Big I Indiana: End of Session Update - March 10, 2026

Last Week in Review
The General Assembly concluded the 2026 Legislative Session in the early evening of Friday, February 27th. Many key issues were addressed by legislators this session – all of which will now head to Governor Braun’s desk for final approval before becoming law. The governor has seven days from the point where a bill reaches his desk, following a concurrence or a conference committee report being adopted, to sign the bill into law.

This session, the House introduced 452 bills. 83 House bills passed both chambers and were sent to the governor, reflecting a pass rate of 18.4%. The Senate introduced 290, 80 of which passed both chambers and were sent to the governor, giving them a pass rate of 27.5%.

Thank You!
This will be the final Legislative Update for the 2026 legislative session. Before summarizing the 2026 Indiana General Assembly, I would like to thank several individuals and groups who have been helpful and supportive of the Big I Indiana, not only during the just completed session, but always, starting with Catalyst Public Affairs Group. The team at Catalyst does an outstanding job representing all of us on issues of importance to the independent agent and P/C insurance communities in the halls of the Indiana Statehouse and beyond. Thank you, Matt B., Tony, Scott, Matt W., Gretchen, Sarah and the entire team – it is great working with you!

Thanks also go out to the Insurance Institute of Indiana, as well as the Indiana Alliance for Legal Reform for their efforts in attempting to pass meaningful tort reform that would benefit the entire business community in Indiana. We also appreciate our partnership with the Insurance Institute on this and other P/C issues of importance.

 Special thanks go out to Reps. Matt Lehman, Martin Carbaugh and other insurance industry personnel in the Indiana General Assembly. Their assistance and guidance have been invaluable to the Big I and the entire insurance industry in making Indiana the strong P/C market that it is.

 Finally, thank you to all of you, the Big I Indiana members and Partners for being such strong supporters of our association and our efforts in the Indiana legislature and in everything we do. It is a pleasure serving you and I hope that these weekly updates are helpful to you and your teams. 

Redistricting
The 2026 legislative session began in early December 2025, when the House and Senate convened to address redistricting in accordance with Governor Braun’s call for a special session. House Bill 1032, Redistricting, authored by Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn), received its first hearing in the House on Monday, December 1. The bill ultimately passed the House by a vote of 57 to 41 but failed to advance in the Senate, where it was defeated 31 to 19.

Due to session beginning in December, the projected Sine Die date was moved up by two weeks, placing adjournment on February 27, 2026. Following the redistricting debate, the General Assembly took a three-week break for the holidays and reconvened on January 5, 2026.

Senate Priority Bills
Senate Enrolled Act 1, Human services matters, authored by Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown) was one of two bills considered a “priority” by the Senate Republican caucus. The caucus designated Senate Joint Resolution 1, Constitutional amendment concerning bail, authored by Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford), Senate Enrolled Act 2, Bail procedures, and Senate Enrolled Act 3, Constitutional amendment ballot language, as critically important issues to pass.

SEA 1 deals with Medicaid eligibility and verification rules for food assistance. The bill requires regular reporting from FSSA on how social services dollars are spent. The bill also deals with changes to the SNAP and Medicaid programs, effectively eliminating sugary drinks from SNAP benefits, ending expanded eligibility to the programs, requiring proof of immigration status every three months, and requiring consistent proof of employment. Senate Republicans have said that their goal is to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in our social services programs. SEA 1 passed the Senate with a vote of 38 to 8 and the House with a vote of 62-31. The Senate chose to concur with technical changes made by the House, and the legislation now sits on Governor Braun’s desk for final approval.

Senate Enrolled Act 2, Bail Procedures, authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis) puts up guardrails for the resolution. A bail hearing must take place within 48 business hours of filing if the arrestee does not request a delay. All arrestees will have the right to an attorney for any bail hearing, and the judge must list reasons if bail is to be denied. The bill also adds that many criminals cannot have their bail set at zero dollars—some money must be paid to ensure they show up for their hearing. The bill passed 33 to 9 in the Senate, and then House sponsor Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers) and the rest of the House passed it 76 to 12. The Senate finally concurred with a vote of 38 to 8.

The final piece of legislation wrapped into the priority category was Senate Enrolled Act 3, Constitutional amendment ballot language, authored by Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford). The bill simply prescribes the ballot language for the resolution, and the Senate passed it 36 to 9. House sponsor Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers) saw no amendments on his end, getting the bill across the finish line in the House 63 to 22.

House Priority Bills
The House focused on four key areas of improvement: housing, utilities, boards and commissions, and education. Each reflects a broader effort to reduce regulatory burdens and address rising cost-of-living pressures facing Hoosiers. Together, these bills loosen local zoning rules to spur housing construction; change how utilities are regulated and compensated; streamline state government oversight bodies; and repeal thousands of words of education statutes.

In response to the decline in affordable housing, House Enrolled Act 1001, Housing matters (Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart) makes broad changes to local planning, zoning, and development regulations with the goal of increasing housing supply and addressing affordability across Indiana. The bill establishes new annual housing progress reporting requirements for local units, places additional guardrails around impact fees and development standards, and limits certain local building and permitting requirements tied to residential construction. Due to concerns from various communities, the Senate added a provision to the final version of the bill allowing cities or counties to formally opt out. The House concurred with the Senate changes, and the bill was signed into law by Gov. Braun on Mar. 4.

The rising concern over utility costs led to House Republicans’ second priority bill. House Enrolled Act 1002, Electric utility affordability (Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, R-Noblesville) establishes a multi-year rate plan framework for electricity suppliers and implements performance-based ratemaking. Under the bill, utilities will operate under three-year rate plans that include performance incentive mechanisms tied to customer affordability and service restoration metrics. The bill also requires electricity suppliers to enroll certain low-income residential customers who apply for energy assistance in a levelized billing plan, with a penalty-free opt-out option. It prohibits residential electric service disconnections during extreme heat events and requires utilities to fund a low-income customer assistance program at no less than 0.2% of jurisdictional residential revenues. Beginning in 2026, utilities must submit quarterly residential customer reports to the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor. HEA 1002 passed both chambers and was signed by Governor Braun on Feb. 26, 2026.

House Bill 1003, Boards and commissions (Rep. Steve Bartels, R-Eckerty), initially targeted 63 boards, commissions, committees, and councils for elimination or modification at the end of this year that were found to be unproductive. However, as the bill progressed through the House and Senate, only 40 entities remained affected by the legislation, and the effective dates for board eliminations were pushed back to July 2027. One commission, the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission, will have its responsibilities shifted to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, the final version of the bill retained the state’s Natural Resources Commission intact. The bill sits on the Governor’s desk for his signature.

Finally, building on 2025’s HEA 1002, Various education matters, the House continued its effort to deregulate education through House Enrolled Act 1004, Various education matters (Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis). HEA 1004 seeks to clean up education language in Indiana Code by repealing 40 provisions in education and higher education and making changes to 15 more topics with the goal of reducing regulatory requirements across state agencies and the K-12 education systems. After being heard in the House, the bill was amended to add two key policies: Jake’s Law, which requires Indiana K-12 schools to have automated external defibrillators at extracurricular events, and Hunter’s Law, which provides additional protections for students with diabetes. The Senate amended HEA 1004 to tighten school construction remonstrance rules, repeal additional outdated higher education programs, clarify teacher contract provisions, and make technical updates throughout Indiana’s education code. The House initially dissented from the Senate amendments; however, the bill’s authors later concurred with the changes. HEA 1004 was signed by the governor on Mar. 4.

Tax and Fiscal Bills
Multiple bills dealing with tax and fiscal matters passed this session, including Senate Enrolled Act 4, Various fiscal matters, authored by Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka). SEA 4 requires the legislative services agency to perform a fiscal impact analysis on all governor's executive orders within seven days of issuance. The bill also allows counties to use money from elsewhere to meet Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) funding, and it requires CMHCs to provide an annual fiscal report for the state. In short, the bill encourages agencies and committees to be more in-depth with their fiscal reports to make life for Hoosiers more affordable. Originally, the bill would not require CMHCs to receive state funding, but an amendment from the Senate required state money to go to the centers. The bill passed both chambers nearly unanimously but was taken to conference committee to remove language deemed nongermane. The final bill was signed into law by Governor Braun on Mar. 5.

Senate Enrolled Act 243, Various tax matters, also authored by Sen. Holdman, amended and added state income tax statutes to conform again with the One Big Beautiful Bill. However, the bill did not just stop there. The bill adds one-year tax reductions on overtime and tip income. The legislation also deals with new rounding policies due to the death of the penny that has led to a shortage of the coin. House sponsor Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton) explained it this way: “If the business wants to round up, they may; they may round down. It’s their call.” Local governments would be required to round down. The bill passed the Senate 47 to 1, and the House made technical amendments before passing the bill back to the Senate with a vote of 77 to 19. The Senate concurred with House amendments, passing the bill with a vote of 47 to 0.n Gov. Braun signed SB 243 into law on Mar. 5.

Other Notable Legislation
Senate Enrolled Act 27, Stadium authority was authored by Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka) and shepherded in the House by Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers). Sen. Mishler authored legislation that would establish the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority for the purpose of acquiring and financing a stadium in northwest Indiana in an effort to court the Chicago Bears into moving their stadium to Indiana. The Chicago Bears began to eye Hammond, Indiana during the course of the legislative session, so Huston added an amendment that laid further groundwork for how the state of Indiana would finance and provide incentives to the Bears for the move, which would amount to about $1 billion in tax revenue toward the stadium and allow for the county to increase various taxes for the project. The bill overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate before being signed into law on Feb. 26 – the same day the bill received a final vote and was received by Governor Braun.

There were several bills this session addressing social media use by minors and student cellphone access in schools, including Senate Enrolled Act 78, Wireless communication device policy (Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond), and House Enrolled Act 1408, Education matters (Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis). SEA 78 effectively sets a bell-to-bell ban on cellular devices in public and charter schools, requiring students to keep their phones in a “secure” location rather than have the device on them throughout the day. The bill requires the Department of Education to publicly adopt model policy language for schools to implement. The bill originally passed the Senate with a 28-19 vote. House sponsor Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty) and Behning both passed amendments giving teachers a little leeway with tablets and the superintendent more authority during an emergency. The amended bill passed both houses and was signed by Governor Braun on Mar. 5.

House Enrolled Act 1408, Education matters (Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis) adds a new section to the Indiana Code regulating social media providers and requires companies to obtain verifiable parental consent before creating an account for a child under 16. Language originally included in Senate Bill 199 was moved into this bill, which requires platforms to use reasonable age verification methods and places additional safeguards on adolescent accounts. The bill passed the Senate 49 to 1 and the House 93 to 0 and has been sent to the Governor for his consideration.

Senate Enrolled Act 270, Township mergers, authored by Sen. Rick Niemeyer (R-Lowell) originally passed the Senate with a vote of 39 to 9. The introduced bill passed by the Senate required the Department of Local Government Finance to compile data on townships using a points system. Townships with at least four points are brought to the County Executive to designate how the merger will take place. The merger must be with a township of fewer than four points, ensuring large townships would not be merging. House Bill 1315, Township reorganization, authored by Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler (R-Noblesville) dealt with townships reorganizing under municipalities on the House side. Though the bill was killed, language from the bill was included in an amended version of a compromised SB 270. The amended bill kept the point system to force townships' consolidation with their municipality rather than merging. The House passed the amended bill 61 to 35, and the Senate concurred with a roll call vote of 34 to 15. Gov. Braun signed it on Mar. 5.

House Enrolled Act 1200, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie), is an agency bill with various provisions related to the BMV and transportation. This bill became a bit more noteworthy in the second half due to House changes related to CDL licenses. requires commercial truck drivers to demonstrate English proficiency and makes it a Level 6 felony to present a false commercial driver’s license, with a $50,000 civil penalty for the employer. The bill also requires the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to revoke a nondomiciled commercial driver’s license if the individual no longer maintains the legal status required to hold it. It also allows young drivers to obtain their full license at age 16 (rather than the previous law that mandated age 16 and 90 days). The bill awaits action from the Governor’s office.

Bills that Died
A whopping 579 bills did not survive the legislative session, including those outlined below.

House Bill 1417, Causes of action and damages (Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne) took aim at tort reform and was the most strongly supported bill by the Big I Indiana and other insurance and business interests during the 2026 session. After being amended several times throughout the process in the House and Senate, the final bill, as passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would have established a Tort Reform Commission and limited civil causes of action concerning public nuisance claims. The bill passed the House 61 to 34 without the Commission language. In the Senate, the legislation was significantly amended to scale back its original provisions, including the removal of qualified settlement language, before advancing out of committee. However, the bill was not heard in the Senate on second reading before the reading deadline. Author Rep. Matt Lehman noted that efforts to pass meaningful tort reform will be a multi-year project.

Senate Bill 250, Regulation of hemp, authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), sought to close a loophole in statute that created a gray area surrounding the sale of low-grade THC products and beverages in Indiana. Had SB 250 survived, the bill would have defined “THC” for purposes of Indiana alcohol and tobacco law, provided that a violation of the hemp-derived cannabinoid products chapter would be a deceptive act, and would have asked for additional requirements and restrictions from the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. SB 250 advanced to the House with a vote of 35 to 13 and passed out of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee 8 to 5. However, legislators could not agree on how to properly regulate these hemp products, and the bill died on second reading in the House. Legislators attempted to revive the language various times up until the final day of session with no avail.

House Bill 1137, Foods and beverages on school property (Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis) would have banned public and charter schools that participate in federally funded or assisted meal programs from selling or allowing a third-party to sell food and beverages that contain any of the specified 13 chemicals and food dye ingredients. Schools would also be required to post the school’s menus with the list of ingredients for each food item online. The House passed the bill by an 83 to 7 vote; however, the bill was never granted a vote in the Senate.

Governor's Office
Governor Mike Braun had a 2026 legislative agenda of affordability, jobs, wages, public safety, and education, and he believed this legislative session was a success: “We protected children from harmful social media content, strengthened public safety by revoking CDLs from illegal aliens, addressed rising utility costs, and established the framework for a new stadium in Northwest Indiana to name a few.” Braun worked closely with healthcare reform, helping shepherd HEA 1271, Payment of health claims, and SEA 225, Health matters across the finish line. Braun also focused on cutting costs through government efficiency bills, including SEA 277, Indiana department of environmental management and HEA 1368, Carbon.

Following the end of the legislative session, many of the bills that we detailed above will be swiftly signed into law. While Governor Braun has already signed several bills, you can follow the status of all legislation sent to his desk by accessing the Governor’s Bill Watch page, which updates in real time. Once a bill reaches his desk, the governor will have 7 days to review it. In that time, he can sign the bill, veto it, or if he does not act within the 7-day window, the bill automatically becomes law on the 8th day.

Election Updates
Republican precinct committeemen elected Nick McKinley (R-Marion) in a caucus to fulfill the balance of former Senator Andy Zay’s (R-Huntington) term. Sen. McKinley was sworn in on Feb. 9. McKinley is a businessman and former police officer. Zay resigned from the Senate in early January after being appointed by the Governor to lead the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

The field is set for the 2026 Primary Election, which will take place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The full list of Senate candidate filings can be found here, and House candidate filings can be found here.

Multiple legislators have chosen not to run for reelection, including: 

• Sen. Eric Bassler (R-Washington)
• Sen. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis)
• Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis)
• Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Indianapolis)
• Rep. Brad Barrett (R-Richmond)
• Rep. Ed Clere (I-New Albany)
• Rep. Michelle Davis (R-Whiteland)
• Rep. Karen Engleman (R-Georgetown)
• Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie)
• Rep. Craig Haggard (R-Mooresville)
• Rep. Mike Karickhoff (R-Kokomo)
• Rep. Shane Lindauer (R-Jasper)

Rep. Michelle Davis is running in the opposite chamber, hoping to represent State Senate District 41 going forward. Two members of the legislature are running for Congress - Sen. J.D. Ford will run for Congressional District 5, and Rep. Craig Haggard has chosen to run in the 4th Congressional District. Rep. Ed Clere has announced plans to run for Mayor of New Albany in 2027.

A large group of incumbent are running for reelection and facing primary challengers: 

• Sen. Scott Alexander (R-Muncie)
• Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette)
• Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne)
• Sen. Jim Buck (R-Kokomo)
• Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette)
• Sen. Dan Dernulc (R-Highland)
• Sen. Mike Gaskill (R-Pendleton)
• Sen. Greg Goode (R-Terre Haute)
• Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle)
• Sen. Randy Maxwell (R-Guilford)
• Sen. Rick Niemeyer (R-Lowell)
• Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond)
• Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger)
• Sen. Jim Tomes (R-Wadesville)
• Sen. Greg Walker (R-Columbus)
• Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle)
• Rep. John Bartlett (D-Indianapolis)
• Rep. Bruce Borders (R-Janesville)
• Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne)
• Rep. Bob Heaton (R-Terre Haute)
• Rep. Tony Isa (R-Angola)
• Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville)
• Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (R-Shelbyville)
• Rep. Justin Moed (D-Indianapolis)
• Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington)
• Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie)
• Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis)
• Rep. Greg Steuerwald (R-Avon)
• Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn)
• Rep Craig Snow (R-Warsaw)
• Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton)
• Rep. Heath VanNatter (R-Kokomo)

 In-Depth Legislative Update
The bills listed below are those that were identified as the top priorities for the association for the 2026 Indiana General Assembly that have passed both chambers of the Indiana legislature. All bill digests have been updated to reflect the content of each bill in its final version.

If you or your staff have any questions about anything in this update, or at any time throughout the 2026 legislative session, please do not hesitate to reach out to Steve Duff at [email protected]. 

 

---

2026 Followed Senate Bills

SB 13: Motor vehicle equipment requirements (Sen. Blake Doriot)
Adds an exception to certain motor vehicle equipment requirements for vehicle chassis that are a part of a vehicle manufacturer's work in process and are towed for a distance of less than 40 miles. Referred to the committee on Homeland Security and Transportation. SB 13 passed the committee by a vote of 7 to 0 on December 9, 2025 and passed the full Senate by a vote of 49 to 0 on January 6. SB 13 passed the House committee on Roads and Transportation on Feb. 2 and moved through second reading without amendment on Feb 5. The bill passed the full house by a vote of 93 to 0 on Feb. 9. SB 13 was signed into law by Gov. Braun on Feb. 17.  

SB 27: Stadium authority (Sen. Ryan Mishler, Sen. Chris Garten)
Establishes the northwest Indiana stadium authority (stadium authority) for the purpose of acquiring and financing certain facilities. Sets forth the powers and duties of the stadium authority. Establishes the northwest Indiana stadium board (stadium board) for the purpose of financing, constructing, equipping, operating, and maintaining a capital improvement. Specifies the composition of the stadium board and sets forth the powers and duties of the stadium board, including the issuance of bonds and notes to finance a capital improvement. Amends and adds provisions that apply to the Indiana finance authority. Amends provisions in the Lake County and Porter County food and beverage tax chapter. Amends provisions in the Lake County innkeeper's tax chapter. Authorizes the city of Hammond to impose an admissions tax. Requires amounts collected from the city admissions tax to be distributed to the stadium board or its designee. Authorizes a redevelopment commission of the city of Hammond to establish a professional sports development area in the city designated as the northwest Indiana professional sports development area and tax area. Authorizes the city of Hammond to establish a northwest Indiana stadium development district. Specifies the duties and authorities of the district and the uses of the incremental tax revenue captured in the district. Requires the Indiana Sports Corporation, beginning July 1, 2027, to ensure that 20% of the money received by the Indiana Sports Corporation each biennium is used for events supported by the northwest Indiana stadium authority and that not less than 20% (instead of 30%) of the money received by the Indiana Sports Corporation each biennium is used for events that are conducted outside of both Marion County and Lake County. Requires certain projects to be reviewed by the budget committee before the Indiana department of transportation proceed with contract letting. The bill passed the committee on Appropriations on Jan. 22 by a vote of 12 to 0. The bill was engrossed on second reading on Jan. 27 and was then voted out of the Senate by a vote of 46 to 2 on Jan 28. In a very unusual move that signifies the importance of this legislation, the sponsor of SB 27 will be Indiana Speaker of the House Rep. Todd Huston. SB 27 passed the House committee on Ways and Means unanimously 24 to 0 on Feb. 19. It passed the House on Feb. 24 by a vote of 95 to 4 and passed the Senate on a concurrence vote of 45 to 4 on Feb. 26. Governor Braun signed SB 27 into law on the same day.

SB 78: Wireless communication device policy (Sen. Jeff Raatz)
Amends the definition of "wireless communication device". Requires each school corporation and charter school to adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that: (1) prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during the school day; (2) requires teacher directed use of a wireless communication device for educational purposes during the school day to occur only on school supplied wireless communication devices; and (3) mandates the use of a no device policy or a secure storage policy. Creates certain exceptions to a wireless communication device policy. Requires the department of education to publish model policy language and implementation guidance. Provides that a school corporation, a school maintained by a school corporation, and a charter school (school), including school personnel, are immune from civil liability for any actions taken in good faith to comply with the school's wireless communication device policy, with exceptions. Referred to the committee on Education and Career Development. SB 78 passed the committee by a vote of 12 to 1 on Jan. 7 and was amended on second reading on second reading on Jan. 13 and now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. The bill was passed by the full Senate on Jan. 20 by a vote of 28 to 19. SB 78 was amended and passed out of the House committee on Education by a vote of 12 to 0 on Feb. 12. It then passed the House committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 18 by a vote of 21 to 3. It passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 12 on Feb. 25 and was signed by the governor on Mar. 5. 

SB 89: Three-way permits for Schererville (Sen. Dan Dernulc)
Provides the alcohol and tobacco commission may issue not more than: (1) three new three-way permits to the town of Schererville; (2) three new three-way permits to the city of Lafayette; (3) two new three-way permits to the city of West Lafayette; (4) eight new three-way permits to restaurants located within a transit development district located in the city of Michigan City; (5) two new three-way permits to the city of Delphi; and (6) two new three-way permits to the city of Bloomington. The committee on Public Policy passed SB 89 by a vote of 10 to 0 on Jan. 21. It was amended and ordered engrossed on the Senate floor on Jan. 26 and then passed the full Senate by a vote of 39 to 6 on Jan. 27. SB 89 passed the House committee on Public Policy on Feb. 10 by a vote of 10 to 0 without amendment and was then engrossed on second reading on Feb. 12. It passed the House by a vote of 79 to 10 on Feb 16 and was signed by Gov. Braun on Feb. 24.  

SB 169: Reorganization of consumer lending laws (Sen. Scott Baldwin)
Repeals the statutes governing first lien mortgage lending, small loans, mortgage rescue protection fraud, and home loan practices and the Uniform Consumer Credit Code. Recodifies the repealed statutes in a new title of the Indiana Code concerning consumer lending (Title 37). Conforms the structure and organization of the recodified statutes to the requirements of the general assembly's drafting manual. This bill passed the committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions by a vote of 6 to 1 on Jan. 14 and now moves to potential second reading consideration on the Senate floor this week. SB 169 was engrossed on second reading on Jan 20 and then voted out of the Senate by a vote of 43 to 1 on Jan. 22. SB 169 passed the House committee on Financial Institutions on Feb. 17 by a vote of 10 to 0 and was not amended on second reading on Feb. 19. It passed the House by a 93 to 1 vote on Feb 23 and then was concurred upon by the Senate on Feb. 25 46 to 0. It was signed into law by Gov. Braun on March 5.  

SB 189: Nonparticipating providers (Sen. Scott Baldwin)
Requires an initiating party that submits a request for independent dispute resolution to provide written notice to the facility not later than three business days after submitting the request. Allows a health carrier to provide notice to an out of network provider and a facility if, during any 90 day period, an initiating party submits requests for independent dispute resolutions that, in the aggregate, include 25 or more qualified disputes. Provides that if a health carrier provides the notice, the health carrier, the out of network provider, and the facility shall engage in good faith efforts to negotiate a resolution. Prohibits a health carrier from assessing a facility or a provider an administrative fee or penalty related to the provision of care to an individual that involves an out of network provider. Provides that if a health carrier assesses a facility or a provider an administrative fee or penalty related to the provision of care to an individual that involves an out of network provider, the health carrier commits an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance.  SB 189 passed the committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions on Jan 21 by a vote of 6 to 1 after being amended. SB 189 passed the House committee on Insurance by a vote of 10 to 0 on Feb. 17 after being amended and engrossed on second reading on Feb. 19. It passed the House by a 96 to 0 vote on Feb. 23. The bill was concurred up and passed the Senate by a concurrence vote of 49 to 0 on Feb. 26. It was signed into law by Gov. Braun on Mar. 5.

SB 270: Township mergers (Sen. Rick Niemeyer) 
Requires the department of local government finance (department) not later than December 31, 2026, to compile data on each township (excluding townships in Marion County) and assign points based upon the township government's performance. Requires a township government that is assigned at least four points (designated township), with certain exceptions, to: (1) merge; or (2) for a township in which (A) at least 80% of the township's boundaries coincide with a municipality's boundaries; and (B) at least 51% of the township's population resides within the corporate boundaries of a municipality, reorganize with the municipality. Requires a merger to satisfy the following requirements: (1) A designated township must merge with at least one township that has less than four points (recipient township). (2) The merger must satisfy contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that if all townships in a county have at least four points, the county executive must designate two townships to act as the recipient townships. Requires the county executive to designate which townships will merge taking into consideration: (1) the wishes of the designated townships and recipient townships; and (2) the contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that all mergers in a county are effective not later than January 1, 2029. Establishes provisions for an interim township government for the new merged township government until a new township trustee and township legislative body are elected during the 2030 general election. Requires a designated township that is required to reorganize to adopt a resolution not later than October 1, 2027, that designates the municipality (recipient municipality) that will reorganize with the designated township. Requires the appointment of a joint board consisting of representatives of the designated township and the recipient municipality to prepare a plan of reorganization. Requires the county fiscal body to approve the budget, tax rate, and tax levy imposed by the recipient municipality within the boundaries of the rural township services district. Provides that a recipient municipality has all of the powers of the government modernization act in reorganizing the township. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Provides that a township merger does not affect the office of township assessor of a township participating in the merger. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Requires townships to annually provide certain information relating to fire protection to the department in a manner prescribed by the department using the department's computer gateway. Requires the department to share the information with the department of homeland security. Allows the county council, before January 2, 2027, to adopt a resolution to transfer the duties of a township assessor to the county assessor if: (1) the office of township assessor has been vacant for at least 90 days; (2) a caucus was held but failed to fill the vacancy; (3) the township board adopts a resolution approving the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor; and (4) the township trustee has approved, in writing, the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor. Prohibits the legislative body of a county from unilaterally requiring a unit participating in a reorganization that commenced after November 1, 2025, and before November 30, 2025, from being added to an existing fire protection district: (1) during negotiations regarding the reorganization among the participating units; (2) after the date on which a plan of reorganization is finally adopted by all participating units; or (3) as part of a reorganization in a finally approved plan of reorganization. Establishes requirements for the transfer of duties. Repeals a law that allows township governments to dissolve a merger.  SB 270 passed the committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy on Jan. 20 by a vote of 12 to 0 and then was engrossed on second reading without amendment on Jan. 22. The bill passed the House committee on Local Government on Feb. 17 after being heavily amended by a vote of 11 to 2 and was immediately recommitted to the committee on Ways and Means because of its financial impact. It passed Ways and Means by a vote of 18 to 6 after again being amended. SB 270 passed the House by a vote of 61 to 35 on Feb. 24 and then the Senate by a 34 to 15 concurrence vote on Feb. 26. It was signed into law by the governor on Mar. 5.

---

2026 Followed House Bills

HB 1003: Boards and commissions (Rep. Steve Bartels; Sen. Randy Maxwell) 
Creates the agricultural promotion and regulation task force to study various agriculture related topics. Makes changes to requirements for the readoption of administrative rules. Repeals, merges, consolidates, or otherwise modifies various boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies. Modifies or establishes various funds. Makes changes to the membership, duties, and operations of various boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies. Expands the applicability of a statute concerning county hospital governance to Perry County, Spencer County, and Orange County. Repeals the fire prevention and building safety commission (commission). Transfers the commission's responsibilities and administrative rules to the department of homeland security. Makes certain changes to the administration of building and safety statutes and building and safety codes. Also eliminates the Indiana Continuing Education Council, which approves or disapproves class filings for CE credit and gives approval authority to the Commissioner. HB 1003 passed the House by a vote of 67 to 29 on February 3. It passed the Senate committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure on Feb. 18 by a vote of 11 to 0 after being amended and then passed the full Senate by a vote of 47 to 1 on Feb. 24. A conference committee deal was reached on Feb. 27 and the reports were subsequently adopted by the House and Senate on the same day. It awaits action by the governor.

HB 1044: Insurance coverage for public safety employees (Rep. Jim Pressel)
Provides that a public safety employee who: (1) becomes disabled on or after January 1, 2020; (2) receives a Class 1 or a Class 2 impairment benefit; and (3) is eligible for group health insurance coverage for the public safety employee and the public safety employee's spouse or dependents; must pay no more than the amount that the public safety employee would have been required to pay if still serving as a current active public safety employee employed by the local unit public employer. Specifies that the public safety employee must file a written request for insurance coverage with the employer before June 1, 2026, or within 90 days after the public safety employee begins receiving disability benefits, whichever is later. Specifies that if a public safety agency closes, merges, or otherwise ceases to exist, the local unit public employer that caused the public safety agency to cease to exist, shall continue to provide certain insurance coverage. Provides that a surviving spouse or dependent of a public safety employee who dies in the line of duty must pay the same amount that the public safety employee would have been required to pay if still serving as a current active public safety employee employed by the local unit public employer for coverage selected by the surviving spouse or dependent under the group health insurance program. The bill passed committee on Insurance. It passed the committee on Jan. 13 by a vote of 13 to 0 and moved through second reading without amendment on Jan. 15. HB 1044 passed the House by a vote of 92 to 0 on Jan 20. It passed the Senate committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions on Feb. 12 by a vote of 7 to 0. It was amended and engrossed on second reading on Feb. 16 and passed the Senate by a vote of 45 to 0 on Feb. 17. Rep. Pressel concurred with Senate changes and the bill passed the House on a concurrence vote of 93 to 0 on Feb. 19. Gov. Braun signed the bill into law on Feb. 26.

HB 1098: Work based learning liability (Rep. Matt Commons)
Requires an intermediary and an employer to enter into an agreement that sets forth the duties and responsibilities of the intermediary and the employer when participating in a work based learning program. Repeals provisions relating to the federal School to Work Opportunities Act under the worker's compensation and worker's occupational diseases compensation laws. Provides that, subject to certain limitations, a student who performs services for an employer as part of a work based learning program is entitled to benefits under the worker's compensation and worker's occupational diseases compensation laws. Provides that any underwriting decision made by an insurer or rating factor applied to a participant must be based on objective risk based criteria that are applied uniformly and without regard to the age of the student to be covered under the policy. This bill passed the committee on Insurance on Jan. 20 by a vote of 12 to 0 after being amended and was engrossed on second reading without amendment on Jan. 22. HB 1098 passed out of the House on Jan. 28 by a vote of 89 to 0. It passed the committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions on Feb. 12 by a vote of 7 to 0 on Feb. 12. HB 1098 was engrossed on second reading on Feb. 16 and then passed the Senate on Feb. 19 by a vote of 44 to 1. The House passed the bill on a concurrence vote of 79 to 0 on Feb. 25 and it was signed by the governor on Mar. 3.

HB 1114: Coverage for certain cancer prescriptions (Rep. Cherrish Pryor)
Prohibits a state employee health plan, a policy of accident and sickness insurance, and a health maintenance organization that provides coverage for advanced, metastatic cancer and associated conditions from requiring that, before providing coverage for a prescription drug, the insured fail to successfully respond to a different prescription drug or prove a history of failure of a different prescription drug. HB 1114 passed the committee on Insurance as amended on Jan. 20 by a vote of 10 to 0. It was amended and engrossed on Jan. 27 and then passed the full House by a vote of 3 to 0 on Jan. 28. HB 1114 passed the Senate committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions by a vote of 6 to 2 on Feb. 12. It was reassigned to the Senate committee on Appropriations and passed the committee on Feb. 19 by a vote of 10 to 1. It passed the Senate by a vote of 45 to 3 on Feb. 24 and was signed into law by the governor on Mar. 3.

HB 1147: Licensure of certified public accountants (Rep. Heath VanNatter)
Provides that an individual is eligible to take the examination for licensure as a certified public accountant if the individual has at least a baccalaureate degree with a concentration in accounting or equivalent as determined by the board to be appropriate. The committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions passed the bill without amendment on Jan. 15 by a vote of 13 to 0. HB 1147 was engrossed on second reading on Jan. 20 and passed the full House by a vote of 89 to 0 on Jan 22. It passed the committee on Commerce and Technology on Feb. 12 by a vote of 11 to 0. It was engrossed on second reading on Feb. 16 and then passed the Senate by a vote of 43 to 2 on Feb. 17. Gov. Braun signed HB 1147 into law on Feb. 24.

HB 1200: Bureau of motor vehicles (Rep. Jim Pressel)
Allows additional license plates issued by the bureau of motor vehicles (bureau) to be designed as a personalized license plate. Provides that a motor vehicle may be equipped with an appropriate, functioning rear view camera that provides the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle instead of a mirror. Prohibits the Indiana department of transportation from implementing variable speed limits or using electronic variable speed limit signs. Amends the information required to be provided by an applicant for a driver's license or permit. Amends the required age an individual must be to obtain a driver's license from 16 years and 90 days of age to 16 years of age. Requires an individual to demonstrate sufficient proficiency of the English language to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Provides that an individual commits a Level 6 felony if the individual: (1) represents that a false record is a valid commercial driver's license; or (2) does not have proper documentation while driving with a commercial driver's license issued by any jurisdiction other than a state, territory, or possession of the United States. Provides that a business enterprise may not educate, train, or otherwise prepare an individual to operate a commercial motor vehicle if certain circumstances exist. Makes certain changes to the requirements for the issuance of a nondomiciled commercial driver's license and allows for the revocation of an individual's nondomiciled commercial driver's license in certain circumstances. Allows an applicant for a driver's license or permit to take an examination of the individual's ability to read and understand highway signs and the individual's knowledge of Indiana traffic laws by satisfactorily completing an online examination approved by the bureau. Amends the time that an expired driver's license of an individual temporarily residing outside Indiana because of service in the armed forces remains valid. Changes the time for an individual who is 75 years of age or older and renewing a physical credential to provide proof to the bureau that the individual passed an eyesight examination from 30 days to 60 days. Removes the limitation that a renewal identification card cannot be issued by electronic service if the card expired more than 180 days prior to the date of the application for renewal. Provides that an advertisement that violates the prohibition on advertising certain illegal products must be removed from public circulation not later than October 1, 2026. Amends certain requirements for township capital improvement plans. This legislation passed the committee on Roads and Transportation after being amended by a vote of 13 to 0 on Jan 27. It was again amended on second reading on Jan. 29 and passed the House by a vote of 90 to 0 on Feb. 2. HB 1200 passed the Senate committee on Homeland Security and Transportation by a vote of 8 to 0 on Feb. 17 after being amended. It passed the Senate by a vote of 48 to 0 on Feb. 24. After reconciling differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, the conference committee report on HB 1200 passed both the House and Senate on Feb. 27. It awaits action in the governor’s office.

HB 1260: Various insurance matters (Rep. Matt Lehman)
Requires a person or entity to furnish information relating to a fraudulent insurance act to the department of insurance or the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Provides that a person or entity is not subject to civil or criminal liability for filing a report or furnishing other information concerning a fraudulent insurance act under certain circumstances. Sets forth a fee schedule for providing unrestricted data to certain entities from the all payer claims database. Makes various changes to: (1) provisions relating to notice of material change; and (2) the property and casualty insurance and guaranty association law. Allows the insurance commissioner to waive the requirements for a merger or consolidation of a farm mutual insurance company with any other company if an emergency event occurs. Provides that a policy of insurance that provides coverage in excess of any liability relating to a self-insured retention amount shall be considered a commercial umbrella or excess liability policy under the uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage provision. Requires an insurer of automobile insurance policies to mail a notice of nonrenewal at least 30 days before the expiration of the policy. Requires an insurer of residential policies to: (1) mail a notice of nonrenewal at least 60 days before the expiration of the policy; and (2) take certain actions when the insurer utilizes aerial images as part of the insurer's coverage determinations. Allows co-owners of a condominium that meets certain conditions to obtain property and casualty insurance coverage for the condominium units by purchasing a master policy or by allowing each co-owner to purchase insurance on an individual basis. Requires an insurer and a health maintenance organization to provide an insurance producer with access to a complete list of providers who have entered into a reimbursement agreement with the insurer or health maintenance organization. Provides that the prohibition on denying, conditioning, or discriminating in the pricing of Medicare supplement policies for certain applicants applies to an applicant who submits an application during the period beginning one month before the applicant's birthday and ending one month after the applicant's birthday. Provides that the insurance commissioner has the authority to take certain actions relating to the creation, implementation, or operation of a health benefit exchange. Requires the department of insurance to annually report information to the budget committee regarding the fee schedule for providing unrestricted data that is being added in the bill. HB 1260 passed the committee on Insurance as amended by a vote of 12 to 0 on Jan 20 and was engrossed on second reading on Jan. 22. It passed the House by a vote of 92 to 1 on Jan. 28. HB 1260 passed the Senate committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions as amended by a vote of 8 to 0 on Feb. 12 and then passed the committee on Appropriations by a vote of 12 to 0 on Feb. 19. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 48 to 0 and then passed the House on a concurrence motion by a vote of 78 to 12 on Feb. 26. Gov. Braun signed it into law on Mar. 4. 

HB 1274: Insurance mandated gun free zone notices (Rep. Matt Commons)
Provides that an insurer may not require an insured or prospective insured to post or display a gun free zone notice. This legislation passed the committee on Insurance as amended on Jan. 20 by a vote of 9 to 3. It was not amended on second reading and was engrossed on Jan. 22. It passed the House on Jan. 28 by a vote of 69 to 25. HB 1274 passed the committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions on Feb. 12 by a vote of 5 to 2. It was engrossed on second reading on Feb 17 without amendment and passed the Senate by a vote of 39 to 9 on Feb. 24. It was signed into law by Gov. Braun on Mar. 3.  

HB 1336: Securities and investment adviser representatives (Rep. Martin Carbaugh)
Exempts a merger and acquisition broker from registering as a broker-dealer under certain circumstances. Requires an applicant seeking to register as an agent of a broker-dealer in Indiana to pass financial industry regulatory authority (FINRA) examinations unless certain exceptions apply. Requires an applicant seeking to register as an investment adviser representative in Indiana to pass FINRA examinations unless certain exceptions apply. Provides that under certain circumstances an agent of a broker-dealer or an investment adviser representative may have the validity of the individual's FINRA qualifying examinations extended. Requires an investment adviser representative to participate in a continuing education program. This bill passed the committee on Financial Institutions on Jan. 20 by a vote of 10 to 0 and moved through second reading on Jan. 22 without amendment. HB 1336 passed the House by a vote of 89 to 0 on Jan 29. It passed the committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions on Feb. 12 by a vote of 7 to 0. It was amended and engrossed on second reading on Feb. 16 and then passed the Senate by a vote of 45 to 0 on Feb. 18. Rep. Carbaugh concurred with Senate amendments and the bill passed the House on a concurrence vote of 94 to 0 on Feb. 19. The governor signed the bill into law on Feb. 26.