Statehouse Update 3
Introduction
The General Assembly reconvened on Monday, January 5, to restart the 2026 Legislative Session. This week, the House and Senate continued to introduce legislation, conduct committee activities, and vote on legislation originating from their own chambers. The total number of bills almost tripled this week as legislators worked toward their respective filing deadlines of January 7 (House) and January 9 (Senate).
Legislators have introduced almost 700 bills so far this session, and Ball State’s Government Relations team is tracking over 100 bills with a potential impact to University operations. We will continue to see an increase in the pace of legislative activity in both chambers as legislators work toward their committee report deadlines on January 26. Any bill that does not meet this deadline will be considered dead for this legislative session.
Below is a sample of the bills being followed by Ball State. If you have questions about these or other bills that you may have heard about, please contact the Office of Governmental Relations at gov@bsu.edu.
Introduced Bills
House Bills (HB)
HB 1004 – Various Education Matters: Makes changes to various education provisions concerning the following: (1) Certain school corporation accounting requirements. (2) The “nonpublic school” definition. (3) Recodification and state board of education (state board) transition provisions. (4) The state board’s duties. (5) Powers of the governing bodies of school corporations. (6) Public-private agreements by charter schools for the construction or renovation of schools. (7) Adoption of certain rules by the state board. (8) Department of education’s (department) duties regarding initiatives for teacher recruitment and retention of certain educators. (9) Conditions to be considered a probationary teacher. (10) Regular teacher’s contract requirements for principals and assistant principals. (11) Graduation plan requirements. (12) Instruction on alcoholic beverages, tobacco, prescription drugs, and controlled substances. (13) Recognition program criteria application. (14) Reporting on certain student expenditure information. (15) Excused absences. Relocates a provision regarding certain possession and storage of a firearm educational materials from the department to the department of homeland security. Allows use of temporary teacher contracts for teachers who have been issued an emergency permit. Removes or repeals various education and higher education provisions concerning the following: (1) Expired and expiring provisions. (2) Duties, discretionary actions, and restrictions regarding the department. (3) Posting of certain information by schools. (4) Discretionary display of certain words by qualified districts. (5) Academic receivership. (6) Staff performance evaluations regarding Indianapolis Public Schools. (7) Certain powers of governing bodies of school corporations. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1017 – University Notification of Emergency Contact: Requires each postsecondary educational institution in Indiana and state educational institution to: (1) establish and implement a procedure whereby a student may designate a medical emergency contact for medical emergencies that occur on campus; and (2) if the institution has knowledge of the medical emergency, notify the student's medical emergency contact after the student experiences a medical emergency on campus. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB1039 – Various Immigration Matters: Provides that if a law enforcement officer, governmental body, or postsecondary educational institution is made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of certain acts, the attorney general shall defend the law enforcement officer, governmental body, or postsecondary educational institution throughout the action. Clarifies that the enforcement of federal immigration laws may be carried out by federal, state, or local law enforcement. Removes the mens rea standard in the statute concerning governmental bodies or postsecondary institutions violating the citizenship and immigration status information and enforcement of federal laws chapter. Provides that a governmental body that has the custody of an individual who is the subject of an immigration detainer request shall: (1) provide the judge authorized to grant or deny the individual's release on bail notice that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (2) record in the individual's case file that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (3) comply with the immigration detainer request; and (4) inform the individual that the individual is being held pursuant to an immigration detainer request. Provides immunity to a governmental body or an employee of a governmental body for any action taken concerning an immigration detainer request. Prohibits a political subdivision from taking certain actions to aid, assist, incentivize, or facilitate the migration of any alien or class of aliens into Indiana. Provides that if the attorney general determines that probable cause exists that a governmental entity has not complied with an immigration detention request, the attorney general may bring a court action to: (1) enjoin an act or practice constituting a violation of an immigration detention request; and (2) impose a civil penalty for noncompliance with an immigration detention request. Requires a judge who receives notice that an individual is subject to an immigration detainer request to ensure that the notice of the immigration detainer request is recorded in the court's record. Prohibits an employer from knowingly or intentionally recruiting, hiring, or employing an unauthorized alien. Provides that if the attorney general determines that probable cause exists that an employer has recruited, hired, or employed an unauthorized alien, the attorney general may enjoin the action and seek the suspension of the employer's operating authorizations. Provides that a governmental entity that employs a prosecuting official is entitled to investigative costs and costs in an indecent nuisance action. This bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
HB 1060 – Emergency Medical Services: Exempts state educational institution degree programs primarily focused on emergency medical services from a certain elimination provision. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1071 – Twenty-First Century Scholarship Eligibility: Provides that the commission for higher education may allow a student who does not meet full-time enrollment or credit hour requirements under the twenty-first century scholars program to be eligible or to maintain eligibility for a twenty-first century scholarship award if the student is a student with a disability and meets certain other requirements. Provides that a scholarship may be renewed for the student for the number of academic terms that constitute eight undergraduate academic years. Makes conforming changes. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1099 – Foreign Adversaries: Requires a contract between the state, a state agency, and a political subdivision and a contractor for the provision of certain technological products or services to include a provision requiring the contractor to confirm under penalties of perjury that the contractor and the contractor's subcontractors are not prohibited persons. Prohibits a state educational institution from admitting or enrolling certain foreign students in a qualifying program offered by the state educational institution. Prohibits certain individuals and business entities from acquiring real property located in Indiana. Repeals existing statutes regarding foreign ownership of agricultural land. This bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
HB 1136 – Tuition Caps: Provides that the commission for higher education shall determine a tuition rate and mandatory fee cost of living adjustment for specified postsecondary educational institutions. Requires that, except for cost of living adjustments, the tuition rate and mandatory fees at specified postsecondary educational institutions may not increase from the time the student initially enrolls until the student graduates for an undergraduate student who is an Indiana resident. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1173 – Designated Public Forums: Defines a "designated public forum". Provides that the state or a political subdivision may impose time, place, and manner restrictions on speech in a designated public forum, provided that such restrictions are: (1) justified by a compelling interest of the state or political subdivision; (2) narrowly tailored; (3) administered using the least restrictive means available; and (4) viewpoint neutral. Provides that the state or a political subdivision may not exclude speech: (1) made by a religious or political group, if the speech is consistent with the designated public forum's purpose; or (2) solely because it expresses a religious or political viewpoint. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Local Government.
HB 1278 – Nursing Programs: Allows an institution that has been operating an eligible nursing program for at least five years to increase the enrollment in any eligible nursing program at any rate the institution considers appropriate. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Public Health.
HB 1282 – College Savings Program: Makes various changes to the state's Indiana529 plan to conform to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
HB 1283 – Public Notices: Requires the Indiana office of technology (office) to establish a state public notice website not later than July 1, 2028. Prohibits the office from charging a fee for publishing or viewing notices. Allows a person to satisfy any notice statute by publishing notice in any of the following forms of media: (1) Newspaper, including print edition or electronic edition. (2) Locality newspaper, including print edition or electronic edition. (3) The state public notice website. (4) Political subdivision website. (5) The Hoosier State Press Association public notice website. Requires the Indiana archives and records administration (administration) to establish standards and guidelines and enter into memoranda of understanding with agencies for the transfer and preservation of public notices from the state public notice website to the administration to preserve public notices for historical purposes. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform.
HB 1313 – Education Matters: Prohibits a school corporation, public school, governing body of a school corporation, or state educational institution from spending public funds to: (1) hire or contract with, for the purpose of lobbying a member of the general assembly, a person required to register as a lobbyist; or (2) pay a nonprofit association or organization that: (A) primarily represents school corporations, public schools, governing bodies, or state educational institutions; and (B) hires or contracts with a person required to register as a lobbyist. Provides that a taxpayer or resident of Indiana may bring a civil action for a violation of the prohibited conduct. Provides that a school corporation may not convert a scheduled instructional day to virtual instruction because of the planned or coordinated absence of teachers or other personnel for the purpose of participating in a protest, demonstration, or political advocacy event. Provides that a school corporation that violates this provision is subject to a reduction in state tuition support for each day of violation. Provides that a school employer may not deduct any dues, fee, assessment, or other sum of money from the wages or other earnings of an employee to hold for or pay to a school employee organization. Repeals provisions regarding certain deductions of dues from pay by school employers. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1360 – Access to Public Records: Requires a public agency to establish and maintain an electronic portal for submission of public records requests that: (1) incorporates CAPTCHA or an equivalent mechanism for ensuring that a requestor is a human; (2) requires verification of a requestor's physical address; (3) indicates to the public agency whether the requestor is a resident of Indiana; and (4) automatically logs and reports submissions suspected to be automated or to have originated from known sources of phishing or data scraping. Provides for collection of a supplemental fee for processing public records requests submitted by non-Indiana residents or out-of-state entities. Allows a public agency to give priority in fulfilling public records requests to: (1) Indiana residents; and (2) requests submitted for civic, journalistic, academic, or personal use. Requires public agencies to report to the public access counselor regarding public records requests suspected of being automated, data scraping activity, or phishing activity (suspect public records requests). Provides that the general assembly may establish reasonable and narrowly tailored procedural safeguards to preserve the integrity and availability of public agency resources. Requires the public access counselor to: (1) take specified actions with regard to identifying excessive and suspect public records requests; and (2) include in the public access counselor's annual report: (A) information regarding the volume and nature of public records requests received by public agencies, including information regarding suspect public records requests reported by public agencies; and (B) recommendations to the general assembly regarding statutory or administrative remedies to excessive and suspect public records requests. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform.
HB 1362 – Privacy Protections in Public Institutions: Requires each public school, state educational institution, correctional facility, juvenile detention facility, and certain governmental entities to designate a multiple occupancy restroom or changing area as follows: (1) For the exclusive use of the male sex. (2) For the exclusive use of the female sex. Provides, with exceptions, that an individual may only use a multiple occupancy restroom or changing area that is designated for the sex that is the individual's sex, as determined at birth in accordance with the individual's genetics and reproductive biology. Establishes a civil action for a violation of these provisions. Prohibits each public school, correctional facility, state educational institution, juvenile detention facility, and certain governmental entities from requiring certain individuals to share sleeping quarters with a member of the opposite sex, as determined at birth in accordance with the individual's genetics and reproductive biology, unless the individual who is a member of the opposite sex is a family member. Establishes a civil action for a violation of these provisions. This bill was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
HB 1383 – Military Health Care Personnel Pathways: Provides that an institution may develop academic career pathways and integrated academic bridge programs (program) for military health care personnel that are designed to enable current and former military health care personnel to achieve credentialing outcomes in reduced time. Creates program parameters and requirements. Requires a participating institution to submit certain program information to the legislative council. Requires an institution that participates in a program to coordinate with the United States Department of Labor and the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs. Provides that the Indiana professional licensing agency shall collaborate with participating institutions to integrate academic career pathways and academic bridge programs for military health care personnel into the agency’s licensure requirements. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1388 – Initial Practitioner License: Provides that certain teaching examinations are waived for an individual who is a graduate of a teacher preparation program, unless the individual fails to obtain a teaching license within three (3) years of graduation. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1408 – Education Matters: Includes the general assembly in the list of state entities to whom the management performance hub (MPH) must make available certain government information. Provides that the MPH's annual data product: (1) must include certain sources of information; (2) must be made available to the general assembly; and (3) provided to the general assembly must not contain personal information. Amends the definition of workforce focused agency to include the state workforce development board. Provides that certain workforce related programs include apprenticeship programs, unless the apprenticeship program receives certain funding. Provides that the state workforce development board is considered to be an agent of a workforce focused agency and is an authorized receiver of government information. Requires a regional representative appointed to the Ivy Tech Community College state board of trustees (state board of trustees) to serve as a member of the Ivy Tech Community College campus board (campus board) for the region the member represents. Requires each Ivy Tech Community College campus to: (1) review building utilization data prior to approving capital requests or requests for proposal; (2) annually report certain program and student metrics to the campus board; (3) conduct an annual analysis of market labor outcomes; and (4) prepare a campus strategic plan. Requires each campus board executive committee to conduct an annual performance review of the Ivy Tech Community College campus chancellor (campus chancellor) in executive session using evaluation tools approved by the state board of trustees. Provides that a campus chancellor's annual performance based bonus may not exceed 20% of the chancellor's base salary and must be based on measurable outcomes. Creates a process for filling the position of a campus chancellor when a vacancy occurs. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1418 – Teacher Licensing Requirements: Provides that certain individuals seeking an initial practitioner license are exempt from certain licensing requirements. This bill was referred to the House Education Committee.
HB 1422 – Immigration Matters: Requires certain state agencies to give hiring preference to an individual who is a citizen or national of the United States over another individual who is an alien if the two individuals are equally qualified. Provides that the state agencies may not sponsor an individual for a new H-1B visa after July 1, 2026, unless certain information is submitted to the attorney general and the attorney general approves the state agency sponsoring the individual. Requires the state agencies to prepare and submit a report that includes certain information regarding each employee the state agency sponsored for a new H-1B visa during the immediately preceding state fiscal year. Requires the attorney general to post the reports on its website. Prohibits the state or a political subdivision from directly or indirectly funding services related to an immigration proceeding to an individual with unlawful status or to an entity that is a party to a legal action for the purpose of challenging, obstructing, or delaying the enforcement of certain federal immigration laws. Provides a private right of action for a violation of this prohibition. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform.
Senate Bills (SB)
SB 122 – Various Immigration Matters: Provides that if a law enforcement officer, governmental body, or postsecondary educational institution is made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of certain acts, the attorney general shall defend the law enforcement officer, governmental body, or postsecondary educational institution throughout the action. Clarifies that the enforcement of federal immigration laws may be carried out by federal, state, or local law enforcement. Removes the mens rea standard in the statute concerning governmental bodies or postsecondary institutions violating the citizenship and immigration status information and enforcement of federal laws chapter. Provides that a governmental body that has the custody of an individual who is the subject of an immigration detainer request shall: (1) provide the judge authorized to grant or deny the individual's release on bail notice that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (2) record in the individual's case file that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (3) comply with the immigration detainer request; and (4) inform the individual that the individual is being held pursuant to an immigration detainer request. Provides immunity to a governmental body or an employee of a governmental body for any action taken concerning an immigration detainer request. Prohibits a political subdivision from taking certain actions to aid, assist, incentivize, or facilitate the migration of any alien or class of aliens into Indiana. Provides that if the attorney general determines that probable cause exists that a governmental entity has not complied with an immigration detention request, the attorney general may bring a court action to: (1) enjoin an act or practice constituting a violation of an immigration detention request; and (2) impose a civil penalty for noncompliance with an immigration detention request. Requires a judge who receives notice that an individual is subject to an immigration detainer request to ensure that the notice of the immigration detainer request is recorded in the court's record. Prohibits an employer from knowingly or intentionally recruiting, hiring, or employing an unauthorized alien. Provides that if the attorney general determines that probable cause exists that an employer has recruited, hired, or employed an unauthorized alien, the attorney general may enjoin the action and seek the suspension of the employer's operating authorizations. Provides that a governmental entity that employs a prosecuting official is entitled to investigative costs and costs in an indecent nuisance action. This bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 161 – Education Matters: Requires the Indiana department of education to elect to participate as a covered state in the federal tax credit scholarship program for elementary and secondary education under Section 25F of the Internal Revenue Code (enacted in Public Law 119-21, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025). Makes conforming changes to the school scholarship tax credit in current law. Requires the commission for higher education to adopt rules that prohibit certain funding from being allocated or expended, directly or indirectly, to low earning outcome degree programs. Requires the department of workforce development to: (1) establish a process to identify and approve eligible workforce training programs; (2) establish a process for institutions and programs to apply for recognition as an eligible workforce training program; (3) coordinate certain workforce training matters; and (4) require eligible workforce training programs to provide certain datasets to the department. Provides that the department of workforce development must maintain alignment with federal rules governing workforce Pell grants. This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
SB 204 – Various Education Matters: Removes a requirement that department of education (department) approved accreditors for teacher preparation programs be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Changes certain reporting requirements for teacher preparation program admission practices. Provides that an individual who has obtained a license to teach in a charter school may be eligible to obtain an initial practitioner license under certain conditions. Removes a requirement that an individual must hold a bachelor's degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics as a component of certain pathways to receive an initial practitioner license. Provides that academic needs based salary increases may not: (1) apply to all eligible teachers in a bargaining unit uniformly; or (2) be based on certain other factors. Repeals the: (1) state educational institution (institution) annual report to the legislative council (council) and commission for higher education (commission) concerning financial aid; (2) commission report to the general assembly concerning certain institution information; (3) commission report to the council and budget committee concerning student enrollment rates; (4) student athlete cardiac arrest chapter; and (5) Ivy Tech Community College report to the budget committee concerning campus information. Expires certain physical facilities reporting requirements on June 30, 2029. Provides that if the commission does not grant approval for the continuance of a degree program, an institution must: (1) not later than six months after the commission's decision, end enrollment of students into the degree program; and (2) provide students enrolled in the degree program with the opportunity to finish their degree. Changes the reporting of disclosable gifts to January 31 and July 31 of a given year (current law requires disclosure on January 1 and July 1 of a given year). Changes certain amounts concerning construction, land purchases, and repair and rehabilitation by an institution to $3,000,000, adjusted for inflation. Removes certain employee information from the annual institution report to the budget committee. Voids a provision in the Indiana Administrative Code. This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
SB 254 – Ivy Tech Community College: Consolidates duties and responsibilities for Ivy Tech Community College (college). Includes logistics, information technology, and life sciences as areas of expertise for members of the college's board of trustees (board). Provides that members of a campus board may represent an employer that operates within the campus service area. Provides that the campus board, in collaboration with the campus chancellor, shall nominate and submit candidate names in the event of a campus board vacancy. Requires the campus board to: (1) develop and recommend certain plans to the board; and (2) make certain budget recommendations to the campus chancellor. Realigns and consolidates the primary purposes of the college. Consolidates duties and responsibilities for the board. Repeals certain sections. This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development.
Bills that Moved
HB 1024 – Veterinary Student Loan Repayment Program: Establishes the veterinary medicine student loan repayment program (program) and the veterinary medicine student loan repayment fund (fund). Provides that the Indiana state board of animal health shall administer the program and the fund. This bill passed out of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (Yeas: 10, Nays: 0) and has been recommitted to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.
HB 1266 – Department of Education and Education Matters: Makes various changes to education provisions concerning the following: (1) Schools eligible for grants from the Indiana secured school fund, teacher appreciation grants, grants under the robotics competition program, and funding for certain advanced placement examinations. (2) Creating and updating a list of employers that have agreed to provide career support for or interview Indiana residents who graduate with an Indiana diploma with an employment honors plus seal. (3) Creating a teaching and learning framework for the implementation of mathematics academic standards. (4) Development of a data science math pathway. (5) Establishing a process and strategies to support academic and fiscally underperforming schools, development of a plan to intervene, and submission of the process and plan to the general assembly. (6) Evaluating, approving, and publishing high quality curricular materials time lines. (7) Local board membership for a local centralized school facilities board and local student transportation board. (8) Salary differentiation regarding teachers who possess a literacy endorsement. (9) Amounts expended in participating in an interlocal cooperative included in determining amounts school corporations expend on full-time teacher salaries for purposes of teacher salary minimum funding requirements. (10) Summer school program and reimbursement administration. (11) Criteria required for eligibility of a waiver for conducting four day school weeks. (12) Oversight of career and technical education program designation. (13) Uses of teacher appreciation grants. (14) The calculation of school safety referendum distributions to charter schools with regard to virtual instruction. (15) Petitions regarding reconsidering payments of choice scholarships. (16) Eligibility for teacher appreciation grants by the department of correction. (17) Membership of the board for proprietary education. (18) The effective date regarding the changes to the definition of "eligible choice scholarship student". Provides that an emergency permit may be granted up to two times to an individual enrolled in an alternative teacher certification program if the program provides documentation verifying the individual's good standing in the program to the department of education. Creates a new qualification option for a transition to teaching program participant who seeks to obtain a license to teach in grades 5 through 12. Joins the interstate teacher mobility compact. Provides that: (1) state accredited nonpublic schools; and (2) nonpublic schools that are accredited by a national or regional accreditation agency that is recognized by the state board of education; are eligible to participate in the teacher residency grant pilot program. Removes a provision that provides that the department may not release less than 10 items per subject matter level per grade level regarding the statewide summative assessment. Removes a requirement that for a parent or student to use a career scholarship account (CSA) annual grant amount for costs related to transportation a CSA participating entity must pay a matching amount for the transportation costs. Repeals the chapter concerning the commission for higher education and postsecondary career and technical education. This bill passed the House Education Committee (Yeas: 10, Nays: 0).
SB 76 – Immigration Matters: Provides that if a certain law enforcement officer, governmental body, or postsecondary educational institution is made a party to a civil suit and the attorney general determines that the suit has arisen out of certain acts, the attorney general may defend the law enforcement officer, the governmental body, or the postsecondary educational institution throughout the action and shall defend such entities if required by statute. Provides that the prohibition on governmental bodies or postsecondary 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. Removes the mens rea standard in the statute concerning governmental entities or postsecondary institutions violating the citizenship and immigration status information and enforcement of federal laws chapter. Provides that a governmental body that has the custody of an individual who is the subject of an immigration detainer request shall: (1) provide the judge authorized to grant or deny the individual's release on bail notice that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (2) record in the individual's case file that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request; (3) comply with the immigration detainer request; and (4) inform the individual that the individual is being held pursuant to an immigration detainer request. Requires a judge who receives notice that an individual is subject to an immigration detainer request to ensure that the notice of the immigration detainer request is recorded in the court's record. Prohibits an employer from recklessly or intentionally hiring or employing an unauthorized alien. Requires the department of correction to adopt minimum standards for county jails to ensure proper cooperation between a jail and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including enforcement of statutory requirements concerning immigration detainers. Requires the office of the secretary to submit a report to the legislative council concerning certain information. Provides that if the attorney general, an agency, or a law enforcement agency determines that probable cause exists that an employer has hired or employed an unauthorized alien the agency, attorney general, or law enforcement agency shall provide notice to the United States Department of Homeland Security and the commissioner of labor. Provides that a governmental entity that employs a prosecuting official is entitled to investigative costs and costs in an indecent nuisance action. This bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee (Yeas: 6, Nays: 2) and is scheduled for second reading amendments on the Senate floor.
SB 199 – Various Education Matters: Makes changes to the composition of the case review panel established by an interscholastic athletic association. Requires the secretary of education, not later than December 1, 2026, to identify key metrics and activities concerning civic literacy and to submit the information to the general assembly. Requires the secretary of education, not later than December 1, 2026, to identify and make certain recommendations concerning paid leave for employees following certain events and to submit the findings to the general assembly. Provides that a school in which fewer than an average of 75% of the students over the course of three consecutive years achieved a valid passing score on the determinant evaluation of reading skills approved by the state board of education must comply with certain requirements. Provides that the department of education shall determine the number of grant awards under the Indiana education scholarship account program and the career scholarship account program, and specifies the amounts to cover administrative costs for each program. Requires the commission for higher education, not later than December 1, 2026, to evaluate accrediting agencies of state educational institutions and to report the commission's findings and recommendations to the general assembly. Provides that a social media service may not allow an Indiana resident who is an adolescent to hold an account with the social media service unless the social media service receives written consent to the adolescent's use of the social media service from the adolescent's parent or guardian. Provides that a social media service may not allow an Indiana resident who is a child to hold an account with the social medial service. Requires a social media service to configure the account of a registered user that the social media service knows, or reasonably should know, is: (1) an adolescent; and (2) an Indiana resident; in a specified manner. Provides that a social media service that violates these provisions is subject to: (1) an enforcement action by the attorney general; and (2) a civil action by the parent or guardian of the child or adolescent with regard to whom the violation pertains. Provides for restrictions on the retention, use, and collection of personal information for purposes of age verification by a social media service and provides that a social media service is subject to a civil action by an individual with regard to whom the social media service violates the restrictions. This bill was heard (testimony only) and then held in the Senate Education and Career Development Committee.
Looking Ahead
The General Assembly is scheduled to return on Monday, January 12, to resume legislative activities for the 2026 Legislative Session. On Wednesday, January 14, Chief Justice Rush will deliver the State of the Judiciary and, later that evening, Governor Braun will outline his priorities during his State of the State address. Our office will continue to monitor events and provide updates throughout the session.
