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HB1033 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers.

Elections
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Danny Lopez
Last action
2026-03-04
Official status
Enrolled House Bill (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information about specific changes to the community corrections advisory board or modifications to the appointment process for magistrates and commissioners beyond what is explicitly stated.

Indiana Court Changes

This law modifies how judges are selected, appointed, and retained in Marion County, Indiana.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the way new judges are chosen when there is a vacancy.
  • Updates rules for selecting judges to keep their positions.
  • Establishes that the executive committee has final authority over employment decisions regarding commissioners and magistrates.
  • Sets specific requirements for how advisory councils operate.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Marion County judicial selection committee members
  • Judges in Marion County
  • Advisory council members

Terms To Know

full court
All the judges who are appointed and serving in Marion Superior Court.
chief judge
The leader of the Marion County superior court, replacing the term 'presiding judge'.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear what specific changes will be made to the community corrections advisory board.

Amendments

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

HB1033.02.COMH.AMS06

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Cyndi Carrasco

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes the rules for how judges are chosen in Marion County, Indiana.

  • Adds a new committee to help select judges in Marion County.
  • The exact duties and composition of this new committee are not specified in the provided text.
HB1033.01.INTR.AMH01

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Danny Lopez

Filed

Plain English: This amendment proposes to make changes related to magistrates in Indiana's court system.

  • The amendment aims to modify the rules or duties concerning magistrates, but specific details about what exactly is being changed are not provided in the given text.
  • The official amendment text does not provide enough information to specify the exact changes to be made regarding magistrates.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Cyndi Carrasco

Failed

Plain English: This amendment proposes to modify the Indiana Code regarding courts and court officers, but does not provide specific details on what changes it intends to make.

  • The amendment aims to change the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers, but the exact nature of these changes is not specified in the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not include detailed information about the specific changes to be made to the Indiana Code.
  • Without more details, it's unclear what concrete modifications this amendment would introduce.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS002

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Failed

Plain English: This amendment aims to modify the Indiana Code regarding courts and court officers, but does not provide specific details on what changes it intends to make.

  • The amendment seeks to change the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers, but the exact nature of these changes is not specified in the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not include detailed information about the specific changes or additions to the Indiana Code.
  • Without more details, it's unclear what concrete modifications this amendment would make.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS003

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

X

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain court cases are handled in Indiana.

  • The amendment modifies the way specific types of court cases are managed under Indiana law.
  • The official text provided does not give enough details to explain exactly what changes will be made to the current laws.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS004

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

X

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain court cases are handled in Indiana.

  • The amendment modifies the way specific types of court cases are managed under Indiana law.
  • The official text provided does not give enough details to explain exactly what changes will be made to the current laws.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS005

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Passed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to allow certain court officers to perform specific duties.

  • Allows certain court officers to carry out particular tasks as specified in the Indiana Code.
  • The official text does not provide details about which specific duties or court officers are affected, making it hard to explain further.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS006

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

Failed

Plain English: This amendment would add a new section to the Indiana Code that deals with court officers and their responsibilities.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what this new section will contain, making it hard to explain exactly how it changes current laws or practices.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS007

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

X

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain court cases are handled in Indiana.

  • The amendment modifies the way specific types of court cases are managed under Indiana law, but it does not provide enough details to explain exactly what those changes are.
  • The official text is too brief and technical to fully understand or describe the exact changes this amendment would make.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS008

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

X

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain court cases are handled in Indiana.

  • The amendment modifies the way courts deal with specific types of cases, but it does not provide enough details to explain exactly what those changes are.
  • The official text is too brief and technical to fully understand or describe the exact changes this amendment would make.
HB1033.03.COMS.AMS009

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Cyndi Carrasco

Passed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to allow certain court officers to perform specific duties related to court proceedings.

  • Allows designated court officers to carry out tasks that were previously restricted to judges or other higher-ranking officials.
  • The official text does not provide details on which specific duties are being delegated and under what conditions, making it hard to explain the full scope of changes.
  • It is unclear how this amendment will affect current court procedures without more detailed information.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 House

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-04 House

    Public Law 76

  3. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  4. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  5. 2026-02-26 House

    House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 389: yeas 59, nays 27

  6. 2026-02-26 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  7. 2026-02-25 House

    Motion to concur filed

  8. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 228: yeas 39, nays 9

  9. 2026-02-24 House

    Representative Garcia Wilburn removed as coauthor

  10. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  11. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  12. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #3 (Qaddoura) failed; voice vote

  13. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #4 (Qaddoura) failed; Roll Call 210: yeas 9, nays 40

  14. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #5 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote

  15. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #7 (Taylor G) failed; voice vote

  16. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #8 (Taylor G) failed; voice vote

  17. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Amendment #9 (Carrasco) prevailed; voice vote

  18. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  19. 2026-01-26 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary

  20. 2026-01-21 House

    Referred to the Senate

  21. 2026-01-20 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 52: yeas 88, nays 2

  22. 2026-01-20 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Carrasco

  23. 2026-01-15 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  24. 2026-01-13 House

    Representative Garcia Wilburn added as coauthor

  25. 2026-01-12 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  26. 2025-12-02 House

    Reassigned to Committee on Judiciary

  27. 2025-12-01 House

    Authored by Representative Lopez

  28. 2025-12-01 House

    Coauthored by Representatives Jeter, Steuerwald

  29. 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 courts and court officers.
Various judicial matters.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning courts and court officers.

Various judicial matters.

Amends the membership of the community corrections advisory board. Defines "full court" as the total of all Marion superior court judges who are appointed and serving as judges. Specifies that if a newly appointed judge is filling a vacancy of a judge whose term ends the same year as the appointment, the newly appointed judge shall serve a term that expires on December 31 of the sixth full year following the appointment. Requires the Marion County judicial selection committee (judicial selection committee) to nominate five candidates to the governor when a judicial vacancy exists and allows the governor to appoint any of the nominated candidates when filling more than one vacancy. Replaces the term "presiding judge" with "chief judge" within the Marion County superior court. Amends the membership of the judicial selection committee. Prohibits a member of the judicial selection committee who is not an ex officio member to serve consecutive terms and staggers the terms of certain members of the judicial selection committee to begin on July 1, 2026, or July 1, 2028. Requires the judicial selection committee to determine that a judge is suitable to retain judicial office before a judge's request for retention may be placed on the ballot. Establishes a procedure with specific deadlines for a judge who wishes to stand for retention in 2026. Repeals and replaces a provision concerning the procedure to select the Marion County judicial executive committee (executive committee) and certain court provisions. Provides that, for an executive committee starting a term on January 1, 2027, and for the selection of each executive committee thereafter, the full court shall meet not later than November 15 in the final year of the executive committee's term to select the candidates of the next executive committee. Requires a two-thirds vote of the sitting judges who will hold office on January 1 of the next year to select the candidates of the executive committee and requires the chair of the judicial selection committee to approve the members of the executive committee and select one member of the executive committee as the chief judge. Allows the chair of the judicial selection committee to remove a member of the executive committee for cause. Increases the term of an executive committee member of the Marion County judiciary from two years to three years. Specifies which duties are the responsibility of the full court and which are to be determined by a trial judge. Describes the duties and authority of the executive committee. Provides that any action taken by the executive committee may only be overruled by a vote of 85% of the full court sitting at the time the vote is taken. Removes a requirement that the executive committee requires the approval of two-thirds of the judges to determine the number of judicial officers and personnel required to serve the court. Provides that the judge of the circuit court has exclusive authority to appoint commissioners or magistrates allocated to the circuit court. Amends how magistrates and commissioners are appointed. Specifies that the executive committee has final authority for all employment decisions regarding commissioners and magistrates. Repeals a provision that allows the presiding judge to appoint a magistrate and allows the executive committee to appoint 28 magistrates. Requires a voting member of the justice reinvestment advisory council to cast a vote in person. Requires that, in a county having a consolidated city, the chief judge or a judge appointed by the chief judge be the chair of the local justice reinvestment advisory council. Provides that a local or regional advisory council may only take action upon the affirmative vote of the members and a member must cast a vote in person. Makes conforming changes.