Indiana HB 1249 — Various criminal law matters.

Indiana, 2026. HB 1249: Various criminal law matters.

Plural source record ↗

Official legislative source ↗

Official legislative source ↗

Latest action

March 12, 2026 — Public Law 158

Summary

Provides that if a person has one prior OWI conviction, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 10 days or perform community service, and if a person has two prior OWI convictions, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 20 days or perform community service. Provides that a person receives good time credit while serving a sentence imposed under this statute (under current law, a person does not receive good time credit). Provides that this statute does not increase the maximum sentence for the offense as provided by either IC 35-50-2 or IC 35-50-3. Specifies that "vehicle", for purposes of the crime of operating while intoxicated, includes a watercraft, and repeals the separate crime of operating a motorboat while intoxicated. Provides that an initial hearing may be waived and allows a person to apply for a specialized driving privilege after an initial hearing. Adds operating while intoxicated due to use of a controlled substance to the habitual traffic violator statute. Requires a law enforcement officer to offer a chemical test that includes a blood test to any person who the officer has reason to believe operated a vehicle that was involved in a fatal accident. Specifies that ignition interlock devices may only be used when the underlying offense is operating while intoxicated resulting from the use of alcohol. Specifies that certain provisions do not prevent an otherwise eligible individual from applying for a specialized driving privilege after the initial hearing. Increases the penalty for battery on certain health care employees and school employees. Specifies that the enhancement for battery committed against a department of child services (DCS) employee applies only to those DCS employees whose responsibilities include personally supervising a child or parent, personally providing services to a child or parent, or personally interviewing a child or parent as part of an investigation. Requires the employer of a health care or school employee who is the victim of battery to make a semiannual report to the department of labor concerning workplace batteries. Provides that certain uses of a drone constitute remote aerial harassment. Specifies that a child charged with dangerous possession of a firearm may be tried by a juvenile court under certain circumstances. Makes dangerous possession of a firearm a Level 5 felony if the child: (1) has a prior conviction for unlawful carrying of a handgun; or (2) possesses the firearm on school property, within 500 feet of a school, or on a school bus. Specifies that certain individuals may not be subject to a county residency requirement, including a public defender (except for the chief public defender), court personnel, and a deputy prosecuting attorney. Prohibits the release of personally identifying information concerning a railroad crew in a public report concerning a railroad fatality. Repeals provisions that require: (1) the department of education to maintain a public data base concerning public school employees who were physically injured on the job by students; and (2) each public school to provide to the department of education information concerning certain public school employees physically injured on the job by a student.

Sponsors

• Alex Zimmerman — primary sponsor
• Garrett Bascom
• Aaron Freeman — primary sponsor

Bill text

Enrolled House Bill (H) Read version ↗

House Bill (H) Read version ↗

House Bill (S) Read version ↗

Introduced House Bill (H) Read version ↗

Recorded votes

Legislative history

1. March 2, 2026Signed by the President of the Senate
2. March 3, 2026Signed by the Speaker
3. March 12, 2026Public Law 158
4. March 5, 2026Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5. March 12, 2026Signed by the Governor
6. February 27, 2026CCR # 1 filed in the House
7. February 27, 2026CCR # 1 filed in the Senate
8. February 27, 2026Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 327: yeas 43, nays 4
9. February 27, 2026Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 424: yeas 96, nays 0
10. February 23, 2026Senate advisors appointed: Pol, Clark
11. February 23, 2026Senate conferees appointed: Freeman, Taylor G
12. February 23, 2026House advisors appointed: McNamara, Bascom, Pierce M
13. February 23, 2026House conferees appointed: Zimmerman, Gore
14. February 23, 2026House dissented from Senate amendments
15. February 23, 2026Motion to dissent filed
16. February 20, 2026Returned to the House with amendments
17. February 19, 2026Third reading: passed; Roll Call 207: yeas 46, nays 0
18. February 17, 2026Second reading: ordered engrossed
19. February 12, 2026Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
20. February 2, 2026First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law
21. January 29, 2026Referred to the Senate
22. January 28, 2026Third reading: passed; Roll Call 135: yeas 74, nays 18
23. January 28, 2026Senate sponsor: Senator Freeman
24. January 20, 2026Second reading: ordered engrossed
25. January 14, 2026Committee report: do pass, adopted
26. January 5, 2026Coauthored by Representative Bascom
27. January 5, 2026Authored by Representative Zimmerman
28. January 5, 2026First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code

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