ICV Legislative Update – Week of February 23, 2026
We made it! Last night, Indiana lawmakers adjourned sine die—the Latin term for “indefinitely”—after eight weeks.
We’ll dive deep into the bills that made it across the finish line below, but here’s a quick rundown of what went well and what we wish had gone differently.
THE GOOD
- Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1002, which included many affordability policies outlined in the Help Hoosiers Now: Ratepayer Relief Plan we released with Citizens Action Coalition in December. Read our statement here.
- House Bill 1359, which included late-added language to reduce Indiana’s early voting period by almost half, did not advance.
- Senate Bill 237, which would have severely narrowed the number of toxic PFAS chemicals Indiana would consider in future regulations, outreach, and more, did not advance. The language was added to Senate Bill 277, but it was removed.
- House Bill 1062, which establishes responsible restrictions on wake boarding and wake surfing on public freshwater lakes passed out of the Senate and is headed to the Governor’s desk!
THE BAD
- Senate Bill 277, which would reduce the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s oversight and responsibilities passed the Senate by a very narrow margin. It’s a slightly better bill than it was at its worst moment, thanks to a few second reading amendments in the House that included removing the bad PFAS language, but it will still leave our state with fewer protections for our air and water.“A divisive bill to deregulate environmental protections in the state almost didn’t pass. On the last vote on the night in the Senate, the running tally on the vote board for Senate Bill 277 was 22 for and 25 against.To save the GOP bill, four Republicans changed their no votes to yes, giving it a 26-21 victory.” – Indiana Capital Chronicle
THE UNCERTAIN
- Next week, we’ll have a final rundown of bills we’ve been watching that made it all the way through the legislative process this year. Once a bill reaches Gov. Braun’s desk, he has seven days to sign or veto it or let it become law without his signature. You can track the Governor’s action on 2026 bills here.Thank you for all that you did this session—and last year during the unsuccessful push for mid-decade redistricting. You called and emailed and came to the Statehouse to share your stories, and we are so proud of all that we were able to accomplish!
GOOD NEWS SATURDAY
Our 2026 Water Stewardship Day at the Indiana Statehouse earlier this month was a resounding success, bringing together hundreds of advocates, scientists and community leaders to stand up for Indiana’s most precious resource.
We’ve compiled a photo album capturing these moments of connection and advocacy, showcasing the diverse coalition of Hoosiers who are committed to protecting our waterways from pollution and regulatory rollbacks.
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 7: From Burden to Belonging – A Community Conversation on Cost, Energy, and Care (Jeffersonville)
March 11: Solar Siting Happy Hour (Lafayette)
March 21: From Burden to Belonging – A Community Conversation on Cost, Energy, and Care (Evansville)
