Legislative Update 2/20/2026

The Indiana Legislature is under pressure of getting priority bills passed. With a shorter session, legislators have approved bills hoping that they will be properly vetted and amended as they switch to the other chamber. This puts extreme emphasis on the next few weeks, as legislators contemplate affordability for Hoosiers, aiding local government, and how to recover from the backlash from voting not to redistrict. The Indiana Chamber sees many of their supporters being primaried because they turned down redistricting. With 228 active bills, here are some that our advocacy team is watching closely and their latest updates:

​HB 1001 Housing Matters- referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary 2/5

• HB 1001 streamlines local housing regulations by expanding by-right development, limiting restrictions on parking, design, density, and lot standards, capping certain fees, strengthening permit protections, and requiring annual housing reports to the state. All aimed at increasing housing supply and affordability.
• Many believe this bill could be huge for Monroe County. It could allow for developers to expand outside of Bloomington, give more mixed housing options, increase supply while leveling out housing costs, leading to better residence retention. 
• While many of our legislators feel this bill mostly helps the developers and not the homebuyers, bill is a good starting point.  

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SB 91 Syringe Exchange Program- returned to Senate 2/19

• SB 91 tightens Indiana’s syringe exchange program rules by restricting where fixed sites may operate, requiring participants to show valid ID and meet residency criteria, prohibiting distribution of chemical reagents or precursors, expanding state enforcement authority over noncompliant programs, and extending the program through July 1, 2031.
• Senator Yoder and Representative Mayfield are deeply involved with this bill, as it would support extending the syringe program in Monroe County. However, the program's effectiveness is still being debated. 

HB 1333 Land Use and Development- Senate 1st reading: referred to Committee on Utilities 2/5

• HB 1333 revises Indiana land use law by expanding permitted uses on certain agricultural land, extending immunity protections for brownfield cleanup participants, incorporating battery storage into energy production zone regulations, tying data center tax exemptions to local contributions, and allowing local boards to require speaker identification at public hearings. 
• Senator Koch is on the Senate Committee on Utilities.
• Representatives Pierce, Hall, and Mayfield have all pointed to gaps in its language which can be exploited if not fixed in the Senate. 

SB 270 Township Mergers- House Committee report: amend do pass, adopted 2/18

• SB 270 requires underperforming townships, as measured by a state scoring system, to merge with other townships or reorganize into a municipality if boundaries largely overlap. The bill sets consolidation timelines, transfers duties and assets, expands reporting requirements, and removes the ability to dissolve mergers. 
• Legislation on township merging has been a dream for legislators for over a decade; this is the furthest it's gotten. 
• With SEA 1, township merging is considered a solution for using local services and resources more efficiently.

Other bills being followed are SB 8 Library Budgets, HB 1002 Electric Utility Affordability, SB 76 Immigration Matters, and HB 1417 Tort Reform.

By: Autum Marshall

O'Neill Service Corps Advocacy & Public Policy Fellow