2025 Indiana General Assembly 

The Legislative Session is slowly coming to an end, and there is only one week left for committees to hear bills that made their way back across the hallway to their originating chamber.

House Utilities finally heard Senate Bill 423, Small modular nuclear reactor pilot program. This is part of the trio of bills that includes the egregious tracker forcing ratepayers to pay for “project development costs” associated with SMRs, before the utility files for approval and even if they never file for approval and cancel the project.

SB423 as it was introduced would have authorized the approval of two SMR pilot projects. However, the language limiting approval was removed in House committee, effectively eliminating the intent of the legislation. CAC opposed the bill once again. The bill was held. 

We were ready for another hearing of the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee to learn what would occur with House Bill 1037, which paves the way for further no-more-stringent-than policy in Indiana, barring locals from stormwater management that exceeds the bar set by existing state and federal standards, but it was canceled at the last moment. We testified in opposition to HB1037 and there are a slew of amendments in the works. This bill is at the behest of the Indiana Builders Association, a special interest group dedicated to deregulation. We will see what happens next week as it remains on the schedule again.

We testified in support of Senate Bill 193 this week in the House Environmental Affairs Committee. SB193 codifies enhanced oversight for Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs). Sen. Rick Niemeyer (R-Lowell) cited the effects endured by Hoosiers living near and downwind of CFOs, including the constant smell and olfactory harassment of large feeding lots. The bill passed unanimously and will face further action on the House floor this coming week.

We echo our colleagues at the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute who call us to action with their update: 

We were devastated to see that LIHEAP (energy assistance) staffing has been decimated at the federal level. This program is vital to so many Hoosiers across Indiana, especially with rising energy costs. Please let federal lawmakers know how much this program means to you and your community.

After its final passage last week, Senate Bill 424, which creates a subsidy for financially healthy utilities to “consider” small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) was received by the Governor on April 3.

The Governor must sign or veto the bill within seven days, or it will become law without his signature. If the Governor signs the bill, utilities could receive billions of ratepayer dollars for “project development costs” or pre-construction costs like permitting procurement, and licensing for SMRs—even if they end up canceling their plans.

Please visit act.citact.org/i45khgj and urge Gov. Braun to veto SB424. 

Senate Bill 422, which requires utilities to fully consider software or hardware technologies that increase the capacity, efficiency, reliability, or safety of an existing or new electric transmission facility during their integrated resource planning process (IRP), was signed by the Governor this week.

Senate Bill 457, which is a follow-up bill to 2022 legislation enabling Carbon Capture and Sequestration was also signed by the Governor this week.

Senate Bill 4, a priority bill from the Senate Republicans addressing large water withdrawals, large water users, and pipelines of 30+ miles from the water source, passed the House this week 93-0. The bill was motivated by the controversial LEAP District and the tremendous water needs of that project. It will be on the Senate concurrence calendar as soon as Monday.

Senate Bill 178, a bill that defines natural gas and propane as clean energy (yes, really) is awaiting action by the Governor with a deadline of April 10. The bill also includes wind, solar and other actual clean energy technologies in the definition of “clean.” 

Coming up this week

• The House Utilities Committee is expected to amend and vote on SB423, and potentially hear Senate Bill 425, Energy Production Zones, which which eviscerates local control in locations/areas defined as “energy production zones,” while still allowing local communities to block wind and solar projects.

• HB1037 is once again on the agenda for Senate Environmental Affairs.

• House Bill 1007, which gives profitable monopoly utilities ratepayer-funded subsidies, is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday in Senate Tax and Fiscal. It was passed last week by Senate Utilities and requires additional action since it gives manufacturers a handsome tax credit for the production of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

To follow these bills in real time, make sure you follow our social media for an up-to-date detailing of our work at the Indiana Statehouse: Facebook, X and Instagram. We tweet and post throughout the week about the progress of bills we mention in our reports.

Respectfully Submitted,

The CAC Team