Big I Indiana: Weekly Legislative Update - January 20, 2026
Last Week in Review
We have now completed the second week of the 2026 Legislative Session. Even after only two weeks, deadlines are already looming, with the committee report deadline rapidly approaching on Monday, Jan. 26. Due to the rapid pace, the Statehouse has been busy, with packed committee hearings and numerous bills moving through the legislative process.
Indiana Senate
Please note that all filed Senate bills have been handed down and are publicly available to view on the General Assembly website.
Last Monday, the Senate Elections Committee heard Senate Bill 12, Prohibition of ranked choice voting (Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen). SB 12, as its title suggests, prohibits the use of ranked choice voting in Indiana. If the measure is adopted, Indiana would be the 18th state to adopt the policy. The bill passed out of committee 7 to 2. SB 12 will be eligible for a final third reading vote on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard Senate Bill 2, Bail procedures, authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), which changes Indiana’s bail system through creating more instances by which bail can be denied. SB 2 passed out of committee 7 to 2. SB 2 is now eligible for a final third reading vote.
On Wednesday, Senate Bill 87, E-Verify requirements for public works projects authored by Sen. Greg Goode (R-Terre Haute) was heard amend and vote only in the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee. The bill was amended to address concerns raised during the first week of the session and passed unanimously, sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.
On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard Senate Bill 1, Human services matters, authored by Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown), Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka), and Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso). The bill, a priority for the Senate Republicans, targets stricter verification for public assistance programs like SNAP. The bill was amended to, among other things, set up the Indiana Rural Health Transformation Fund and was passed, 9 to 3.
Also on Thursday, the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee heard Senate Bill 250, Hemp authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis) and Sen. Cyndi Carrasco (R-Indianapolis). Among its various provisions, the bill changes some crimes concerning alcohol to include products containing THC. The bill passed as amended 7 to 2 and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee due to its fiscal impact.
Finally, late Thursday afternoon, the Senate introduced a new bill – Senate Bill 27, Stadium authority, authored by Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Mishawaka) and Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown). The bill would create a Northwest Indiana stadium authority for the purpose of acquiring, financing, and leasing land. This stems from an effort to court the Chicago Bears into building a new stadium in Northwest Indiana. SB 27 was initially a “vehicle bill”, which is a bill that is introduced with minimal language so that language can be inserted later if a “vehicle” is needed to shepherd legislation along. The bill has been assigned to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Indiana House of Representatives
On Tuesday, the House Local Government Committee considered testimony on House Bill 1001, Housing matters, authored by Rep. Doug Miller (R-Elkhart). This House Republican agenda bill intends to expand Indiana’s housing supply and reduce homeownership costs. HB 1001 will be brought back to the committee for consideration later today.
On the same day, House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1002, Electric utility affordability, authored by Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler (R-Noblesville). HB 1002 targets energy prices through proposed changes to how electricity suppliers are regulated by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The committee is also hearing the bill again for potential amendments and vote later today.
On Wednesday morning, the House Education Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1004, Various education matters, authored by Rep. Robert Behning (R-Indianapolis). HB 1004 is a House Republican agenda bill that seeks to cut red tape through a wide range of changes to K-12 education statutes and administrative provisions. Chairman Behning held the bill to be voted on in the next committee meeting tomorrow.
On Wednesday afternoon, the House Ways and Means Committee heard House Bill 1384, Nonprofit hospital property taxes, authored by Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn). The bill limits property tax exemptions for nonprofit hospitals by requiring hospital-owned real estate to be used for revenue-producing health care services. The committee held the bill and will consider it in a future committee.
On Thursday, the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee heard House Bill 1003, Boards and commissions, authored by Rep. Steve Bartels (R-Eckerty). This bill would reorganize and modify numerous state boards, commissions, and regulatory functions. A 253 page amendment was adopted in committee that removed several sections of the original bill.
Waiting in the wings of the House is a bill that is being heavily supported by the Big I Indiana, HB 1417: Causes of action and damages. We are part of the Indiana Alliance for Legal Reform, a new legal nonprofit organization seeking state-level civil and tort law reforms. This organization is an expansive coalition of varying interests, including our friends at the Insurance Institute of Indiana, that is attempting to pass meaningful tort reform this session. The content of the bill as it was introduced is outlined in the In-Depth Legislative Update at the link below. It has yet to be scheduled for a hearing in the committee on Judiciary, but is likely to be heard on Monday, Jan. 26. We will keep you posted as this extremely contentious bill moves forward.
State of the Judiciary
On Wednesday, Indiana Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush addressed Governor Braun and a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly for the annual State of the Judiciary address. In her address, Chief Justice Rush highlighted the efforts of prosecutors and public defenders across the state. The work of prosecutors and public defenders, she said, “is at the center of the constitutional balance between accountability and liberty. It’s what allows us to enjoy life in a safe and fair society.” Chief Justice Rush’s full speech can be read here.
State of the State
Later on Wednesday evening, Indiana Governor Mike Braun revealed his 2026 agenda focused on affordability. He presented his agenda in the State of the State address to the Indiana General Assembly (full remarks linked here). His 2026 agenda is focused on affordability, education, and public safety.
Under affordability, his priorities are to remove unnecessary regulations that increase housing costs while improving affordability for first-time buyers. He also highlighted efforts to lower energy rates by modernizing rate-setting practices and holding utilities accountable, noting his support of Rep. Doug Miller’s House Bill 1001, Housing matters and Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler’s House Bill 1002, Electric utility affordability.
In healthcare, Governor Braun said that his agenda builds on reforms from the 2025 legislative session to continue providing relief, protect Hoosiers from medical debt, and expand healthcare access across the state. He thanked Sen. Christ Garten for authoring Senate Bill 1, Human service matters which aligns with his healthcare priorities.
Governor Braun’s agenda also focuses on strengthening Indiana’s workforce by expanding opportunities for upskilling and higher wages, while removing regulations that hold back growth.
In education, the Governor outlined priorities focused on academic excellence and student well-being, while also supporting teachers through improved benefits and reduced administrative burdens. He expressed support for Sen. Jeff Raatz’s Senate Bill 78, Wireless communication device policy which limits cellphone use in schools.
Governor Braun noted that public safety remains highest priority. He emphasized keeping Hoosiers safe by getting tough on crime and addressing homelessness with compassion and order by confronting root causes while restoring safety in public spaces. This is why Governor Braun supports Sen. Eric Koch and Sen. Aaron Freeman’s Senate Bill 3, Constitutional amendment ballot language and Rep. Wendy McNamara’s House Bill 1303, Child sexual abuse material crimes.
The Week Ahead
The General Assembly did not meet yesterday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Both the House and Senate will return to the Statehouse later today at 1:30 p.m. The committee report deadline is Monday, January 26, meaning this week is the last full week of committee meetings for the first half of session. Any bills not voted out of committee by the time session begins on Monday, January 26 will be considered dead for the remainder of the session.
The full House Committee schedule can be found here, and the Senate Committee schedule can be found here. Both are live links and will be updated as more committees are scheduled.
Live Bill Report
2026 Big I Indiana Legislative Bill Track
You can stay up to date on all issues concerning the Big I and insurance industry during the 2026 Indiana General Assembly through the above link. This link is live and will be updated in real-time as the session progresses to include any changes that are made to our followed bills. Our team at Catalyst has created this report uniquely for the Big I Indiana to include the bills that are relevant to you. Each bill's status will automatically update when any new action occurs, including when it becomes scheduled to be heard in a committee. By equipping you with this live and continuously updating report, we will keep you in the loop about every action that impacts our interests.
In-Depth Legislative Update
The bills listed below are those that have been identified as the top priorities for the association for the 2026 Indiana General Assembly. This list will be shorter and differ somewhat from the Bill Track above because these are what we consider bills of most importance to you and your clients. The bills that have the most direct impact on our membership will have more detailed explanations and will list the activity on the bill. The others contain a link that will send you to the Indiana General Assembly website, where you can find more detail on the bill. Finally, when a priority bill changes status, that change will be noted in red type as we move forward through the session.
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].