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Friday is set to be the final day of the 2026 Indiana legislative session as lawmakers scramble to work out the final details on a number of bills.
The Legislature has already sent a number of bills IBJ has been tracking throughout the session to Gov. Mike Braun’s desk (and he’s signed several), but both chambers are still debating last-minute tweaks to other items. The governor has three choices when he receives a bill: He can sign it into law, let it become law without his signature, or veto it.
As of late morning Friday, here is where key pieces of legislation stand.
Senate Enrolled Act 27
Establishes a stadium authority to negotiate leases and bonds with NFL teams in an effort to attract the Chicago Bears to Hammond to play their home games.
Authors: Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown
Status: Signed by governor Feb. 26
Context: Braun signed the legislation less than two hours after it was approved by the General Assembly. The Chicago Bears have not formally committed to a stadium deal.
House Enrolled Act 1001
Makes single-family homes and duplexes automatically approved uses near public transit lines and riverfront districts. Takes approval for design elements and accessory dwelling units out of local control, unless the local unit opts out.
Author: Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart
Status: Sent to governor’s desk Feb. 25.
Context: A Republican priority measure, HB 1001 intended to bring more housing stock to the market by streamlining local regulations on permitting and zoning. Concerns over overriding local control watered down the bill, as the Senate let towns opt out of the majority of the bill’s provisions.
House Enrolled Act 1002
Requires utilities to have low-income assistance programs and moves Indiana towards performance-based ratemaking as opposed to traditional cost-of-service model.
Author: Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, R-Noblesville
Status: Signed by governor Feb. 26
Context: Braun has made curbing utility rate spikes a key part of his platform. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will hold an inquiry into energy affordability next month.
Senate Bill 144
Would ban hemp products above THC threshold, bringing Indiana in line with federal policy. Products under threshold would be regulated for those above 21.
Authors: Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, Sen. Scott Alexander, R-Muncie, Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores
Status: In conference committee as of Friday morning
Context: SB 144 started as a measure to regulate tobacco and vape products, but was hijacked in conference committee to carry the entirety of Freeman’s Senate Bill 250. The Senate passed SB 250 and its ban for hemp products above 0.3% THC, but the House has proven more friendly to the hemp industry.
Senate Enrolled Act 277
Indiana Department of Environmental Management agency bill that updates code, eliminates certain administrative and permitting requirements and states Indiana environmental standards can be “no more stringent or burdensome” than federal ones.
Authors: Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, Justin Busch, F-Fort Wayne
Status: Sent to governor Feb. 25.
Context: The IDEM bill saw significant dissent from within Republican ranks, with opponents saying the bill will weaken environmental standards by changing at least 20 instances of “shall” to “may.” The bill narrowly made it to Braun’s desk, as four senators changed their original votes to advance the measure on concurrence.
Senate Bill 4
Allows the state budget agency to use the opportunity growth fund for the state’s child care development fund.
Authors: Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown
Status: Sent to governor’s desk Feb. 27
Context: The version that passed the Senate was narrowly focused on allowing for more child care dollars, but legislators in the House loaded the bill up with language about Indiana Economic Development Corp. tax credits and would have required a state study surrounding data center tax incentives. Those measure were removed in conference committee.
Senate Enrolled Act 285
Makes it possible for people sleeping on streets to be charged with misdemeanor offenses. Allows police to arrest people if there are grounds for “emergency detention.”
Author: Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis
Status: Sent to governor Feb. 26.
Context: Camping bans have been championed nationwide by the conservative policy organization the Cicero Institute, which advocates for mandated addiction and mental health treatment. A similar measure was voted down last session.
House Bill 1038
Allows a $500 million casino to be built in Allen or DeKalb or Steuben counties, if the county approves a referendum. The casino in Rising Sun would stay put.
Author: Craig Snow, R-Warsaw
Status: Senate needs to approve conference committee changes before being sent to the governor.
Context: The conversation for a casino in northeast Indiana began last year with Full House wanting to move its casino out of Rising Sun to Allen County. Legislators took another approach and will leave that casino in place, but will move an unused horse racing license to northeast Indiana and open the license up to any bidder in the country. Mandatory referendum language was added after the bill passed the Senate by one vote.
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