2026 Governance, Judicial, & Elections Bill Watch List

Updated 3/9/2026 ~ 2026 Indiana General Assembly

Bad Bills ~ Good Bills ~ Bills we're watching

Bad Bills

SEA12: Prohibition of Ranked Choice Voting

Authors: Sen. Blake Doriot (R), Sen. Chris Garten (R), Sen. Mike Gaskill (R), Sen. Linda Rogers (R), Sen. Gary Byrne (R), Sen. Scott Baldwin (R), Sen. Brett Clark (R), Sen. James Buck (R), Sen. Jeff Raatz (R), Sen. Aaron Freeman (R), Sen. Dan Dernulc (R), Sen. Travis Holdman (R), Sen. Greg Goode (R), Sen. Susan Glick (R), Sen. Jean Leising (R), Sen. Michael Young (R), Sen. Liz Brown (R), Sen. Tyler Johnson (R), Sen. Eric Koch (R), Sen. James Tomes (R), Sen. Scott Alexander (R)

Sponsors: Rep. Timothy Wesco (R), Rep. Ethan Lawson (R), Rep. Steve Bartels (R)

Status: Signed into law by Gov. Braun

Position: CAC opposes this bill

Votes:

1/12/26: The Senate Elections Committee passed SB12 by a vote of 7-2.
1/15/26: The Senate failed Amendment #1 (Hunley) by voice vote.
1/20/26: The Senate passed SB12 by a vote of 38-9.
2/11/26: The House Elections and Apportionment Committee passed SB12 by a vote of 7-4.
2/17/26: The House passed SB12 by a vote of 58-30.
2/24/26: Signed into law by Gov. Braun

Description:

Prohibits the use of ranked choice voting.

HB1359: Scanning Ballots (dead)

Authors: Rep. Timothy Wesco (R)

Sponsors: Sen. Mike Gaskill (R), Sen. Linda Rogers (R)

Status: never received a vote in the Senate

Position: CAC opposes this bill

Votes:

1/14/26: The House Elections and Apportionment Committee amended HB1359 by consent, then passed it out of committee by a vote of 9-3.
1/22/26: The House passed HB1359 by a vote of 71-20.
2/16/26: The Senate Elections Committee amended HB1359 by a vote of 6-3, then passed it out of committee by a vote of 7-2.

Description:

Specifies a process by which certain counties may scan voted optical scan ballot cards during the early voting period and on election day without using secrecy envelopes. Makes conforming amendments. Reduces the period during which in person absentee voting may occur at the office of the circuit court clerk or a satellite office from 28 days to a 16 day period ending at noon on the day before election day.

HB1032: Redistricting (dead)

Authors: Rep. Ben Smaltz (R), Rep. Alex Zimmerman (R)

Sponsors: Sen. Mike Gaskill (R), Sen. Chris Garten (R), Sen. Liz Brown (R), Sen. Tyler Johnson (R), Sen. Gary Byrne (R), Sen. Michael Young (R)

Status: defeated in the Senate

Position: CAC opposes this bill

Votes:

12/02/25: The House Elections and Apportionment Committee failed 4 amendments, each by a vote of 4-9, then passed HB1032 out of committee by a vote of 8-5.
12/02/25: The minority committee report was ruled out of order, and the ruling of the Chair was sustained by a vote of 64-24. The House then adopted the majority committe report by a vote of 63-23.
12/04/25:

Amendment #1 (Errington) failed by a vote of 27-67.

Amendment #2 (Bartlett) ruled out of order.

Ruling of the chair appealed (Bartlett) and was sustained by a vote of 65-27.

Amendment #3 (Jackson C) failed by a vote of 30-64.

Amendment #5 (Pierce M) failed by a vote of 27-66.

Amendment #7 (Harris) failed by a vote of 28-65.

Amendment #8 (Porter) failed by a vote of 29-64.

Amendment #9 (Smith V) ruled out of order.

Ruling of the chair appealed (Smith V) and was sustained by a vote of 63-29.

Amendment #10 (Shackleford) failed by a vote of 27-67.

Amendment #12 (Gore) failed by a vote of 29-66.

Amendment #13 (Gore) failed by a vote of 28-66.

Amendment #15 (Shackleford) failed by a vote of 29-66.

Amendment #16 (Porter) failed by a vote of 28-65.

Amendment #17 (DeLaney) failed by a vote of 29-65.

Amendment #18 (DeLaney failed by a vote of 29-65.

Amendment #21 (Porter) failed by a vote of 29-63.
12/05/25: A motion to postpone HB1032 indefinitely failed by a vote of 28-65, then the House passed HB1032 by a vote of 57-41.
12/08/25: The Senate Elections Committee failed 4 amendments: one by a vote of 2-7, one by a vote of 4-5, and two by votes of 3-6 each. They then passed HB1032 out of committee by a vote of 6-3.
12/10/25: The Senate failed 3 amendments by voice vote.
12/11/25: The Senate defeated HB1032 by a vote of 19-31.

Good Bills

HB1065: Ban on Gratuities for Public Officials (dead)

Authors: Rep. Harold Slager (R), Rep. Julie Olthoff (R)

Sponsors: Sen. Rick Niemeyer (R), Sen. Aaron Freeman (R), Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D)

Status: died in conference committee

Position: CAC supports this bill

Votes:

1/21/26: The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee amended HB1065 by consent, then passed it by a vote of 13-0.
1/28/26: The House amended HB1065 by voice vote.
2/02/26: The House passed HB1065 by a vote of 85-0.
2/10/26: The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee passed HB1065 by a vote of 9-0.
2/23/26: The Senate amended HB1065 by voice vote.
2/24/26: The Senate passed HB1065 by a vote of 47-1.
2/25/26: The House dissented from Senate amendments, HB1065 went to conference committee.

Description:

Makes it a Class A misdemeanor for: (1) a person to offer a payment to a public servant as a reward for an official act performed by the public servant for the person; or (2) a public servant to solicit or accept a payment as a reward for an official act performed by the public servant for the person. Increases the penalty to a Level 6 felony if the fair market value of the reward is at least $750. Exempts: (1) a good or service that is subject to a reporting requirement or otherwise authorized by an applicable rule or code of ethics; (2) a good or service with a value of less than $100; (3) commemorative or ceremonial items, such as plaques, trophies, or framed photos; (4) lawful political contributions; (5) wages and other forms of work related compensation from the governmental entity employing the public servant that the public servant is legally permitted to receive; or (6) an offer of employment that is not offered as a reward for an official act performed by a public servant.Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally violates a specified provision by commingling the funds of a committee with the personal funds of an officer, a member, or an associate of the committee commits a Class A misdemeanor. Enhances the penalty to a Level 6 felony if a person commingles at least $50,000 of committee funds.

HB1256: Campaign Finance Reports of Local Candidates (dead)

Authors: Rep. Edward Clere (R), Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser (D), Rep. Kyle Pierce (R), Rep. Jim Pressel (R)

Sponsors: Sen. Greg Walker (R)

Status: never received a hearing in the Senate Elections Committee

Position: CAC supports this bill

Votes:

1/14/26: the House Elections and Apportionment Committee passed HB1256 by a vote of 12-0.
1/27/26: The House amended HB1256 by voice vote.
1/28/26: The House passed HB1256 by a vote of 94-0.

Description:

Requires the circuit court clerk of each county to place a copy of each campaign finance report, notice, or other instrument filed with the county election board on the circuit court clerk's or county election board's website in portable document format. Allows certain covered persons to submit a written request to a county, municipality, or township to restrict access to the covered person's home address in a confidential document. Requires a county, municipality, or township to establish certain processes to prevent a member of the public from gaining access to the home address of a covered person.

SB194: Redistricting Standards (dead)

Authors: Sen. Greg Walker (R), Sen. Michael Crider (R), Sen. Shelli Yoder (D), Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D), Sen. Andrea Hunley (D), Sen. J.D. Ford (D), Sen. Rodney Pol (D), Sen. Lonnie Randolph, Sen. Eric Bassler (R), Sen. Vaneta Becker, Sen. Kyle Walker (R)

Status: never received a hearing in the Senate Elections Committee

Position: CAC supports this bill

Description:

Establishes redistricting standards for state legislative congressional districts. Requires the initial proposed plans for congressional and state legislative districts to comply with the redistricting standards. Allows the general assembly, during the process by which the initial proposed plans become effective by being enacted as a law, to consider and adopt modifications to the initial proposed plans that deviate from the redistricting standards as long as the reason or reasons for each deviation are publicly explained and documented. Specifies that the general assembly may not establish or modify legislative or congressional districts other than at the first regular session of the general assembly convening immediately following the federal decennial census, except in response to a court order that has invalidated some part of a redistricting plan.

SB53: Redistricting (dead)

Authors: Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D), Sen. Greg Walker (R), Sen. J.D. Ford (D)

Status: never received a hearing in the Senate Elections Committee

Position: CAC supports this bill

Description:

Prohibits the general assembly from establishing or modifying house districts, senate districts, or congressional districts at a time other than the first regular session of the general assembly convening immediately following the United States decennial census.

HB1148: Same Day Voter Registration (dead)

Authors: Rep. John Bartlett (D), Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D)

Status: never received a hearing in the House Elections and Apportionment Committee

Position: CAC supports this bill

Description:

Permits an individual to register at the polls by completing a voter registration form and by providing proof of residence. Specifies that an individual may comply with the proof of residence requirement only by providing a REAL ID driver's license or identification card that shows the name and residence address of the individual registering to vote. Requires the ballot of a voter who registers at the polls to be treated as a provisional ballot.

Watching

HB1003: Boards and Commissions

HB1022: Selection of Candidate for Lieutenant Governor

HB1055: Option to Conduct Municipal Election in Even Years

HB1096: Various Elections Matters

HB1133: Elimination of Straight Ticket Voting

HB1161: Local Government Matters

HB1205: Annexation

HB1218: Straight Ticket Voting

HB1339: Voter Identification

HB1342: County Commissioner Districts

HB1377: Straight Ticket Voting