IN HB 1161

enacted

Local government matters.

Indiana · 2026 Regular Session (2nd Regular Session, 124th General Assembly) · lower

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Quick answers

Did IN HB 1161 pass?

Yes. IN HB 1161 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-02-26): Public Law 40

What is IN HB 1161 about?

Provides that individuals who are appointed to certain boards, committees, or other bodies in a county that does not have a consolidated city, serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority as long as: (1) the officeholder who appointed the individual continues to hold the office; or (2) the board, committee, or body that appointed the individual retains all of the same members who served when the individual was appointed. Provides that, in the case of a reorganized political subdivision, the oath of office of the town board of police commissioners is administered by any of the individuals granted notary powers. Staggers the terms of a nine member local board of health. Provides that the county executive, excluding a county containing a consolidated city, may set the salary of a county administrator subject to: (1) salary parameters established; or (2) approval; by the county fiscal body. Provides that each county executive, excluding a county containing a consolidated city and certain employees, shall adopt and maintain a written personnel policy, employee handbook, or equivalent document establishing minimum standards for county employee conduct, performance, and workplace expectations. Requires the executive of a county or municipality (unit) to preapprove any of the following actions of the unit's park and recreation board, if the cost exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 10% of the park district's annual budget: (1) Exercising eminent domain powers. (2) Entering into a contract. (3) Acquiring real or personal property. (4) Making capital improvements. Adds public defenders to those officials whose home addresses may be restricted from public property data base websites.

Who sponsors IN HB 1161?

Mike Bohacek, Brett Clark, Ethan Lawson are the primary sponsors of IN HB 1161, joined by 3 cosponsors.

Description

Introduced: —
Latest action: 2026-02-26 — Public Law 40
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Subjects

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

2026-02-26
Public Law 40
became-law
2026-02-26
Signed by the Governor
executive-signature
2026-02-25
Signed by the President of the Senate
passage
2026-02-24
Signed by the President Pro Tempore
passage
2026-02-23
Signed by the Speaker
passage
2026-02-19
House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 297: yeas 93, nays 1
2026-02-18
Returned to the House with amendments
receipt
2026-02-18
Motion to concur filed
filing
2026-02-17
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 180: yeas 45, nays 0
passage,reading-3,reading-3
2026-02-16
Second reading: ordered engrossed
reading-2
2026-02-12
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
committee-passage
2026-02-05
Senator Bohacek added as second sponsor
2026-01-26
First reading: referred to Committee on Local Government
reading-1,referral-committee
2026-01-21
Referred to the Senate
referral
2026-01-20
Senate sponsor: Senator Clark
2026-01-20
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 58: yeas 90, nays 0
passage,reading-3,reading-3
2026-01-15
Second reading: ordered engrossed
reading-2
2026-01-13
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
committee-passage
2026-01-13
Representative Moed added as coauthor
2026-01-05
Authored by Representative Lawson
2026-01-05
Representative Meltzer added as coauthor
2026-01-05
Coauthored by Representative Zimmerman
2026-01-05
First reading: referred to Committee on Local Government
reading-1,referral-committee

Versions

House Bill (H)Compare
Introduced House Bill (H)Compare
House Bill (S)Compare
Enrolled House Bill (H)Compare
(document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

HB 1161 - Lawson - 3rd Reading
2026-01-20 · pass · 90-0
Member-level votes (100)
- Abbott: yes
- Garcia Wilburn: yes
- Lawson: yes
- Porter: yes
- Andrade: yes
- Genda: yes
- Ledbetter: yes
- Prescott: yes
- Aylesworth: yes
- GiaQuinta: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Pressel: yes
- Baird: yes
- Gore: yes
- Lindauer: yes
- Pryor: yes
- Bartels: yes
- Goss-Reaves: yes
- Lopez: yes
- Shackleford: yes
- Bartlett: yes
- Greene: yes
- Lucas: yes
- Shonkwiler: yes
- Bascom: yes
- Haggard: yes
- May: yes
- Slager: yes
- Bauer: yes
- Hall: yes
- Mayfield: yes
- Smaltz: yes
- Behning: yes
- Hamilton: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Smith, H: yes
- Borders: yes
- Harris: yes
- McNamara: yes
- Smith, V: yes
- Burton: yes
- Hatcher: yes
- Miller, D: yes
- Snow: yes
- Carbaugh: yes
- Heaton: yes
- Miller, K: yes
- Soliday: yes
- Cash: yes
- Hostettler: yes
- Moed: yes
- Steuerwald: yes
- Clere: yes
- Ireland: yes
- Morris: yes
- Summers: yes
- Commons: yes
- Isa: yes
- Moseley: yes
- Sweet: yes
- Criswell: yes
- Jackson, C: yes
- Novak: yes
- Teshka: yes
- Culp: yes
- Jeter: yes
- O'Brien: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Dant Chesser: yes
- Johnson, B: yes
- Olthoff: yes
- VanNatter: yes
- Davis: yes
- Jordan: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Wesco: yes
- DeLaney: yes
- Judy: yes
- Payne: yes
- Yocum: yes
- DeVon: yes
- Karickhoff: yes
- Pfaff: yes
- Zimmerman: yes
- Engleman: yes
- Klinker: yes
- Pierce, K: yes
- Errington: yes
- Lauer: yes
- Pierce, M: yes
- Barrett: excused
- Dvorak: excused
- Manning: excused
- Pack: excused
- Campbell: excused
- Heine: excused
- Meltzer: excused
- Rowray: excused
- King: not voting
- Mr. Speaker: not voting
HB 1161 - Clark - 3rd Reading
2026-02-17 · pass · 45-0
Member-level votes (50)
- Alexander: yes
- Charbonneau: yes
- Jackson, L: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Alting: yes
- Clark: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Schmitt: yes
- Baldwin: yes
- Crider: yes
- Koch: yes
- Spencer: yes
- Becker: yes
- Deery: yes
- Leising: yes
- Taylor: yes
- Bohacek: yes
- Dernulc: yes
- Maxwell: yes
- Tomes: yes
- Bray: yes
- Donato: yes
- McKinley: yes
- Walker G: yes
- Brown: yes
- Ford J.D.: yes
- Mishler: yes
- Walker K: yes
- Buchanan: yes
- Freeman: yes
- Niemeyer: yes
- Yoder: yes
- Buck: yes
- Gaskill: yes
- Niezgodski: yes
- Young: yes
- Busch: yes
- Glick: yes
- Qaddoura: yes
- Byrne: yes
- Goode: yes
- Raatz: yes
- Carrasco: yes
- Holdman: yes
- Randolph: yes
- Doriot: excused
- Bassler: not voting
- Garten: not voting
- Hunley: not voting
- Pol: not voting
HB 1161 - Lawson
2026-02-19 · pass · 93-1
Member-level votes (100)
- Abbott: yes
- Engleman: yes
- Lauer: yes
- Pierce, M: yes
- Andrade: yes
- Errington: yes
- Lawson: yes
- Porter: yes
- Aylesworth: yes
- Garcia Wilburn: yes
- Ledbetter: yes
- Prescott: yes
- Baird: yes
- Genda: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Pressel: yes
- Barrett: yes
- GiaQuinta: yes
- Lindauer: yes
- Pryor: yes
- Bartels: yes
- Gore: yes
- Lopez: yes
- Rowray: yes
- Bartlett: yes
- Goss-Reaves: yes
- Lucas: yes
- Shackleford: yes
- Bascom: yes
- Greene: yes
- Manning: yes
- Shonkwiler: yes
- Bauer: yes
- Haggard: yes
- May: yes
- Slager: yes
- Behning: yes
- Hall: yes
- Mayfield: yes
- Smaltz: yes
- Borders: yes
- Harris: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Smith, H: yes
- Burton: yes
- Hatcher: yes
- McNamara: yes
- Smith, V: yes
- Campbell: yes
- Heaton: yes
- Meltzer: yes
- Snow: yes
- Carbaugh: yes
- Heine: yes
- Miller, K: yes
- Summers: yes
- Cash: yes
- Hostettler: yes
- Morris: yes
- Sweet: yes
- Clere: yes
- Ireland: yes
- Moseley: yes
- Teshka: yes
- Commons: yes
- Isa: yes
- Novak: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Criswell: yes
- Jackson, C: yes
- O'Brien: yes
- VanNatter: yes
- Culp: yes
- Johnson, B: yes
- Olthoff: yes
- Wesco: yes
- Dant Chesser: yes
- Jordan: yes
- Pack: yes
- Yocum: yes
- Davis: yes
- Judy: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Zimmerman: yes
- DeLaney: yes
- Karickhoff: yes
- Payne: yes
- DeVon: yes
- King: yes
- Pfaff: yes
- Dvorak: yes
- Klinker: yes
- Pierce, K: yes
- Steuerwald: no
- Jeter: excused
- Miller, D: excused
- Moed: excused
- Soliday: excused
- Hamilton: not voting
- Mr. Speaker: not voting

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/hb1161

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:22:09.317128Z

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