ICV Legislative Update – Week of February 2, 2026
Senate Bill 277 is scheduled for a hearing this week, and your state representatives need to hear from you immediately.
We’ve warned that SB 277 might be the most dangerous environmental bill in the General Assembly this session. It strips critical oversight from the experts at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and transfers that power to political appointees. This shift risks leaving our air and water quality in the hands of those who may prioritize special interests over Hoosier health.
The bill is moving through the Indiana House despite bipartisan opposition, and your voice is the missing piece to stop it.
Take Action Now!
Please contact your Representative today. We need a surge of constituent outreach before the committee meets this week to ensure Indiana families are protected from those who would cut corners when it comes to protecting our environment.
BILL UPDATES
You’ll notice a lot fewer bills on our tracking list this week. That’s because we’re more than halfway through this session, and a lot of legislation didn’t make it past the mid-point. If you have questions on these bills, please reply to this email and let us know.
PRIORITY
🛑 OPPOSE: SB 277 Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Amends and makes changes to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management including permitting and rulemaking such as more “burdensome” requirements. It drastically reduces the responsibilities of IDEM, the commissioner, and rule board. It gives the commissioner the option rather than the obligation to respond to the public and be held accountable for issues like water pollution. SB 277 will be heard in the House Environmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, 2/11, at 1:30 pm in Room 156-B. Please contact your Representatives and urge them to oppose SB 277.
ENERGY
✅ SUPPORT: HB 1002 Electric Utility Affordability. The bill establishes a low income energy assistance program and prohibits shutoffs during high heat index days. The bill also includes language to change how utilities file for electric rate increases, sets three performance incentives for utilities to focus on affordability and resiliency, and requires utility transparency on consumer data. We are continuing to watch this bill and any changes as it moves through the process. HB 1002 was passed out of the Senate Utilities Committee on Thursday and was sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
✅ SUPPORT: SB 240 Surplus Interconnection Service. Requires utilities to consider surplus interconnection service in their plans. Sometimes there is extra space for more energy projects on our grid, surplus interconnection service opens opportunities for small projects to get online faster using existing connections. This could help clean energy get online faster. This bill passed out of the House Utilities Committee on Tuesday and is eligible for amendments and a full vote next week.
🛑 OPPOSE: HB 1150 Local Regulations. You may remember this bill from last year (HB 1389 CCR) when it was defeated on the Senate floor, however, it is back. Newly added language in this legislation would eliminate the Thriving Buildings program in the City of Indianapolis and any other local governments trying to address building efficiency. The Thriving Buildings program requires building owners and operators of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet to track and report their utility data to identify ways to reduce energy and water usage, a widely supported local program that takes the burden off tenants and renters. There are even proactive exemptions in place for certain buildings that cannot access this data. This bill passed out of Senate Homeland Security and Transportation on Tuesday and is eligible for amendments on Monday. Sen. Hunley has an amendment to remove this language from the bill. Contact your Senator before Monday, 2/9, to oppose HB 1150.
🛑 OPPOSE: SB 258 Nuclear Facility Permits. Eliminates public hearings on the environmental impact of nuclear facilities in Indiana and any additional IDEM rules authority on the environmental concerns of nuclear facilities. While federal commissions have full authority on nuclear energy and radioactive waste safety, states have the ability to require additional criteria for non-nuclear reasons. This bill passed out of the House Utilities Committee on Tuesday and is eligible for a full House vote on Monday, 2/9.
WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES
✅ SUPPORT: HB 1062 Wake Boarding and Wake Surfing. Establishes responsible restrictions on wake boarding and wake surfing on public freshwater lakes. This could help protect the shorelines, wildlife, and plant life of our public lakes. HB 1062 will be heard in Senate Natural Resources on 2/9 at 10:30am in Room 130.
✅ SUPPORT: SB 6 Extension of Water Services. Requires a public water utility to provide additional public outreach opportunity before condemning land to extend a water or wastewater main. SB 6 passed out of the Senate on 1/13 and has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
✅ SUPPORT: HB 1204 Natural resource entrance fees. Allows counties to add up to a $1 surcharge to certain state park and recreation areas, which can be used for enhancing public safety and implementing water quality improvements. HB 1204 will be heard in Senate Natural Resources on 2/9 at 10:30am in Room 130.
✅ SUPPORT: SB 67 Studies relating to natural lands. Requires the Department of Natural Resources to conduct a study on the effects of public natural lands on public health, fee collection, and disaster mitigation plans. SB 67 has not yet been scheduled for a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee.
😐 NEUTRAL: SB 224 Department of Natural Resources. Amends and makes changes to the Department of Natural Resources. There was originally some concerning language in this that has since been amended out. SB 224 will be heard in House Natural Resources on Wednesday, 2/11, at 8:30 am in Room 156-C.
DEMOCRACY
🛑OPPOSE: SB 12 Prohibition of Ranked Choice Voting. Bans future lawmakers and local governments from adopting “ranked choice voting.” This is a style of election that allows voters to rank all of the potential candidates by order of preference, and many democracy advocates believe that it does a better job of producing winners that have broad popular support. While it would be a major change to Indiana elections, there has never been a serious attempt to pass this alternative voting system here. Still, SB 12 would pre-emptively bar future lawmakers from considering the option, even if such a change had popular support. SB 12 is still eligible for a hearing in House Elections until 2/19.
BILLS WE ARE WATCHING
At times, there may be bills we’re still learning about or that might be important later on in the session, but we haven’t determined yet whether to support, oppose or remain neutral on them. We’ll list that legislation here each week so you’re in the loop on what we’re watching:
👀 HB 1333: Land Use and Development. This bill creates a pathway for 1% of the sales tax savings data center development receives from the state to go to locals. This bill allows local units to ask your name and address at public hearings and give priority to county or city residents. Lastly, there is broad language that allows any development (permitted use) of any type to occur on agricultural land considered of lesser soil quality which was not amended before passage out of the House.
You may have seen the news on HB 1333. After passing out of the House on Monday, questions continued being raised about the broad language in the bill. Sen. Koch, the bill’s Senate sponsor, released a statement Friday: “The permitted use language in House Bill 1333 will not be moving forward.”
We continue to watch bills and will keep you updated and informed throughout the session ahead.
GOOD NEWS SATURDAY
On Friday, we joined sustainability professionals, scholars and advocates from across the state for the Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference (ISRC) in Bloomington. Our Director of Government Affairs, Delaney Barber Kwon, presented an update on this year’s legislative activity at the Statehouse.
ICV highlighted the current policy landscape and the tools Hoosier leaders need to accelerate environmental action. In a year where legislative decisions deeply impact our air, water and energy future, ICV remains committed to strengthening Indiana’s resilience. By connecting with cross-sector leaders at ISRC, we are ensuring that conservation remains at the forefront of Indiana’s growth.
