(Indianapolis, IN) – Gov. Mike Braun is celebrating the end of the 2026 Indiana General Assembly session.
According to the governor, there were wins when it came to affordability, jobs and wages, public safety, and education.
“This session, we delivered meaningful results for Hoosiers – protecting children from harmful social media content, strengthening public safety by revoking CDLs from illegal aliens, addressing rising utility costs, and establishing the framework for a new stadium in Northwest Indiana to name a few,” said Gov. Braun. “I’m proud of what we accomplished and look forward to continuing our work to make life more affordable for Hoosier families, grow our economy, and keep our communities safe.”
Key highlights from the session include:
1. Affordability and Healthcare Reform
The administration moved to modernize utility regulation through HEA 1002, shifting toward “Performance Based Ratemaking.” This ensures utility companies only see a return on equity when they meet specific benchmarks for affordability and reliability, rather than the previous guaranteed return model.
Medical Debt Relief: SEA 225 and HEA 1271 now block hospitals from pursuing medical debt collections unless they are fully compliant with financial assistance and transparency laws, requiring them to connect patients with payment assistance programs first.
2. Public Safety and Illegal Immigration
Governor Braun took a hard line on public safety, focusing on roadway security and criminal enforcement.
CDL Revocations: Building on Operation Midway Blitz, HEA 1200 empowers the BMV to revoke commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for non-domiciled individuals who no longer hold legal status in the U.S.
The FAIRNESS Act: New legislation clarifies that Indiana will not be a “safe harbor” for illegal immigration, giving local law enforcement and the Attorney General enhanced tools to sue non-compliant jurisdictions and penalize entities that undermine federal law.
3. Education and Child Safety
In a win for parental rights, HEA 1408 introduces some of the nation’s strictest social media safeguards. Big Tech Oversight: Platforms must now receive parental consent for users under 16 and provide “Parent Accounts” that allow for monitoring of time spent and activity.
Cell Phone Bans: Building on previous efforts, SEA 78 expands in-school cell phone bans to a “bell-to-bell” requirement, ensuring students remain focused during the entire school day, including lunch and study halls.
4. Economic Growth
The Governor secured a massive framework for the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, paving the way for a potential $2 billion investment in the Hammond area. This move is intended to revitalize the region and leverage Indiana’s unique regional strengths for statewide economic benefit.
(Network Indiana contributed to this story)
