2025 Week 3 Statehouse Report
Week 3 of the 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly is now complete. Over 1,200 separate pieces of legislation have been filed, which now include the much anticipated HB1001, otherwise known as the biennial budget bill. Make sure you keep up to date with legislation we’re tracking on our 2025 Indiana General Assembly page.
This week was truly nuclear, with all three bills that put the wallets of Hoosier ratepayers on the hook for “project development costs” related to small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) being heard in their respective committees. Tuesday, we attended the House Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunications Committee, where they heard and amended House Bill 1007, a priority bill for the House Republicans. In addition to forcing ratepayers to involuntarily finance extremely expensive and risky SMRs, even if the utility cancels the project, HB1007 also puts Hoosier taxpayers on the hook by providing a generous tax credit for the manufacture of SMRs in Indiana. We testified in opposition to the bill. Watch Kerwin Olson’s powerful testimony here. The House Utilities Committee will hear an amendment to HB1007 and vote on the bill next week. The Indiana Capital Chronicle and WRTV6 provided excellent coverage of the hearing. Please take action on these bills!
That same day we took part in Renewable Energy Day, hosted by Solar United Neighbors and a number of partner organizations, including CAC, working to advance cleaner, cheaper energy. A number of legislators joined us throughout the day and many in attendance met with a number of legislators to advocate for public policies to advance and encourage clean energy in Indiana.
On Thursday, the Senate Utilities Committee heard, amended, and passed Senate Bill 423 and Senate Bill 424. Like HB1007, both Senate bills put captive ratepayers on the hook for “project development costs” related to SMRs, even if those projects never happen. Additionally, SB423 establishes the small modular nuclear reactor partnership pilot program, authorizing a utility to partner with multiple entities to petition the IURC for approval of a pilot program to invest in SMRs. CAC opposed SB423 which passed 10-1 (official vote tally not yet posted). We also opposed SB424 which passed 8-3 (official vote tally not yet posted). Coverage of the Senate hearing was provided by Indiana Public Media.
You can take immediate action here on three excellent bills designed to protect consumers, especially low-income households, and hold the monopoly utilities accountable. And please also act now on two awesome Community Solar bills here. CAC strongly supports those pro-consumer bills and we urge you to make voice heard and help us get those bills a hearing.
Items upcoming this week
Two bills that propose to make numerous changes to HEA1209, the Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) bill pushed through by BP in 2022, will be heard next week. SB457 will be heard on Monday in Senate Natural Resources and HB1579 will be heard on Tuesday in House Utilities. The Senate Elections Committee will also meet Monday to consider SB10, which prohibits university students from using their university identification to vote. As always, we’ll be watching any and all bills that have a hand in our democratic process this year.
We’ll be updating regularly throughout Week 4 of the legislature. Follow our social media for an up-to-date detailing of our work at the Indiana State Capitol - Facebook, X and Instagram.
Respectfully submitted,
The CAC Team
