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HB1258 • 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.

Children Crime Firearms
Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to Indiana's Criminal Law on Violent Crimes

This law updates Indiana's criminal laws by changing how certain violent crimes are defined, adding new offenses to the list of violent crimes, and making other related adjustments.

What This Bill Does

  • Updates the definition of 'crime of violence' in Indiana's laws.
  • Changes who is considered a 'violent offender', including people charged with violent crimes.
  • Defines a 'violent arrestee' as someone arrested for certain serious violent felonies.
  • Removes old rules about repeat violent arrests.
  • Adds new offenses to the list of violent crimes, such as dangerous possession of a firearm and unlawful carrying of a handgun if there are two prior convictions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit or attempt to commit violent crimes in Indiana.
  • Law enforcement agencies that arrest people for violent crimes.
  • Courts and judges who handle cases involving violent offenders.

Terms To Know

violent offender
A person convicted of a crime of violence or charged with one.
violent arrestee
Someone arrested for or charged with a crime of violence that is a Level 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 felony.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The effective date of the law has not been specified.
  • It does not include details about how these changes will be enforced in practice.

Amendments

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

HB1258.03.ENGH.AMS01

Committee Engrossed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to add new requirements for individuals who possess firearms in certain situations.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code that requires people with firearms to follow specific rules when they are in places where there is a risk of violence or danger.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what those specific rules are, so it's unclear exactly how individuals will be affected.
  • It is also unknown which specific places or situations would trigger these new requirements for firearm possession.
HB1258.02.COMH.AMH001

Filed House Bill (H) • Representative Chris Jeter

Passed

Plain English: This amendment does not provide specific changes to the bill and is marked as 'second', indicating it might be procedural or a placeholder.

  • The official text of the amendment does not specify any concrete changes, making it unclear what effect this amendment would have.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Rodney Pol

Failed

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

  • The exact nature of the change is unclear from the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not specify any concrete changes or updates to the Indiana Code.
  • Further information would be needed to understand the intended impact of this amendment.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS002

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Tyler Johnson

Failed

Plain English: This amendment would modify Indiana's criminal law by changing the penalties for certain crimes.

  • The amendment changes how some criminal offenses are punished under Indiana law.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about which crimes or penalties are being changed, making it hard to explain exactly what this amendment would do.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS003

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

Failed

Plain English: This amendment would modify Indiana's criminal law by changing the penalties for certain crimes involving controlled substances.

  • Changes the penalty for a specific crime related to controlled substances, likely altering fines or imprisonment terms.
  • The official text is too brief and technical to provide more detailed specifics about which exact crimes or penalties are being modified.
  • It's unclear what specific changes would be made without additional context from the full bill and amendment details.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS004

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

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 will be made to the Indiana Code.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS005

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Liz Brown

Failed

Plain English: This amendment would add a new section to Indiana's criminal law that deals with the consequences for certain types of theft.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code under IC 35-42 dealing with theft, specifically addressing penalties for theft involving property valued at less than $750.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details about the exact nature of the penalties or how they differ from existing laws.
  • It is unclear what types of theft this new section would apply to beyond the value threshold mentioned.
HB1258.04.COMS.AMS006

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Taylor

X

Plain English: This amendment changes how Indiana handles certain criminal cases involving minors.

  • Adds new rules for handling criminal cases where the defendant is a minor under 18 years old.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what these new rules are, so we cannot explain them further.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 House

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-04 House

    Public Law 85

  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 393: yeas 78, nays 15

  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 244: yeas 46, nays 2

  9. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  10. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  11. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Amendment #4 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote

  12. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Amendment #6 (Taylor G) failed; voice vote

  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 131: yeas 92, nays 0

  17. 2026-01-28 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Freeman

  18. 2026-01-22 House

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  19. 2026-01-22 House

    Amendment #1 (Jeter) prevailed; voice vote

  20. 2026-01-20 House

    Representatives King, Carbaugh, Porter added as coauthors

  21. 2026-01-14 House

    Committee report: do pass, adopted

  22. 2026-01-05 House

    Authored by Representative Jeter

  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.
Crimes of violence.

Current Bill Text

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

Crimes of violence.

Revises and consolidates the definition of "crime of violence". Amends the definition of violent offender to mean a person who is convicted of an offense or attempted offense that is a crime of violence or a person who is charged with an offense or attempted offense that is a crime of violence. Amends the definition of "violent arrestee" to mean a person arrested for or charged with a crime of violence that is a Level 1 felony, Level 2 felony, Level 3 felony, Level 4 felony, or a Level 5 felony. Removes provisions concerning repeat violent arrestees. Amends the definition of "violent criminal" to mean a person convicted of a crime of violence. Adds: (1) dangerous possession of a firearm with two priors; and (2) unlawful carrying of a handgun with two priors; to the crimes of violence list. Makes a technical correction and conforming changes.