The 2026 legislative session ended last week. While there are always issues I wish we had addressed that we did not, that is true of every session, and I am proud of what we accomplished this year. About 22% of the 742 bills introduced by lawmakers passed, and more than 90% of those that made it to the governor received bipartisan support. More than 50% received unanimous support in the Senate. Some of the most important legislation passed this session includes: Holding utilities accountable if they don’t prioritize and meet certain affordability and reliability standards to help make electricity more affordable; Saving working Hoosiers money by eliminating in 2026 the tax on tips, overtime, and car loans; Sending to voters a constitutional question to potentially allow judges to hold violent and dangerous criminals without bail; Rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in Indiana’s welfare programs. Three additional measures I spearheaded and supported also made it to the governor: Allowing parents to strengthen filters on school-issued devices at home; Giving judges the ability to increase penalties for criminals who disguise their face; and Streamlining pathways to teacher certification for future educators with high subject knowledge. Senate Bill 7, a bill I authored that passed the Senate but failed in the House, would have established a local veto over carbon sequestration projects. While the bill did not pass this year, moving it through one chamber is an important first step. I will continue working with my colleagues in the General Assembly to give local communities a stronger voice on these projects. Sometimes success also means stopping bad ideas. One example was, House Bill 1333 that would have removed local control over large developments like data centers, wind farms, manufacturing plants and industrial solar. I was proud to work with my colleagues to protect the right of our local communities to make such decisions on their own. If you have questions about legislation or thoughts on what we ought to prioritize next year, I encourage you to fill out this “Contact Me” form or to call my office at 800-382-9467.
