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HB1025 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government.

Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Alex Zimmerman
Last action
2026-02-25
Official status
House Bill (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's text does not provide specific information on enforcement mechanisms or impacts on other local government policies, leaving these areas open to interpretation.

Indiana Bill HB1025

HB1025 amends Indiana's local government laws to exempt certain legal system workers from county residency requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends Indiana law concerning local government policies for counties.
  • Exempts public defenders, except the chief public defender, from county residency requirements.
  • Exempts employees of a public defender’s office from county residency requirements.
  • Exempts judicial officers and court personnel from county residency requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public defenders
  • Employees of public defender offices
  • Judicial officers
  • Court personnel

Terms To Know

public defender
A lawyer who is paid by the government to represent people who cannot afford a lawyer in court.
judicial officer
Someone, like a judge or magistrate, who makes decisions in legal cases.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the consequences if the chief public defender does not live in their county.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect other local government policies.
  • There are no details about when or how these changes will be enforced.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1025.02.COMH.AMS06

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to require prosecutors to live in the county where they work.

  • Adds a new requirement that prosecutors must be residents of the county in which they serve.
  • The exact impact and implementation details are not provided in the amendment text.
HB1025.03.COMS.AMS07

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds new rules for prosecutors in Indiana.

  • Adds a requirement that prosecutors must follow certain guidelines when handling cases.
  • The specific details of the guidelines are not provided, so it's unclear exactly what changes this will bring to how prosecutors work.
HB1025.01.INTR.AMH02

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Alex Zimmerman

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code that establishes requirements for public defender offices.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code that sets up rules and standards for public defender offices.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what these rules and standards are, so it's unclear exactly how public defender offices will be affected.
  • It is unknown which part of the Indiana Code this new section will be added to without more detailed information.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-25 House

    House dissented from Senate amendments

  2. 2026-02-25 House

    Motion to dissent filed

  3. 2026-02-25 House

    House advisors appointed: McNamara, Ireland, Pierce M

  4. 2026-02-25 House

    House conferees appointed: Zimmerman, Gore

  5. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate advisors appointed: Carrasco, Randolph Lonnie M

  6. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate conferees appointed: Glick, Taylor G

  7. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 226: yeas 48, nays 0

  8. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  9. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  10. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  11. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Senator Randolph added as cosponsor

  12. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Pursuant to Senate Rule 68(b); reassigned to Committee on Appropriations

  14. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senator Pol added as second sponsor

  15. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senator Taylor G added as third sponsor

  16. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senator Carrasco added as cosponsor

  17. 2026-01-27 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law

  18. 2026-01-14 House

    Referred to the Senate

  19. 2026-01-13 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 42: yeas 92, nays 0

  20. 2026-01-13 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Glick

  21. 2026-01-12 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  22. 2026-01-12 House

    Representative Bartels added as coauthor

  23. 2026-01-08 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  24. 2026-01-05 House

    Representative Gore added as coauthor

  25. 2025-12-01 House

    Authored by Representative Zimmerman

  26. 2025-12-01 House

    Coauthored by Representative McNamara

  27. 2025-12-01 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government.
County policies.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government.

County policies.

Specifies that county residency requirements do not apply to: (1) public defenders (except for the chief public defender); (2) employees of a public defender office; (3) judicial officers; or (4) court personnel.