KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

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

Back to Indiana

SB185 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.

Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Senator Ron Alting
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Enrolled Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Indiana Tobacco and Alcohol Sales Rules

This bill changes rules about selling tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and alcohol in Indiana.

What This Bill Does

  • It says that places where tobacco or e-cigarettes are sold cannot have sleeping or living areas.
  • It requires people to get a special certificate from the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission before they can sell these items at wholesale.
  • It adds new information that applicants must give when applying for this certificate.
  • It stops the commission from giving certificates if someone had their previous one revoked within the last year, except in certain cases.
  • It sets rules about selling e-liquid products and vapor devices, including penalties for breaking these rules.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who sell tobacco or electronic cigarettes
  • The Alcohol and Tobacco Commission

Terms To Know

tobacco sales certificate
A special document needed to legally sell tobacco products in Indiana.
Alcohol and Tobacco Commission
The agency that issues certificates for selling alcohol and tobacco products.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Some parts of the bill are complex and may need further explanation.
  • It does not specify how enforcement will be carried out or what happens if someone breaks these rules.

Amendments

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

SB0185.01.INTR.AMS01

Committee Introduced Senate Bill (S) • Senator Kyle Walker

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes to change the Indiana Code regarding beer wholesalers' permits.

  • Modifies the requirements for obtaining and maintaining a beer wholesaler’s permit in Indiana.
  • The specific details of how the requirements will be modified are not provided, making it unclear exactly what changes will be made to the current law.
SB0185.01.INTR.AMS02

Committee Introduced Senate Bill (S) • Senator Ron Alting

Filed

Plain English: The amendment aims to add new rules about e-liquids and tobacco products in Indiana.

  • Adds regulations for e-liquids and tobacco products under the Indiana Code.
  • The specific details of the new regulations are not provided, so it's unclear exactly what changes will be made to the current laws regarding e-liquids and tobacco products.
SB0185.03.COMS.AMH09

Committee Senate Bill (H) • Representative Ethan Manning

Filed

Plain English: This amendment proposes to change the Indiana Code regarding alcohol and tobacco, but does not specify what exact changes it would make.

  • The official text of the amendment does not provide specific details about the proposed changes to the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.
SB0185.02.COMS.AMS03

Committee Senate Bill (S) • Senator Ryan Mishler

Filed

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirements for beer wholesalers in Indiana.

  • Adds a new requirement that beer wholesalers must have a valid business license from their local government.
  • The exact details of how this new requirement will be enforced are not specified in the amendment text.
SB0185.04.COMH.AMH001

Filed Senate Bill (H) • Representative Peggy Mayfield

Failed

Plain English: This amendment aims to modify the Indiana Code regarding alcohol and tobacco, 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 concerning alcohol and tobacco.
SB0185.04.COMH.AMH002

Filed Senate Bill (H) • Representative Ethan Manning

Passed

Plain English: This amendment does not provide specific details about changes to the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.

  • The official text of the amendment does not specify any concrete changes or updates to the law, making it impossible to describe its effects.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Public Law 148

  3. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  4. 2026-03-03 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  5. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  6. 2026-02-27 Senate

    CCR # 1 filed in the Senate

  7. 2026-02-27 House

    CCR # 1 filed in the House

  8. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 329: yeas 47, nays 0

  9. 2026-02-27 House

    Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 429: yeas 95, nays 0

  10. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Concurrence withdrawn

  11. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Motion to dissent filed

  12. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Senate dissented from House amendments

  13. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Dissent rescinded

  14. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Motion to concur filed

  15. 2026-02-24 House

    House advisors appointed: Manning, Lehman, Summers

  16. 2026-02-24 House

    House conferees appointed: VanNatter, Moed

  17. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Motion to dissent filed

  18. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Senate dissented from House amendments

  19. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Senate advisors appointed: Niezgodski, Walker K

  20. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Senate conferees appointed: Alting, Spencer

  21. 2026-02-19 House

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

  22. 2026-02-18 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 272: yeas 90, nays 0

  23. 2026-02-17 House

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  24. 2026-02-17 House

    Amendment #2 (Manning) prevailed; voice vote

  25. 2026-02-12 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  26. 2026-01-29 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Public Policy

  27. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Representative Manning removed as sponsor

  28. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Senator Niezgodski added as coauthor

  29. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Referred to the House

  30. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 102: yeas 45, nays 0

  31. 2026-01-27 Senate

    House sponsor: Representative VanNatter

  32. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Cosponsor: Representative Manning

  33. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Senator Leising added as coauthor

  34. 2026-01-27 Senate

    House sponsor: Representative Manning

  35. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  36. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  37. 2026-01-15 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations

  38. 2026-01-15 Senate

    Senator Spencer added as coauthor

  39. 2026-01-05 Senate

    Authored by Senators Alting, Walker K

  40. 2026-01-05 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Public Policy

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.
Alcohol and tobacco matters.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning alcohol and tobacco.

Alcohol and tobacco matters.

Specifies, with respect to a tobacco sales certificate (certificate), that a permitted premises may not include sleeping or living quarters. Provides that a person may not sell a tobacco product or electronic cigarette at wholesale without a certificate. Adds additional information an applicant must provide to the alcohol and tobacco commission (commission) when applying for a certificate. Provides, with one exception, that the commission shall not issue a certificate to a retail location where a certificate was revoked within one year prior to the application. Specifies the circumstances under which the commission must either suspend or revoke a certificate if the certificate holder's employees violate employee identification requirements three or more times in one year. Makes it a Class C infraction for a certificate holder or employee to violate particular identification requirements. Modifies the application of certain statutes concerning vapor pens and e-liquid. Establishes various requirements and penalties applicable to e-liquid, e-liquid products, and vapor devices, including restrictions on the manufacture, sourcing, possession, sale, and distribution of foreign adversary products. Specifies that certain provisions concerning vapor pens and e-liquid do not authorize the manufacturing, sale, possession, or use of a controlled substance or any product containing a controlled substance. Amends the requirements for an initial and renewal application to manufacture e-liquids or e-liquid products. Requires, in a provision concerning the sale of cigarettes, that a buydown be considered in determining the cost to the retailer or cost to the distributor. Specifies an exception. Adds the sale of alcohol without a permit to the violations which may constitute racketeering activity. Changes the infraction of the habitual illegal sale of tobacco products from six violations in a year to three violations in a year. Changes the infraction of the habitual illegal entrance by a minor from six violations to three violations in a year. Specifies that a prohibition on the sale, use, or distribution of flavored nitrous oxide does not apply to a law enforcement agency disposing of flavored nitrous oxide by donation to a nonprofit organization.