Indiana’s 2026 Legislative Wrap-Up
STATEHOUSE — The 2026 legislative session is in the books, and Indiana House Republicans are highlighting a series of new laws designed to lower costs and cut through red tape.
A focus this year involving making life more affordable for Hoosiers, starting with the housing market. By rolling back various regulations and bureaucratic hurdles, lawmakers hope to expand the state’s housing supply and make it easier for people to buy homes.
The push for affordability extended to monthly utility bills as well. State Representative Alaina Shonkwiler (R-Noblesville) authored a new measure that creates performance-based standards for utility companies to ensure they are hitting targets to keep costs down and service reliable. The law also includes new protections to prevent service disconnections during extreme heat or cold and automatically enrolls eligible low-income residents into levelized billing.
“Hoosiers deserve reliable and affordable utilities,” Shonkwiler said. “House Enrolled Act 1002 updates our regulatory framework for ratemaking, holds utilities accountable for the outcomes Hoosiers want, and gives residents options and tools for managing payments. Our goal is to work with utilities to address needed improvements and continue upholding our five pillars of energy: reliability, resilience, stability, affordability and environmental sustainability.”
Beyond the bills impacting the wallet, the General Assembly looked to trim the size of government by eliminating or merging dozens of inactive or redundant boards.
Education also saw a significant shift. House Enrolled Act 1004 cuts the red tape for our schools by ditching unnecessary rules and regulations, letting teachers spend less time on paperwork and more time actually focusing on the kids. State Representative Matt Lehman, a long-time advocate for K-12 education, says this is a continuation of an effort that began last year to reduce state mandates and give schools more control over their own decisions.
“Lawmakers worked this session to pass legislation that supports Hoosiers and keeps Indiana moving forward,” Lehman said. “By supporting housing growth, improving government operations and updating education policies we are helping position Indiana for long-term success.”
With the session wrapped up, these priority bills are now either signed or waiting for the governor’s signature.
