Legislative Calls to Action -- Feb 3, 2026
- jleewoerner
- 5 hours ago
- 10 min read
Contact your Legislator: IGA | Find Your Legislator
Information from Mad Voters. Refer to Mad Voters Bill tracker for most up-to-date information. BILL TRACKER | MADVoters
For the calendar of the Indiana Legislature go to IGA | Home and click on Calendars and Schedules
Indiana Legislature
Immigration Policy
While some of these bills failed, similar language may reappear later this session as an amendment or be reintroduced in a future session.
SB 76: Immigration Matters, authored by Sen. Liz Brown, Sen. Chris Garten, Sen. Tyler Johnson Status: Passed out of Senate
HB 1039: Various Immigration Matters, authored by Rep. J.D. Prescott Status: Failed
SB 122: Various Immigration Matters, authored by Sen. Eric Koch, Sen. Chris Garten, Sen. Ryan Mishler Status: Failed
Together, these bills would expand immigration enforcement in Indiana by tightening “sanctuary” restrictions, mandating cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), blurring the lines of state and local enforcement, and escalating penalties for anyone who doesn’t comply. All three bills push public institutions (including law enforcement, local government, and public colleges) toward broader cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including treating ICE detainers like mandatory holds rather than requests. Even U.S. citizens who present a passport or birth certificate could face prolonged detention while their citizenship is verified if they are subject to a detainer request.
These bills also give broad power to the attorney general, requiring the use of taxpayer dollars to defend government institutions, including law enforcement and public colleges, if they are sued for immigration enforcement. It prohibits these institutions from restricting immigration enforcement regardless of who is carrying it out – even though schools have typically been considered “sensitive locations” that are off limits.
These bills duplicate existing law that prohibits businesses from employing undocumented immigrants – in some cases requiring them to use the error-prone E-verify system. If passed, these provisions could cause authorized workers to lose job opportunities and result in discrimination.
HB 1039 and SB 122 go even further. They would prohibit cities, counties, and other levels of government from using any resources to “aid, assist, incentivize, or facilitate” migration of any non-citizen, with a few narrow exceptions – harming both people seeking to come here for a better life and the communities who benefit from their contributions. Businesses could also trigger extreme financial penalties and even loss of licenses, turning hiring into a high-stakes legal trap. These bills also expand immigration-status data collection and reporting tied to programs like Medicaid and health care, effectively turning benefits and basic health services into immigration surveillance points.
We strongly oppose these bills because they increase the risk of unlawful detention through detainer mandates, undermine privacy and trust in schools and community institutions, expand sensitive data collection in ways that could deter people from seeking care, and would likely fuel discrimination and racial profiling. They would also expose agencies, schools, and employers to extreme legal and financial liability. Instead of addressing real local and state needs, these bills paint immigrant Hoosiers as a problem, instead of recognizing them as the essential members of our schools, workplaces, and communities that they are.
More Bills to Watch
From NWI Indivisible and MADvoters
SB 182 - Oppose
By denying transgender and gender-diverse Hoosiers the ability to amend their birth certificates, SB182 would further increase their risk of harassment, discrimination, and violence, while serving no legitimate public interest. This bill works directly against public safety. It invites discrimination, imposes unnecessary hardship, and targets an entire community that has done nothing wrong. Its impact would be especially devastating for transgender and gender-diverse students, many of whom would effectively be barred from using toilets at school if this bill becomes law.
HB 1036 - Support
Children in need services. Requires DCS to conduct an in-person assessment before closing an investigation involving a child who the department has reason to believe is a child in need of services (CHINS). That is, a situation where a minor faces abuse, neglect, abandonment, or poses a danger to themselves, and their parents can’t or won’t provide necessary care like food, shelter, medical help, or supervision. Final vote in House scheduled for 2-2. Contact your representative. HB 1065. Ban on gratuities for public officials. Bans bribes and rewards over $100 to public officials for performing a service. Contact your representative.
HB 1177 - Support
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. Final vote in House scheduled for 2-2. Contact your representative.
HB 1176 - Oppose
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 Senate Education and Career Development Committee.
SB 1 - Oppose
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” disenrollment, 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 to House Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Rep. Jeff Thompson: h28@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9651. Contact your representative.
SB 88 - Oppose
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.
SB 200 - Oppose
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, Chairman Rep. Bob Behning: h91@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9753. Hearing scheduled for 2/4.
SB 239 - Oppose
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.
SB 277 - Oppose
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.
SB-236 - Oppose
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, Chairman Rep. Brad Barrett: h56@iga.in.gov, 317-232-9695 *Abortion-inducing drug ban’s lawsuit, reporting provisions take heat
SB 285 - Oppose
Housing Matters. 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. To find and contact your Indiana legislators: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/
Federal
From Indivisible National
The Senate voted to pass a package of five funding bills plus a temporary, continuing resolution that would fund DHS for two weeks. There’s a lot to unpack, but here’s what you need to know right now: Democrats are finally taking this fight seriously, but we need them to hold the line. We cannot settle for empty reforms while ICE and CBP terrorize our communities, violate our constitutional rights, and kill innocent people. Democrats have the leverage to demand real restrictions on ICE and CBP, and they have two weeks to get the job done.
Ready to take action?
We dive into the policy weeds and our demands below, but if you’re ready to take action, call your senators today. Use our updated call scripts to demand they fight for a bill that will actually protect our communities from ICE’s brutality and lawlessness. Call Your Senators.
The timeline and the wonky details
Thursday The DHS bill that included more money for ICE, was packaged with five other bills funding other parts of the government like the Treasury Department and Health and Human Services. Democrats demanded that the funding package be split so the DHS bill could be renegotiated. Republicans refused, so on Thursday, Democrats blocked that funding package altogether. Friday Eventually, Republicans agreed to split the package, but as part of the deal, Democrats voted for a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund DHS for two weeks. This will keep ICE and CBP operating as they are. That is bad, full stop. Every day these agencies are funded is another day they can continue to terrorize our communities. This is an all-hands-on-deck crisis.
The two-week funding deal passed by the Senate needs to be voted on in the House. While we wait for the House to return to DC, the government is technically in a partial shutdown this weekend, but this shutdown won’t impact food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC, or Social Security payments, Medicare, and Medicaid.
What comes next Republicans are on the backfoot
On Monday, when the House returns to DC, our intel is that this package will sail through. Then, our two week DHS countdown is on. In these two weeks, Democrats have an opportunity -- and a moral duty -- to press their advantage and not offer the GOP a single offramp. That means drawing firm red lines and conditioning their votes on real, ironclad restrictions on ICE and CBP.
Our demands Many of the proposals we've seen floated on the Hill don’t do enough to protect our communities from ICE and Border Patrol. We need ICE and CBP out of our communities, real accountability for abuses, and clear guardrails to stop raids, profiling, and the occupation of our cities. At minimum, your senators should vote no on any DHS funding bill unless it:
Denies the Trump regime’s demands for increased DHS funding.
Strengthens restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol’s ability to conduct dragnet arrest operations and target people based on their race, language or accent, or place of employment.
Stops ICE or Border patrol enforcement at houses of worship, schools, day cares, and hospitals.
Stops ICE or Border Patrol from enacting family detentions or increasing private detentions.
Ends Border Patrol deployment to our cities and rejects its ever-expanding mandate in immigration enforcement.
How to take action
Over the last few weeks, the public has made it overwhelmingly clear that they oppose ICE and CBP’s reign of terror and want to see Congress fight back. Now, Republicans are retreating, and Democrats are starting to find their spines. Our organized outrage is working. But we cannot let up now and we cannot let Democrats settle for empty reforms. To secure real restrictions on ICE and CBP that will actually protect our communities, we need to keep up the pressure on Congress.
1️⃣ Call your senators today. Use our updated call scripts to demand they vote no on any bill that gives ICE more money for their brutality or does not include serious restrictions to rein them in.
2️⃣ Email all of your Members of Congress here and demand the same.
3️⃣ Read and share our full explainer. For more information and more ways you can take action online and in your communities, check out our full explainer.
