Governor Eric Holcomb joins Board of Doral Renewables three months after leaving office, and creating the zoning “ag-overlay” permitting industrial wind and solar development on agricultural ground. (Doral press release here.)

Indiana 2025 Legislative Proposals

Indiana House Bill 1007 - Energy Generation Resources (Rep Edmond Soliday; co-sponsors: Rep Alaina Shookwiler, Rep Jim Pressel, Rep Steve Bartels)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1007 STATUS UPDATES

February 19, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities

February 14, 2025: Referred to Senate.

February 13, 2025: Third reading passed 67-25. Thirty-two Representatives added as co-authors.

January 29, 2025: Adopted 8-4. Recommended to Committee on Ways and Means

Introduced January 13, 2025, Indiana House Bill 1007 proposes a state tax credit for expenses incurred in manufacturing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) within Indiana. The bill also establishes procedures for energy utilities to seek approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for expedited generation resource plans to meet customer load growth, generation resource submittals under approved plans, and projects serving large load customers.

Indiana House Bill 1233 - Local Government Reorganization (Rep Karen Engleman)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1233 STATUS UPDATES

February 13, 2025: One Representative added as a co-author.

January 13, 2025: Referred to Ways and Means

Indiana House Bill 1233 proposes the dissolution of township governments, fire protection districts, and fire protection territories in all counties except Marion County, effective January 1, 2027. The bill centralizes control of fire protection and emergency services under county leadership, with the county executive assuming the duties of township trustees, and mandates that incorporated towns with populations under 1,000 report their services and operating costs, facing potential dissolution if costs exceed service expenditures.

Indiana House Bill 1379 - Property Tax Deduction For Water Conservation (Rep Pat Boy)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1379 STATUS UPDATES

January 13, 2025: Referred to Ways and Means

Introduced January 13, 2025, proposes a property tax deduction for the use of permeable pavement in new construction projects. **Need to research conflicting information. Some sources cite this bill as being adapted for a solar energy system tax credit.

Indiana House Bill 1563 - Alternative and Nuclear Energy Generation (Rep Hunter Smith, Rep Dale DeVon)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1563 STATUS UPDATES

January 21, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

Introduced January 21, 2025, Indiana House Bill 1563 mandates that public utilities notify the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) of their intent to retire an electric generating facility and requires the IURC to conduct a public hearing on the matter. Additionally, the bill establishes a framework for the development and regulation of alternative and nuclear energy generation within the state.

Indiana House Bill 1579 - Carbon Sequestration (Rep Edmond Soliday)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1579 STATUS UPDATES

February 10, 2025: Second reading.

February 6, 2025: Committee report: Do Pass

January 29, 2025: Passed 11-2. Heads to the Ways & Means Committee

Introduced January 21, 2025, this bill seeks to amend regulations concerning carbon sequestration. The bill mandates that companies aiming to construct, operate, and maintain carbon dioxide transmission pipelines in Indiana must obtain a certificate of authority from the Department of Natural Resources, with certain exemptions based on the pipeline's route and surface property location. Additionally, it establishes the Carbon Sequestration Project Program Administrative Fund to support the department's administrative costs in managing and operating the carbon sequestration project program.

Indiana House Bill 1628 - Property Development - Green Energy (Rep Craig Snow)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1628 STATUS UPDATES

January 21, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

Introduced January 21, 2025, this bill defines a "multi-jurisdictional infrastructure project" as one that involves the siting, construction, or deployment of facilities, equipment, or infrastructure used in the generation, transmission, distribution, or storage of electricity, gases, fluids, or water, and impacts residents, businesses, or political subdivisions in more than one Indiana county. The bill designates the state as the sole regulator of such projects, preempting local authorities from regulating their siting, construction, or deployment. Additionally, it streamlines the approval process for plats by requiring action within specified timeframes and mandates the use of certain data sources for stormwater runoff calculations.

Indiana House Bill 1673 - Tracking of Municipal Utility Costs (Rep Alex Burton)

CLICK HERE FOR HB1673 STATUS UPDATES

January 21, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

Introduced January 21, 2025, Indiana House Bill 1673 mandates that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) include in its annual report, and publish on its website, the average amounts paid by residents of each Indiana municipality for energy, water, wastewater, and gas distribution services in the preceding year, disaggregated by municipality. Additionally, the bill requires reporting on the statistical changes in these average amounts since the first year such data was reported.

Indiana Senate Bill 178 - Natural Gas as a Clean Energy Resource (Sen James Buck, Sen Eric Koch)

CLICK HERE FOR SB178 STATUS UPDATES

March 17, 2025: Second reading: ordered engrossed

March 3, 2025: First reading: referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

February 18, 2025: Referred to House

February 17, 2025: Third reading passed 43-4

February 6, 2025: Committee report: do pass

January 8, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities

Introduced January 8, 2025, Provides that it is the continuing policy of the state to recognize natural gas as "clean energy" or "green energy" for purposes of any state or federal program that provides funding or other incentives for: (1) clean energy initiatives or projects; (2) green energy initiatives or projects; or (3) any similarly designated initiatives or projects; in Indiana. Defines "clean energy" or "green energy" for these purposes. Specifies that the term: (1) includes natural gas; and (2) does not affect certain existing definitions set forth in the Indiana Code. 

Indiana Senate Bill 423 - Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program (Sen Eric Koch, Sen Stacey Donato, Sen Spencer Deery; co- sponsors: Sen Andy Zay, Sen Susan Glick, Sen Blake Doriot, Sen Daryl Schmitt)

CLICK HERE FOR SB423 STATUS UPDATES

March 3, 2025: Referred to House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

February 4, 2025: Referred to House.

February 3, 2025: Third reading passed 41-7.

January 30, 2025: Amendment failed voice vote.

Introduced January 13, 2025, Indiana Senate Bill 423 establishes the Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Partnership Pilot Program, allowing certain electric utilities to collaborate with eligible partners—such as tech companies, universities, military installations, or nuclear manufacturers—to develop up to two small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) at designated sites within the state, subject to approval by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The bill permits utilities to recover 80% of project development costs from ratepayers, with the remaining 20% potentially offset by contributions from partners, thereby sharing the financial risk associated with these projects.

Indiana Senate Bill 425 - Energy Production Zones (Sen Eric Koch)

CLICK HERE FOR SB425 STATUS UPDATES

March 3, 2025: Referred to House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

February 21, 2025: Referred to House.

February 20, 2025: Third reading passed 37-12.

February 13, 2025: Committee report: do pass.

January 13, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities

Introduced January 13, 2025, this bill proposes the establishment of "energy production zones" on parcels of land currently hosting generation facilities of 80 megawatts or greater, or on abandoned or closed coal mines. The bill grants the state exclusive authority over the construction, operation, siting, and zoning of energy projects within these zones, effectively preempting local permitting requirements and ordinances. While the bill aims to streamline energy development, organizations like the Citizens Action Coalition have expressed concerns about diminishing local control over projects that may pose risks to public health and safety.

Indiana Senate Bill 457 - Carbon Dioxide Sequestration (Sen Susan Glick)

CLICK HERE FOR SB457 STATUS UPDATES

March 21, 2025: Returned to the Senate without amendments

March 20, 2025: Third reading: passed (55-37)

March 17, 2025: Second reading: ordered engrossed

March 13, 2025: Committee report: do pass, adopted

March 3, 2025: Referred to House Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications

February 12, 2205: Referred to House.

February 11, 2025: Third reading passed 27-21.

January 28, 2025: Passed 8-1. Reassigned to Appropriations

Introduced January 13, 2025, this bill regulates carbon dioxide sequestration and transmission pipelines by establishing certification requirements, exemptions, and administrative fees to support regulatory oversight.

Indiana Senate Bill 469 - Assessment of Land Used for Solar Power Generation (Sen Daryl Schmitt)

January 16, 2025: Referred to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy CLICK HERE FOR SB469 STATUS UPDATES

Introduced January 13, 2025, this bill proposes amending the current assessment method for land used in solar power generation by dividing the existing south region into two separate regions—southeast and southwest—for which the Department of Local Government Finance must determine distinct solar land base rates. The bill specifies the counties included in each new region and aims to provide a more localized approach to property tax assessments for solar energy developments.

Indiana Senate Bill 541 - Community Solar Facilities (Sen Mark Spencer)

January 16, 2025: Referred to Committee on Utilities CLICK HERE FOR SB541 STATUS UPDATES

Introduced January 16, 2025, this bill mandates that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission establish rules for community solar facilities by July 1, 2026. Following the adoption of these rules, electricity providers are required to allow interconnection with community solar facilities and credit customers who subscribe to such facilities.