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Legislative Calls to Action -- Feb 11, 2026

  • Feb 11
  • 10 min read

Contact your Legislator: IGA | Find Your Legislator

For the calendar of the Indiana Legislature go to IGA | Home and click on Calendars and Schedules


From MadVoters and Indivisible NWI

The following Indiana bills are still in committee. Click on the name of the committee and scroll to the bottom of the page for committee members and their contact links.


Refer to Mad Voters Bill tracker for most up-to-date information. BILL TRACKER | MADVoters


Indiana Legislature


Immigration - HIGH PRIORITY

Senate Bill 76 - Immigration matters.

This will be voted on in a matter of days. Call


Senate Bill 76

Authored by: 

Co-Authored by: 

Sponsored by: 

Summary:

Provides that if a law enforcement officer, governmental body, or post-secondary educational institution is made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of certain immigration matters, the attorney general may defend the law enforcement officer, the governmental body, or the post-secondary educational institution if representation is requested. Provides that the prohibition on governmental bodies or post-secondary educational institutions limiting or restricting the enforcement of federal immigration law applies regardless of whether the enforcement is carried out by a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency. 


From Boone County Indivisible:

Please contact (call,write, fax - whatever is easiest for you) your state senator, State representative, Mayor and local Police Chief about SB76 (and HB1343). 


Together they give the Governor, the Attorney General, the National Guard and ICE & Border Patrol tremendous power to institute immigration actions throughout the state and mandate every governmental entity, law enforcement agency, post-secondary educational institutions and even hospitals, to cooperate. 


Affordability

We oppose:

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" dis-enrollment, 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. Referred to House Ways and Means Committee.   


Education

We Oppose:

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. Referred to the House Education Committee.


SB 200. Public school matters. Mandates that schools must allow "youth patriotic organizations" (currently limited to certain organizations as determined by the federal government, like FFA and the Boy and Girl Scouts) to provide information to students on school grounds at least two times per school year. If a school refuses this access, an organization may submit a grievance to the Indiana Department of Education. Schools found in violation of these access requirements may face a reduction in funding or other consequence. Here is why we're concerned: If federal law changes to classify Turning Point as one of these eligible "youth patriotic" organizations, schools will effectively have their hands tied and be forced to work with them. Referred to House Committee on Education,


SB 239. Various 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. Referred to the House Education Committee.


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 Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Transportation.


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. Passed the Senate Education and Career Development Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.


Environment

We oppose:

SB 277. Indiana Department of environmental management.  Under SB 277, when faced with evidence of “imminent and substantial endangerment” to human health caused by pollution, the IDEM Commissioner would no longer be required to go to court to stop the pollution. That means, in contrast to the current law, the Commissioner will have the option to do nothing to protect Hoosiers' health livelihoods. In addition to considering whether a state rule is “more stringent than” the applicable federal regulation, the IDEM Commissioner will now be legally required to consider whether that rule would be “burdensome” to the affected industry – but not Hoosiers’ health, livelihoods, or future. In short, SB 277 dismantles Indiana’s system of environmental management and makes enforcement of any remaining environmental protections essentially optional. (Hoosier Environmental Council) Use HEC's online action form to take easy action. Referred to House Environmental Affairs Committee;


HB 1003: Elimination of the Natural Resources Commission. HB 1003 lumps Indiana's Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in with a large number of state government boards and commissions and eliminates them in one fell swoop. HB 1003 runs to 300+ pages, a number of which were being rewritten even as it was being heard in committee. The bill proposes changes to all state agencies and seeks to eliminate multiple statutory boards and commissions, including the NRC. Much of the rationale for these changes was that boards and commissions were no longer needed, rarely met, and often failed to have a quorum to conduct business. None of those reasons applies to the NRC, however, which is instrumental in providing expert guidance and a public forum for natural resource decisions made by Indiana's Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The NRC was created based on the public trust doctrine that governs shared state resources, such as fish, wildlife, protected natural lands, and waters. HEC (Hoosier Environmental Council) staunchly opposes the proposed sunsetting of the NRC on Dec. 31, 2026. Referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure.


Health

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. Referred to House Public Health Committee.


We support:

HB 1335. Nonprofit hospitals. Increases the oversight and accountability for nonprofit hospitals in Indiana. Requires nonprofit hospitals to provide community benefits that exceed the value of their tax exemptions. Mandates that hospitals proactively inform patients about financial assistance and charity care programs. Referred to Senate Health and Provider Services Committee. Heard in committee, but no vote taken.


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. Referred to the House Committee on Public Health.


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. Referred to House Public Health Committee,


SB 225. Hospital matters. Increases oversight of hospital business practices and protects patients from aggressive debt collection. Requires hospitals to provide advance notice of closure (120 days for entire hospital, 90 days for a service, like OBGYN department). Referred to House Public Health Committee. Vote scheduled for 2/10.


SB 144. Tobacco products and vapor products. Prohibits sale of vapor products to individuals under age 21. Referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.


Veterans

We oppose:

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. Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee, It is scheduled for a hearing on 2/10. Read more at Indiana Capital Chronicle.


Other

We support:

HB 1177. Child care assistance. Expands the Indiana's Employer Child Care Expenditure Credit to incentivize more businesses to provide child care benefits. Allows redevelopment commissions to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue to provide financial assistance for the construction or expansion of child care facilities. This turns child care into a piece of local infrastructure, similar to roads or utilities, to attract businesses to specific districts. Referred to the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee where it is scheduled for a hearing 2/10.


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. Referred to House Public Health Committee.


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. Has been referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code.


SB 008. Library budgets. SB 8 turns the final budget approval for public libraries over to the local government rather than the library board if (1) the library is a majority-appointed board (which is most of them), and (2) the library board's proposed budget is 2% higher than the previous budget. This is known as a binding review. Currently, binding reviews are done if the proposed budget is 4% or greater, so SB 8 proposes to cut that in half. SB 8 could lead to a loss of financial independence, funding reductions, and political/partisan volatility. Referred to Senate Ways and Means Committee. * Statement from Eckhart Public Library


Federal Legislation



Enacted, signed into law

This bill funds all federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year (September 30, 2026) except for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS got a two week continuing resolution, aka the ability to operate as they have been, until February 13, 2026.


If no bill to fund DHS has passed both chambers by Feb. 13, then DHS will be "shut down". However, so much money was appropriated for DHS in last year's reconciliation bill, that DHS could continue to operate with little or no interruption. Since the bulk of the money went to ICE, it's certainly possible that parts of DHS like FEMA could cut back or cease operating if no deal is struck by Feb. 13.


It passed in the Senate 71-29, but with changes and so was sent back to the House. The House passed it 217-214; all Indiana representatives voted yea except Reps Mrvan, Carson, and Spartz who voted nay. View the vote.

 

The funding bill passed and signed into law (minus DHS funding) pushed back against Trump’s attempts to dramatically slash funding for the U.S. Department of Education amid a broader push to dismantle the agency. His policy hit a major roadblock this week in the form of bipartisan approval of a spending law that gives the department a small raise. 


The measure funds the department at $79 billion this fiscal year — roughly $217 million more than the agency’s fiscal year 2025 funding levels and a whopping $12 billion above what Trump wanted. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

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