Here Come the Senate Bills!
A list of bills I'm keeping an eye on during the second half of session
Dear neighbor,
At the mid-point of each legislative session, the chambers of the General Assembly switch bills. The legislation we authored in the House heads to the Senate and vice versa. Over the next couple of months, I’ll be hearing, amending and voting on bills authored by Indiana’s state senators.
Here’s a list of concerning bills to watch during the second half of session:
Senate Bill 1 “Property Tax Relief”:
SB 1 was originally filed as Gov. Braun’s property tax reform plan. However, the bill changed significantly during its time in the Senate. With these changes, SB 1 would cost local governments $1.4 billion over the next three years. School districts would lose almost $371 million. This loss in funding would have a very real impact on our communities. We will continue to have potholes in our roads. Our firefighters and police may lose their jobs as the dollars for local public safety shrink. Student class sizes will get bigger since public schools will struggle to pay for additional teachers.
The bill prioritizes tax cuts for businesses over Hoosiers, providing little to no relief for homeowners. Homeowners would only save an average of $48.10 on their 2026 property tax bill. The House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony on the bill on Wednesday. House Republicans announced their intent to completely strip SB 1 and put their plan for property tax relief in the bill. We have yet to see what the House majority's plan entails.
Senate Bill 2 “Medicaid Matters”:
SB 2 limits the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) to only 500,000 members, leaving more than 200,000 Hoosiers without access to healthcare. The bill also requires individuals to work a minimum of 20 hours a week to be eligible for HIP, potentially putting Hoosiers facing barriers to employment at risk. There are some exceptions for those deemed medically unable to work, pregnant women and individuals in a rehabilitation program. There’s also a 90-day grace period for individuals who just got out of prison.
Additionally, the bill prohibits marketing for Medicaid and its programs, following a similar executive order Gov. Braun passed earlier this year. Marketing and advertising are essential to ensuring that Hoosiers are aware of the health care services available to them. This bill will further harm Hoosiers already struggling to make ends meet by making healthcare less accessible.
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Public Health and has yet to receive a hearing.
Senate Bill 287 “School Board Matters”:
This bill would require school board candidates to declare their party and run in partisan primaries to be on the ballot in the November general election. School board candidates would be listed on the ballot as a Democrat or Republican.
This legislation would severely damage public schools by allowing the partisan arguments from D.C. to take place in our children’s schools. School board members allegiance should be to our children not a political party. It would also add barriers to running for a school board by requiring a community member run in a primary as well as a general election.
This bill would also prohibit federal employees from serving on school boards because of the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act prevents individuals who are paid with federal dollars from running in partisan elections. Board members may be forced to resign from their positions. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment on Wednesday, and it was held for a vote at a later date.
Senate Bill 289 “Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education”:
This bill is another round of anti-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) legislation authored by Republicans to roll back the progress painstakingly made over the last couple of decades.
SB 289 would eliminate DEI offices in state agencies and K-12 educational institutions. Schools would be prohibited from teaching students that “one race, sex, ethnicity, religion, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior to another.” This vague phrasing would create an environment where educators don’t feel comfortable teaching the history of slavery, racism and discrimination in our country, which is vital to fostering an informed citizenry.
The bill was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary and has yet to receive a hearing.
Senate Bill 430 “Grants for Participation in the 287(g) Program”:
SB 430 allows the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) to give federal grant money to sheriff's departments that sign 287(g) agreements with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to an article from WTHR13, signing 287(g) would require police departments to:
Identify and process "removable aliens" who are facing criminal charges and have been arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies
Let ICE train, certify and authorize state and local law enforcement to carry out warrants on undocumented immigrants in their jail.
Currently, only one law enforcement agency in Indiana has signed a 287(g) agreement, but this legislation may encourage sheriff's departments to participate in the program.
The bill is scheduled to be heard on March 11 in the House Committee of Veterans Affairs and Public Safety.
Senate Bill 518 “School Property Taxes”:
Senate Bill 518 would require public schools to share their property tax revenue with charter schools. School districts with at least 100 students attending a charter would be required to share their operations fund levy with nearby charters. The operation fund levy pays for schools’ day-to-day expenses, including teachers’ salaries, classroom supplies, building maintenance, etc.
It also mandates that all public school districts must share debt service levy funds with eligible charter schools, regardless of their enrollment numbers. These funds cover lease rentals, general obligation bonds, interest for tax anticipations, etc. Basically, this money is used by public schools to pay for any outstanding debt.
If passed, public schools would lose $124.4 million to charter schools over the next three years. This bill, coupled with SB 1, would severely underfund our public schools and reduce the quality of the education our students receive.
The House Ways and Means Committee heard testimony on the bill on Wednesday, and it was held for a vote at a later date.
Track and learn more about the bills on iga.in.gov.
As always, please contact my office at h96@iga.in.gov with any questions or concerns.
In service,
State Rep. Gregory W. Porter
