ICV Legislative Update – Week of January 19, 2026
We’re going to start with the most important action opportunity on our radar: Senate Bill 277.
As currently drafted, this bill includes dozens of problematic provisions that would significantly undermine the regulatory authority of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. By weakening oversight and reducing accountability, these measures pose a serious threat to our state’s air and water at a time when Indiana ranks last in the nation for pollution and natural environment.
Next week is the last week for bills to make it out of their first chamber before the midpoint deadline. The bill will be eligible for second reading amendments on Monday, and we need to make sure lawmakers hear your concerns before Senators hear it on the floor. We will be advocating for essential amendments to remove high-risk clauses that prioritize polluters’ interests over public health and environmental safety. However, be on the lookout for any updates on this bill as it moves through the process next week.
WATER STEWARDSHIP DAY
Please join Indiana Conservation Voters and our partners on Monday, Feb. 9, for a day of water advocacy and action at the Statehouse.
During Water Stewardship Day, you’ll:
- Meet with lawmakers to share why water protection matters to you and your community
- Hear from scientists, conservation experts and local leaders who are working on real solutions
- Participate in hands-on activities to learn how policy and personal stewardship go hand in hand
A complimentary lunch will be provided, and everyone who cares about the future of clean water in our state is welcome! RSVP today!
BILL UPDATES
We’re still tracking a lot of legislation, which will continue until the mid-point of the session, when bills that don’t cross over to the other chamber are no longer viable. If you have questions on these bills, please reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind.
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. The Senate Committee on Appropriations voted to pass SB 277 out of committee and will likely advance to second reading. Please contact your Senators and urge them to oppose SB 277.
ENERGY
✅ SUPPORT: HB 1002 Electric Utility Affordability. This bill was amended on Tuesday to fix some stakeholder concerns and change the summer shutoff protections for LIHEAP customers to prohibit shutoffs from June 1 through September 23. These amendments have changed our position to support. The bill establishes a low income energy assistance program. 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. This bill is eligible for second reading amendments on Monday, 1/26.
✅ 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 Senate on 1/22 and has been referred to the House with sponsor Rep. Soliday.
🛑 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 Senate on 1/22 and has been referred to the House with sponsor Rep. Soliday.
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. HB1062 passed out of the House on 1/22 and has been referred to the Senate with sponsor Sen. Glick.
✅ 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 been referred to the House with sponsors Reps. Slager, Olthoff and Aylesworth.
✅ 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 passed out of committee and recommitted to Ways and Means but has not been heard yet. Its last chance is Monday, 1/26.
✅ 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 passed second reading on 1/22 and will be up for third reading next week.
😐 NEUTRAL: HB 1414: Forest Management. Requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish state forest entrance fees and investigate other revenue sources to fund management practices. Also sets requirements for maintaining populations of juvenile and old-growth trees. We feel it needs some tweaking. HB 1414 passed out of committee and was recommitted to Ways and Means.
🛑 OPPOSE: HB 1416 Preemption of Local Regulation. For the entirety of nine different titles (subject matters) in Indiana Code, bans municipalities or counties from adopting or operating local rules unless permitted by state law. This includes Title 14, which includes anything relating to Natural and Cultural Resources.
🛑 OPPOSE: SB 237 PFAS Chemicals. Contains an industry-written definition of these harmful chemicals that would exclude many of the most commonly used PFAS chemicals from any future regulations, including testing, communication of risk, and more important tasks.
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 such a change had popular support. SB 12 passed its third reading vote this week and is on the way to the House.
🛑 OPPOSE: HB 1096 Various Election Matters. Would require voters to declare a political affiliation in order to vote in Indiana’s primary election. Historically, Indiana has had open primaries allowing all eligible voters to select which party’s primary they will vote in. This allows independents and voters without a deep party affiliation to vote for the primary candidate that they feel best represents them. Because many Hoosiers live in districts that are “safe” for one party or another, the party primary is often their only real opportunity to vote for a candidate. HB 1096 has been assigned to the House Elections Committee.
🛑 OPPOSE: SB 267 Influence Campaign Reports. While we support the author’s intention of bringing transparency to legislative influence campaigns in Indiana, this misses the mark by being too broad and crossing the line into stifling activities that are protected by the First Amendment. It could subject ordinary citizen advocates to reporting requirements that exceed those of highly paid lobbyists, and creates a serious regulatory burden for the ILRC, who testified in opposition to it. Finally, ICV is concerned about the author’s use of conspiratorial language about paid protestors. If members of the general assembly have noticed large grassroots mobilizations at the statehouse, that is because there is real, organic interest among voters in the controversial proposals they continually take up. SB267 is likely to be heard on second reading in the Indiana Senate next week.
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:
SB 224: Department of Natural Resources. Amends and makes changes to the Department of Natural Resources. SB 224 is schedule to be heard again and amended in Senate Natural Resources Committee on Monday, 1/26.
👀 HB 1333: Land Use and Development.This bill was amended on Tuesday to remove the industrial projects from participating in energy production zones. It reinstated the data center sales tax exemptions, but it now creates a pathway for 1% of the savings to go to locals. Lastly, there is broad language that allows any development of any type to occur on agricultural land considered of lesser soil quality. HB 1333 passed out of House Utilities on Tuesday and will be heard in the House Ways and Means committee on Monday at 8:30 a.m. in Room 404.
RATEPAYER RELIEF UPDATE
This week, we kicked off a campaign to make sure lawmakers hear widespread support for ratepayer relief, especially given that some of the proposals circulating this session would continue the state’s reliance on fossil fuels and embrace untested, expensive solutions instead of lower-cost, cleaner energy sources.
If you haven’t already sent a message to your elected officials, please take 30 seconds to do so today!
GOOD NEWS SATURDAY
Earlier this week, hundreds of advocates, community leaders and business owners from across Indiana gathered at the Indiana Statehouse for Renewable Energy Day 2026.
Participants spent the day meeting with legislators to advocate for a homegrown energy future that includes community energy and plug-in solar. The event highlights the growing demand for renewable options that offer Hoosiers greater energy freedom—the ability to generate their own power—while ensuring the state’s grid remains reliable and costs remain affordable.
Thanks to everyone who came to the Statehouse to celebrate clean energy!
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 28: Democracy Day (League Day at the Statehouse)
February 3: Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter Conservation Day at the Statehouse
February 6: Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference (ISRC)
February 8: Sierra Club Legislative Type-In at Indy Type Shop
February 9: 2026 Water Stewardship Day
Know of an upcoming event you think we should include in our weekly emails? Reply to this message with the details!
