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SB203 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning economic development.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning economic development.

Budget Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Senator Spencer Deery
Last action
2026-01-08
Official status
Introduced Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific dates for implementation or detailed budget allocations, leaving these aspects uncertain.

Economic Development Changes for Indiana

This act amends Indiana's economic development laws by creating an ombudsman role within the state board of accounts to oversee the IEDC and a nonprofit subsidiary, and requires the IEDC to establish a dashboard and analyze utility impacts.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates an economic development ombudsman position within the state board of accounts to oversee the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and its nonprofit subsidiary.
  • The ombudsman will recommend policies concerning economic development and transparency matters to the general assembly.
  • Allows the ombudsman to hire assistants with approval from another official.
  • Requires IEDC to establish a dashboard showing long-term data about economic growth derived from elements in the economic incentives and compliance report.
  • Mandates IEDC to analyze potential impacts of proposed projects on water, wastewater, electricity, and natural gas services for ratepayers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)
  • Nonprofit subsidiaries of the IEDC
  • State agencies, utilities providing utility services, local units of government, consumer and ratepayer advocates

Terms To Know

Ombudsman
A person whose job is to look into complaints about unfair treatment or poor service.
Dashboard
An easy-to-read display of important information, like a control panel in a car.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact budget for these new duties.
  • It is unclear when the changes will start and who will have access to the dashboard data.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-08 Senate

    Authored by Senator Deery

  2. 2026-01-08 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Commerce and Technology

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning economic development.
Indiana economic development corporation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning economic development.

Indiana economic development corporation.

Requires the state board of accounts to act as the economic development ombudsman (ombudsman) for the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC) and a nonprofit subsidiary of the IEDC (nonprofit subsidiary) and to designate an individual to serve as the ombudsman. Sets forth the ombudsman's duties, including the recommendation of policies to the general assembly concerning economic development and transparency matters. Allows the ombudsman (subject to the state examiner's approval) to employ or contract with assistants necessary to assist the ombudsman in carrying out the ombudsman's duties. Establishes circumstances under which the ombudsman is required to adopt a budget before the ombudsman's costs, including the costs of any assistants, in carrying out the ombudsman's duties are paid from appropriations made to the IEDC and when the ombudsman may bill the IEDC for those costs without using the budget procedure added by this bill. Provides for appointment to the board of the IEDC of two nonvoting, advisory members who are members of the general assembly. Requires the IEDC to establish a dashboard that includes longitudinal representations of certain economic development data derived from elements required to be included in the economic incentives and compliance report. Requires the IEDC to analyze the potential impact of a proposed economic development investment on the costs to provide the following utility services to ratepayers: (1) Water. (2) Wastewater. (3) Electricity. (4) Natural gas. Specifies that in performing the analysis, the IEDC must consider each of the following: (1) The existing utility infrastructure available to serve the project. (2) Any new utility infrastructure needed to serve the project. (3) Water resource availability for the project. Provides that if a proposed economic development investment is projected to negatively impact ratepayers, the IEDC is required to develop and implement a mitigation plan. Allows the IEDC to consult with certain state agencies, utilities providing utility services to the project area, local units of government, and consumer and ratepayer advocates in performing the analysis and mitigation requirements added by this bill.