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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB176 • 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.

Land
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Senator James Tomes
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Enrolled Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Shooting Range Regulations

This law changes Indiana's rules to allow easier maintenance and expansion of shooting ranges and permits retail sporting goods stores in commercial zones.

What This Bill Does

  • It says that fixing or expanding a building used for a shooting range is allowed without being seen as making the use of the land worse than what was originally planned.
  • If an area is zoned for commercial use, retail stores selling sports equipment can open there.
  • Indoor shooting ranges are permitted in areas zoned for commercial, industrial, or agricultural use if certain conditions are met.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments and officials who make decisions about land use and building permits.
  • Businesses that own or want to build shooting ranges or retail stores selling sports equipment.

Terms To Know

nonconforming use
A situation where a property is used in a way that does not match the current zoning rules, but was allowed before the rules changed.
zoning
The system of laws that divides land into different areas and says what kinds of buildings or businesses can be there.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify exactly how local governments must handle permits for shooting ranges.
  • The law only applies to Indiana, so other states have their own rules about shooting ranges.

Amendments

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

SB0176.02.COMS.AMH03

Committee Senate Bill (H) • Representative Ben Smaltz

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to add new rules about what kinds of buildings or activities are allowed in certain areas based on zoning laws.

  • Adds new language to the Indiana Code that specifies permitted uses for different zones under zoning laws.
  • The exact details and implications of the specific zoning changes proposed by this amendment are not provided, making it hard to explain further specifics.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Public Law 117

  3. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 309: yeas 42, nays 8

  4. 2026-02-27 House

    Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 403: yeas 67, nays 25

  5. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  6. 2026-02-27 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  7. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  8. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Senator Freeman added as coauthor

  9. 2026-02-26 Senate

    CCR # 1 filed in the Senate

  10. 2026-02-26 House

    CCR # 1 filed in the House

  11. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senator Koch added as coauthor

  12. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senator Doriot added as conferee

  13. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senator Doriot removed as conferee

  14. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senator Garten added as conferee

  15. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senator Taylor G removed as conferee

  16. 2026-02-24 House

    Representative Commons added as conferee

  17. 2026-02-24 House

    Representative Commons removed as advisor

  18. 2026-02-24 House

    Representative Johnson B removed as conferee

  19. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Senate advisors appointed: Pol, Buck

  20. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Senate conferees appointed: Tomes, Taylor G

  21. 2026-02-18 House

    House advisors appointed: Commons, Lucas, Smith V

  22. 2026-02-18 House

    House conferees appointed: Smaltz, Johnson B

  23. 2026-02-17 House

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

  24. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Concurrence withdrawn

  25. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Motion to concur filed

  26. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Motion to dissent filed

  27. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Senate dissented from House amendments

  28. 2026-02-16 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 252: yeas 65, nays 25

  29. 2026-02-12 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  30. 2026-02-10 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  31. 2026-02-02 House

    Representative Pressel added as cosponsor

  32. 2026-02-02 House

    Representatives Commons, Lucas added as cosponsors

  33. 2026-01-28 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Local Government

  34. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Referred to the House

  35. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 75: yeas 38, nays 6

  36. 2026-01-26 Senate

    House sponsor: Representative Smaltz

  37. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senator Buck added as second author

  38. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senator Young M added as third author

  39. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senator Brown L added as coauthor

  40. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senator Doriot added as coauthor

  41. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senators Crider, Maxwell, Byrne, Johnson T, Bohacek added as coauthors

  42. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  43. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Committee report: do pass, adopted

  44. 2026-01-05 Senate

    Authored by Senator Tomes

  45. 2026-01-05 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law

Official Summary Text

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

Current Bill Text

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

Shooting ranges.

Provides that the maintenance, repair, renovation, modernization, or expansion of buildings, structures, or facilities used in connection with a shooting range, including improvements to safety, security accessibility, or environmental controls, is a continuation of a permitted use and may not be treated by a local unit of government as: (1) an expansion of a nonconforming use; or (2) a basis to deny, delay, or condition approval of any permit that is otherwise required under applicable building codes or safety regulations. Provides that if an area is zoned for commercial use, a retail sporting goods store is a permitted use on each lot or parcel. Provides that if a property is zoned for commercial, industrial, or agricultural use, an indoor shooting range is permitted on any lot or parcel if certain conditions are satisfied.