen above) but supported by the Indiana Township Association because it “uses performance metrics to distinguish efficient townships from underperforming ones, a solution which clearly guarantees continuity of important township services and a solution which does not allow for a requirement for taxpayers to pay taxes to an entity in which they have no representation.” (Indiana Capital Chronicle) Referred to the Senate Committee for Local Government where it is scheduled for a hearing on Thurs., Jan. 15 at 9am central time.
We support:
SB 051. Postpartum care for new mothers on Medicaid. Requires healthcare providers to schedule up a postpartum care visit for Medicaid patients no later than 60 days from delivery. Referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services. It was scheduled for a vote 1/21 but was removed from the schedule. Contact members of the committee.
HB 1036. Children in need services. Requires DCS to conduct an in-person assessment before closing an investigation involving a child who the department has reason to believe is a child in need of services (CHINS). That is, a situation where a minor faces abuse, neglect, abandonment, or poses a danger to themselves, and their parents can’t or won’t provide necessary care like food, shelter, medical help, or supervision. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
HB 1046. Family recovery court fund. Establishes the Family Recovery Court Fund to support specialized courts helping parents with substance use disorders safely reunite with their children by offering intensive support, treatment, and supervision. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
SB 020. Voluntary family leave insurance program. Establishes the Voluntary Family Leave Insurance Program and trust fund that employees can opt in to provide wage replacement for workers to take time off for family matters. Referred to the Senate Committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions.
SB 024. State administered retirement program. Establishes the Hoosier Crossroads Retirement Program to offer a state administered retirement program to private sector employees, improving long-term economic stability. Referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
HB 1128. Prohibited discrimination in housing. Expands the Indiana Fair Housing statute to prohibit discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income, military active duty status, or veteran status. Referred to the House Committee on Financial Institutions.
HB 1073. Rape kit processing. Requires the state police to test untested rape kits to eliminate the backlog. Referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety.
HB 1037. Insurance rate review. For accident & sickness insurance, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs), requires rate reviews by the state Department of Insurance for affordability. Referred to the House Committee on Insurance.
HB 1179. Term limits. Establishes term limits for state legislature: 20 years of service, or until the legislator’s 70th birthday. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
HB 1113. Repair of residential rental properties. Requires landlords to repair or replace dysfunctional essential services no later than 24 hours after being notified. House Judiciary Committee
HB 1068. Retention of IURC commissioners. Allows voters to vote on additional terms for IURC commissioners, giving voters a voice on who oversees Indiana’s utility companies. Referred to the House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications.
HB 1130. Craft hemp. Establishes a regulatory framework for the sale, manufacture, cultivation, and purchase of hemp and craft hemp (THC < 0.3%). This could improve economic outcomes and support a shift to cannabis legalization. Referred to the House Committee on Public Policy.
HB 1191. Decriminalization of marijuana. Decriminalizes possession of two ounces or less of marijuana. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
HB 1298 Classification of marijuana and THC. Moves marijuana and THC from schedule 1 (most strict) to schedule 3 (less strict), providing a pathway for eventual legalization. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
We oppose
HJ 001 Impeachment of a judge or prosecutor. Would permit circuit court judges and prosecuting attorneys to be impeached, inviting partisan weaponization of government and overruling the judicial branch’s autonomy. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
HB 11courts98 Use of public restrooms. Criminalizes using a bathroom of the “opposite” gender. . Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
HB 1199 Birth certificate information. Prohibits making changes on an individual’s birth certificate; meant to target transgender Hoosiers. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health.
HB 1233 Masking offenses. Makes wearing a mask at a public assembly a Class C misdemeanor, and increases the penalty to a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense. Increases the penalty for rioting and disorderly conduct to a Level 6 felony if the offense is committed while wearing a mask. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
Affordability
We support:
HB 1050. Prohibition on lien for medical debt. SB 050 in the Senate. Prohibits lien of a person’s residence against a medical debt, meaning that courts couldn’t force people to sell their primary residence to settle medical debt. Referred to the House Judiciary Committee
HB 1051. Exclusion of medical debt for credit scoring. Excludes medical debt from credit scoring. Referred to the House Committee on Financial Institutions.
HB 1067. Report of grocery staple pricing. Requires grocery chains to report the costs of certain food staples every month, and the Department of Agriculture to maintain a public database of those costs. This increases transparency for consumers, especially as some stores have begun rolling out “surge pricing” (also known as dynamic pricing), allowing them to electronically update prices. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
SB 117. Sales tax exemption for menstrual discharge collection devices. Makes period products tax-free, eliminating this discriminatory, sex-based economic burden. Other medical categories like medications and medical devices are already tax-exempt. Referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy. Read more: *Activists push the state to eliminate tax on menstrual products
State budget
We support:
SB 081. Various tax matters. Adjusts 2025’s SEA 1, the property tax reform bill, to allow local governments to raise local income taxes more to help make up for the lost revenue. Provides a larger renter’s deduction. Referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy.
Child care
We support:
HB 1138. Child care tax credit. Provides for a child care tax credit on state income taxes. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
HB 1026. Child care funding. Requires appropriations from the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity 4 Growth Fund to be allocated exclusively to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program and On My Way Pre-K program. Both programs received funding cuts in the most recent budget; this change would help resolve that. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means. Read more: *’Economic crisis’ | New dashboard breaks down county-by-county impacts from child care voucher cuts
Data centers
We support
SB 079. Data center development. Requires the IURC to provide an estimate of future electricity demands of the data center industry; requires existing data centers to submit quarterly electricity usage reports to the IURC; requires data center applicants to disclose potential power and water usage and perform a site assessment to determine possible effects of the proposed data center. Referred to the Senate Committee on Utilities.
HB 1043. Data center water regulation. Requires data centers to obtain a water consumption permit from the DNR. Data centers utilize an enormous amount of water and energy. Under this bill, if the DNR determined the data center would “injure the public health, safety or welfare” or hurt water conservation, they would deny the data center’s application to build. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
*’Protecting Hoosiers’ | New bill aims to protect Indiana’s water from data center development
Education
We’re neutral or watching:
HB 1034: Student cellular telephone use. Bans cellphones, personal laptops, smartwatches, and other devices from schools for the full school day and specifies that any learning on devices must be done on school-issued devices. Read more here. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
HB 1059: Commercial advertising on a school bus. Allows a school district to display commercial ads on its buses, with some restrictions. Referred to the Committee on Education.
HB 1149 Pre-K tax credit. Establishes an early-childhood scholarship tax credit for contributions made to a scholarship-granting organization. Requires school districts that operate an early learning center to open the program to families living outside the school district. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
HB 1160: Citizenship exam for eighth grade and high school. Requires schools to administer the naturalization examination in eighth grade and high school and makes passing it with a score of 70% a graduation requirement. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
We Support:
HB 1159: Pre-K vision screening. Requires school districts to conduct vision screenings for preschool-aged children. Referred to the Committee on Education.
HB 1124: Testing drinking water for lead in school buildings. Requires school districts to test water for lead and includes civil penalties for failing to do so. Referred to the Committee on Public Health.
HB 1136: Tuition caps. Places tuition caps at University of Southern Indiana and Ball State, Indiana, and Purdue universities for Indiana residents. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
HB 1071. Twenty-First Century Scholarship eligibility. Authorizes the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to grant eligibility or renewal for the 21st Century Scholarship to students with disabilities who cannot meet standard full-time enrollment or credit hour requirements, expanding program eligibility to help offset college tuition. Referred to the House Committee on Education
HB 1093. Student bullying and abusive behavior. Requires each public school to track, monitor, and analyze incidents of bullying, and prepare and implement interventions to deter and prevent bullying and abusive behaviors. Referred to the House Committee on Education
HB 1154. Hunger free campus grant program. Establishes the hunger-free campus grant program to address food insecurity among students enrolled in state educational institutions. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
HB 1159. Pre-kindergarten care SGO tax credit. Creates a 50% tax credit for donations made to certified organizations providing early childhood education scholarships. This is partially how private schools offer tuition support, which raises concern about privatization of PreK, rather than investment in universal PreK, which Indiana currently lacks. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
HB 1219. Prekindergarten program enrollment. Amends the definition of “eligible child” for the prekindergarten program and removes provisions regarding program participation and matching funds. Establishes the prekindergarten expansion grant fund and makes appropriations to the prekindergarten program fund and the prekindergarten expansion grant fund. Referred to the House Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs.
SB 58: Cursive writing. Requires elementary schools to teach cursive. Referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
SB 62: Unlawful possession of a firearm by a child. Makes changes to laws concerning firearm possession by a child, including adding an enhanced penalty if an offense was committed on or in school property, within 500 feet of school property, or on a school bus. Referred to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
SB 66: Kindergarten readiness indicators. Requires the early learning advisory committee to establish and publish kindergarten readiness indicators concerning behavior, executive functioning, literacy, math, and others. Referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
SB 68: Accelerated graduate degree programs. Requires colleges and universities to add graduate degree programs in fields like social work and counseling, and to allow students to complete them on an accelerated timeline. Referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development
SB 77: Sale of school buildings. Creates exceptions to the $1 law for school districts in a county with a population of less than 150,000 to have one year to sell a school building to a county or municipal government before the school building must be made available for lease or purchase to a charter school or state educational institution for $1. Read more here. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
SB 78: Wireless communication device policy. Bans cellphones, personal laptops, smartwatches, and other devices from schools for the full school day and specifies that any learning on devices must be done on school-issued devices. Read more here. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
SB 84: Prekindergarten and child care. A sweeping child care and preschool bill that seeks to expands the income eligibility for the programs, raise reimbursement rates for providers, and fully fund applicants to the child care fund in order to eliminate the waitlist. Read more here. Referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
SB 86: Charter schools
- Removes the charter board, state educational institutions, and nonprofit college or university governing boards from the definition of an authorizer.
- After June 30, 2026, provides that the charter board, state educational institutions, and governing boards may not issue new charters or renew existing charters.
- After June 30, 2026, establishes a five year moratorium that prohibits an authorizer from granting a charter to an organizer to establish and operate a charter school in Indiana.
- Requires charter schools to provide transportation services to all students who reside within the public school district within which the charter school is located.
- Exempts school corporations subject to certain property tax sharing requirements from the dollar law.
- Changes the maximum charter school contract term to five years.
- Referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
SB 110: Indiana University Board of Trustees. Requires three members of the Indiana University Board of Trustees to be elected Indiana University alumni. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
SB 123: Student water safety. Requires public schools, including charter schools, to present an informational video on water safety to K-12 students. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
SB 124: Age for compulsory school attendance. Lowers the mandatory school age from 7 to 5. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
House Bill 1137. Ultraprocessed foods and beverage. Would apply to any public school that participates in a federally funded or assisted meal program. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, those schools could no longer serve or sell foods or beverages containing certain additives during the school day, including in cafeterias and vending machines, nor allow third-party vendors to do so. Referred to the House Committee on Education. It is scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 14.
We oppose:
HB 1313. Education matters. Limits school corporations’ advocacy by restricting use of public funds for lobbying and associated organizations. Increases litigation risk by permitting individuals to sue school systems for alleged violations. Prohibits schools from converting in-person days to virtual instruction to accommodate teacher absences for protests or political advocacy events. Bans payroll dues deductions, making it harder for teachers to affiliate with a union. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
HB 1232. Schools, funding, and religion. Requires a public school, including a charter school, to teach the Bible as literature. Prohibits a governmental entity from denying benefits to any person on the basis of: (1) Article 1, Section 6 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana; (2) separation of church and state; or (3) the establishment clause; and establishes certain exceptions. Permits a person adversely affected by a violation to file a civil action against the governmental entity. Authorizes a: (1) prevailing plaintiff in a suit brought against a governmental entity; and (2) prevailing party, in a suit brought by a governmental entity; to obtain court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. Referred to the House Committee on Education
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 House Judiciary Committee
HB 1158: Personal outcomes. Requires public schools to teach the positive outcomes of obtaining a high school diploma, getting a job, and waiting until marriage to have children. Referred to the House Committee on Education.
SB 138: School chaplains. Allows chaplains to volunteer or work in schools, providing secular advice, or nonsecular advice if the parent of a student gives permission. Referred to the Senate Committee of Education and Career Development.
Elections and voting
We support:
HB 1133. Elimination of straight ticket voting. Eliminates straight ticket voting. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
HB 1218. Straight ticket party voting. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
HB 1148. Same day voter registration. Permits a voter to register at the polls and cast a provisional ballot. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
We oppose:
HB 1166. Elections. Requires all elections to utilize only hand-counted paper ballots. This is in response to false allegations of voter fraud and election insecurity, and would actually lead to increased problems with election integrity. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
HB 1096. Various elections matter. Implements “closed primaries” that requires voters to register with a political party, meaning they can only vote for members of that party in the primary elections. This disenfranchises independent voters by forcing them to affiliate with one party. Shortens early voting window at the county clerk’s office to just 10 days preceding Election Day, instead of the current 28 days. Referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment.
Environment
(Read more details of most of these bills at Hoosier Environmental Council)
We are neutral or watching:
SB 7: County approvals for carbon sequestration. SB 7 seeks to require carbon sequestration projects in Indiana to get approval from each country through which carbon is transported or in which carbon is stored. Referred to: Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 114: Election of IURC Commissioners. SB 114 provides for nonpartisan election of the five members of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), rather than the current process of gubernatorial appointment. Referred to: Senate Committee on Utilities
We support:
HB 1110. PFAS chemicals. Requires the Department of Environmental Management to adopt maximum contaminant levels for PFAS chemicals and effluent limitation standards for wastewater. Creates compliance requirements for dischargers (polluters). Establishes the PFAS Chemical Testing and Remediation Fund and the PFAS Chemical Grant Program. Referred to the House Committee on Environment Affairs.
SB 6: Required public outreach by utilities. SB 6 would require utilities to conduct public outreach when purchasing or condemning a piece of land or property for a water main. Referred to: Senate Committee on Local Government.
SB 17: Local control of air quality. SB 17 seeks to give local units of government the power to monitor and control air pollution in their communities. Referred to: Senate Committee on Environmental Affairs
SB 61: Radon disclosure. SB 61 ensures that homebuyers would be notified of potential radon presence and requires sellers to disclose any radon testing done at a residence. Referred to: Senate Committee on Judiciary
SB 74: Plug-in solar for Hoosiers. SB 74 seeks to clear a path for “plug-in” or “balcony” solar in Indiana. Referred to: Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 79: Data center transparency. SB 79 proposes several measures designed to create more transparency for Hoosiers around the current and future use of electricity by the data center industry in Indiana. Referred to Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 22: Expanding the definition of “cremation.” SB 22 seeks to add a less energy-intensive process to the State’s definition of “cremation.” Referred to: Senate Public Policy Committee
SB 57: Support for state historic and recreational sites. SB 57 would establish a division of historic sites within the Department of Natural Resources and appropriate dedicated funding for the state’s historic sites. Referred to: Senate Committee on Natural Resources
SB 67: Studying the impact of natural lands. Among other things, SB 67 would require DNR study and report on the impact of natural lands on public health. Referred to: Senate Committee on Natural Resources
HB 1062: Limiting wake boarding and wake surfing. HB 1062 attempts to address shoreline erosion in small freshwater lakes by prohibiting wakeboarding and wake surfing. Referred to: House Committee on Natural Resources
We oppose:
SB 54: New zoning requirements for solar projects. SB 54 seeks changes to local zoning requirements that will make it more difficult to site large solar projects in Indiana. Referred to: Senate Committee on Utilities
Gun control
We support:
HB 1021. Firearm storage. Makes it a Level 6 felony for a person responsible for a dependent to recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally fail to secure a loaded firearm in their home or vehicle if the dependent uses the firearm to harm or kill someone. Safe storage is a critical component of firearm responsibility. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
HB 1299. Surrender of firearms for domestic violence crimes. Criminalizes possession of firearms by individuals convicted of domestic violence. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.
SB 016. Privately made firearms. Makes it a Level 5 felony to possess privately made firearms and/or to remove identifying marks on a firearm. Referred to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
Health
We support:
HB 1074. Nutrition supports Medicaid waiver. Requires Indiana FSSA to apply for a Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver, which would expand Medicaid coverage for nutrition programs meant to support patients on Medicaid with chronic conditions impacted by nutrition, pregnant people, and children. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health. See also HB 1028, HB 1212
HB 1049. Coverage for doula services. Provides for doula coverage for state employees’ health insurance. Doulas provide support to patients in labor and can improve outcomes. Referred to the House Committee on Insurance.
HB 1012. Medicaid matters. Adjusts several Medicaid paperwork processes to increase accuracy and transparency, including monthly statement reviews by patients and FSSA to quickly identify any errors/inconsistencies and a requirement for FSSA to provide a written, detailed explanation of service rejection/denial. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health
HB 1014. Sonography. Referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services. Prohibits a person from performing sonography (ultrasound) unless the person is licensed by the Indiana Department of Health. Crisis pregnancy centers use ultrasounds to manipulate and mislead patients under the guise of providing healthcare, even though they are not licensed. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health. Committee hearing is scheduled for 1/7 at 8am central time.
HB 1020. Access to birth control program. Establishes the access to birth control program to increase access to contraceptives for low income Indiana residents. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health
HB 1028. Medicaid coverage for health related social needs. Requires Indiana FSSA to apply for a Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver, which would expand Medicaid coverage for programs involving housing, nutrition, and other health-related social needs. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health. See also HB 1074, HB 1212
HB 1212. Medicaid coverage for health related social needs. Requires Indiana FSSA to apply for a Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver, which would expand Medicaid coverage for housing and nutrition programs. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health. See also HB 1074, HB 1028
SB 144. Tobacco products and vapor products. Prohibits sale of vapor products to individuals under age 21. Referred to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
We oppose:
HB 1013. Exemption from certain healthcare mandates. Prohibits requiring vaccinations. This is a danger to public health. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health
HB 1197. Hysterectomy and oophorectomy informed consent. Intrudes between doctors and patients by mandating that patients seeking hysterectomies and removal of fallopian tubes must first watch a lawmaker-chosen DVD about their own anatomy and the procedure, produced by science-denying HERS Foundation (Hysterectomy Educational Resources and Services) and sign additional consent forms, even after their physician already approved the procedure. This will likely lead to delays in care, additional physician shortages, and stigma against reproductive healthcare choices. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health
Housing
We support:
HB 1135. Investor ownership of single family residences. Establishes the Housing Down Payment Assistance Fund. Sets a maximum number of single-family residences that an “applicable taxpayer” (large-scale corporate investors) can own. Imposes a Real Estate Transfer Tax (50% of fair market value) on single-family residences acquired by an “applicable taxpayer” to strongly discourage large corporate investors from purchasing single-family homes, thus reducing competition for individual homebuyers and stabilizing the housing market. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Immigration
We oppose:
HB 1039. Various 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. Targets “sanctuary city” practices. Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Privacy
We support:
HB 1027. Sale of bureau of motor vehicles information. Prohibits the BMV from selling the personal data of individuals under 21, those 65 and older, or any individual who chooses to opt out. Referred to the House Committee on Roads and Transportation.
Utilities
We support:
HB 1111. Various utility matters. Prohibits utilities from charging a reconnection fee. Prohibits electric or gas utilities from turning off service during summer to residents aged 65+ or <16. Requires electric utilities to provide bill credits for service interruptions. Referred to the House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications.
SB 083. Various utility matters. Exempts utilities from sales tax for consumers. Prohibits the IURC from approving rate hike requests if it would result in an increase of 3% or more to customers’ monthly utility bills. Referred to the Senate Committee on Utilities.
SB 146. Electric utility affordability; TDSIC plans. Provides that affordability is the most important attribute of electric utility service. Outlines new requirements for utilities’ Transmission, Distribution, and Storage System Improvement Charge (TDSIC) plan, including the addition of an executive summary and improved public transparency. Provides that utilities may only recover the remaining 20% of costs when the upgrade/improvement project is complete. Referred to the Senate Committee on Utilities
SB 152. Utilities matter. Requires Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) approval for utilities to sell stock, enter certain contracts, reorganize, or acquire other utilities. Prohibits energy utilities from recovering costs related to lobbying, political activities, charitable giving, litigation, and investor relations from retail customers through rates and charges. Mandates that, starting in 2027, all customer bills must include a detailed, line-item breakdown of all charges and fees. Referred to the Senate Committee on Utilities
Veterans
We support:
HB 1109. Homeless veterans initiative shelter program. Establishes the Hoosier Homeless Veteran Initiative. Mandates that homeless shelters must reserve 1 bed out of every 25 exclusively for a homeless veteran. Shelters can apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs to participate in the initiative and receive grants to provide housing, food, and other services Provides low barrier program entry wherein sobriety is not a requirement. Participants may remain in the program for up to 2 years or until they receive a HUD-VASH housing voucher. Referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety.
HB 1127. Stay of certain eviction actions against veterans. Provides that a court shall stay (hold or delay) evictions for veterans who qualify and have applied for housing assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
