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HB1165 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Wendy McNamara
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 specific details on how penalties will increase or what new definitions have been added, leaving these points as limits and unknowns.

Indiana Animal Law Changes

This law changes Indiana's rules about criminal offenses involving animals, including penalties and protections.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that someone who takes an animal out of a car must pay for any damage caused by the action.
  • Increases punishments for crimes against animals.
  • Protects people from being charged with attacking police animals if they were not involved in criminal activity.
  • Updates definitions and adds new ones for offenses related to animals.
  • Expands laws about animal cruelty to include non-pest rodents.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who rescue animals from cars
  • Individuals charged with crimes involving animals
  • Uninvolved bystanders attacked by police animals

Terms To Know

Aggravating circumstance
A factor that makes a crime worse and can lead to harsher punishment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how much the penalties will increase.
  • It is unclear what specific new definitions have been added.

Amendments

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

HB1165.02.COMH.AMS05

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code about humane euthanasia procedures.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code that outlines requirements for humane euthanasia practices.
  • The official text does not provide specific details on what these humane euthanasia procedures entail, so more information is needed.
HB1165.02.COMH.AMS06

Committee House Bill (S) • Representative Wendy McNamara

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code about providing adequate bedding for animals.

  • Adds a requirement that animal owners provide adequate bedding for their animals.
  • The text does not specify what 'adequate bedding' means, leaving it open to interpretation.
HB1165.01.INTR.AMH02

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Garrett Bascom

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes the penalties for certain criminal offenses in Indiana.

  • Modifies the penalties for specific crimes under Indiana law.
  • The exact nature of the crimes and the new penalties are not specified in the provided text, making it unclear what specific changes will be made to the current laws.
HB1165.01.INTR.AMH03

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Wendy McNamara

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds new rules about nuisance rodents to Indiana's criminal law.

  • Adds a definition for 'nuisance rodent' in the state’s laws.
  • Establishes penalties for knowingly or intentionally harboring, transporting, or releasing nuisance rodents.
  • The exact types of rodents considered 'nuisance rodents' are not specified and may need further clarification.
HB1165.01.INTR.AMH01

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Matt Pierce

Filed

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code about humane euthanasia procedures.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code that outlines requirements for humane euthanasia practices.
  • The specific details and requirements of the humane euthanasia procedures are not provided in the amendment text.
HB1165.03.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

Passed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to add a new section about criminal law and procedure, but the specific details of what this new section will include are not provided in the given information.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.
  • The official amendment text does not provide enough detail to explain exactly what changes or additions are being made to the Indiana Code.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 House

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-04 House

    Public Law 80

  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

    Signed by the Speaker

  6. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  7. 2026-02-25 House

    House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 374: yeas 78, nays 14

  8. 2026-02-25 House

    Motion to concur filed

  9. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 264: yeas 42, nays 6

  10. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  11. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Amendment #1 (Taylor G) prevailed; voice vote

  12. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Senator Deery added as second sponsor

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  14. 2026-02-02 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law

  15. 2026-01-29 House

    Referred to the Senate

  16. 2026-01-28 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 140: yeas 85, nays 6

  17. 2026-01-28 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Carrasco

  18. 2026-01-27 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  19. 2026-01-27 House

    Representative Andrade added as coauthor

  20. 2026-01-22 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  21. 2026-01-05 House

    Authored by Representative McNamara

  22. 2026-01-05 House

    Coauthored by Representatives Baird, Bartels

  23. 2026-01-05 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 criminal law and procedure.
Various animal related matters.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.

Various animal related matters.

Removes partial liability for damages when a person removes a domestic animal from a motor vehicle. Increases certain penalties for offenses involving animals, and establishes a defense for an uninvolved person attacked by a law enforcement animal. Sets forth new definitions and amends various definitions for offenses relating to animals. Specifies that animal cruelty statutes apply to a rodent that is not a nuisance rodent. Makes certain acts an aggravating circumstance for purposes of sentencing.