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HB1355 • 2026
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning environmental law.
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning environmental law.
Agriculture
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
- Sponsor
- Representative Kendell Culp
- Last action
- 2026-02-26
- Official status
- Enrolled House Bill (H)
- Effective date
- Not listed
Plain English Breakdown
The exact conditions under which fees will be refunded and when the law takes effect are not specified in the provided official summary text.
Indiana Law Changes for Confined Feeding Operations
This law changes how Indiana handles permits and fees for farms that raise animals in enclosed spaces, creating a new pre-application process and setting rules about manure storage.
What This Bill Does
- Creates a new process where farmers can ask the state before they pay for a permit to start or expand an animal farm.
- Requires the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to give back fees if certain conditions are met.
- Allows some farms not to use special equipment for handling solid manure from animals.
- Stops DEM from making existing farms update their facilities when they want to expand.
- Sets rules about how manure storage areas must be built.
Who It Names or Affects
- Farmers who run confined feeding operations in Indiana
- The Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
Terms To Know
- Confined Feeding Operations
- Farms where animals are raised in enclosed spaces.
- Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
- The state agency that oversees environmental rules and regulations.
Limits and Unknowns
- Does not specify when the law will take effect.
- Does not explain how refunds for application fees will be calculated or under what circumstances they are given back.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: This amendment changes the rules for confined feeding operations in Indiana.
- Adds new requirements for confined feeding operations to reduce environmental impact.
- The specific details of how these new requirements will be implemented are not provided in the amendment text.
Plain English: This amendment changes the rules for confined feeding operations in Indiana.
- Adds new requirements for confined feeding operations to reduce environmental impact.
- The specific details of how these new requirements will be implemented are not provided in the amendment text.
Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to add new requirements for environmental law.
- Adds new provisions to the Indiana Code regarding environmental regulations.
- The official text does not provide specific details about what these new provisions entail, making it unclear exactly how they will affect current laws.
Bill History
-
2026-02-26
House
Signed by the Governor
-
2026-02-26
House
Public Law 42
-
2026-02-25
Senate
Signed by the President of the Senate
-
2026-02-24
Senate
Signed by the President Pro Tempore
-
2026-02-23
House
Signed by the Speaker
-
2026-02-19
House
House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 299: yeas 73, nays 22
-
2026-02-19
House
Motion to concur filed
-
2026-02-18
Senate
Returned to the House with amendments
-
2026-02-17
Senate
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 191: yeas 44, nays 0
-
2026-02-12
Senate
Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
-
2026-02-12
Senate
Amendment #1 (Niemeyer) prevailed; voice vote
-
2026-02-09
Senate
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
-
2026-02-02
Senate
First reading: referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs
-
2026-01-29
House
Referred to the Senate
-
2026-01-28
House
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 117: yeas 69, nays 26
-
2026-01-28
House
Senate sponsors: Senators Niemeyer, Schmitt
-
2026-01-27
House
Second reading: ordered engrossed
-
2026-01-22
House
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
-
2026-01-22
House
Representative Baird added as coauthor
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2026-01-12
House
Representative Aylesworth added as coauthor
-
2026-01-08
House
Authored by Representative Culp
-
2026-01-08
House
First reading: referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs
Official Summary Text
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning environmental law.
Confined feeding operations.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning environmental law.
Confined feeding operations.
Creates a preapplication process for the approval of confined feeding operations. Provides that the department of environmental management (department) must refund a confined feeding operation application fee under certain circumstances. Provides that certain confined feeding operations do not need to use certain equipment for solid manure produced by livestock. Prohibits the department from requiring an existing confined feeding operation permit holder, who is applying to expand an operation, to update a previously approved facility or structure. Establishes certain requirements for earthen berms at manure storage facilities. Requires the department to: (1) designate an employee as the point of contact for information on confined feeding operation applications; and (2) distribute the contact information of the designated employee to all operating confined feeding operations.