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SB224 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources.

Land
Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on all changes made to definitions or procedures.

Indiana Law Changes for Natural Resources

This law updates Indiana's rules about natural resources, including boating regulations, landowner liability, and river basin commissions.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines various terms related to natural resources.
  • Changes the procedures of the Natural Resources Commission.
  • Amends the powers and duties of the Department of Natural Resources.
  • Removes the Hometown Indiana grant program.
  • Raises the financial threshold for legal actions after boating or off-road vehicle accidents.
  • Establishes restrictions on landowner liability to recreational users.
  • Removes penalties for unlicensed hunting guides.
  • Consolidates chapters related to river basin commissions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use natural resources in Indiana, such as boaters and off-road vehicle drivers.
  • Landowners whose property is used by others for recreation without permission.
  • The Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Commission.

Terms To Know

Natural Resources
Things in nature that people use, like water, land, and wildlife.
Conservancy Districts
Areas where special rules apply to protect natural resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify all the changes made to definitions or procedures.
  • It is unclear how these new regulations will affect specific communities and industries.

Amendments

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

SB0224.01.INTR.AMS04

Committee Introduced Senate Bill (S) • Senator Susan Glick

Filed

Plain English: The amendment does not provide specific details about changes to the bill and focuses on fiscal matters.

  • The amendment addresses fiscal aspects of the bill but does not specify any concrete changes to the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources.
  • The official text is too brief to explain specific changes or impacts.
  • Further details about the fiscal implications are needed for a complete understanding.
SB0224.01.INTR.AMS06

Committee Introduced Senate Bill (S) • Senator Susan Glick

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the Indiana Code that deals with liability issues.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources, focusing on liability.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what kind of liability is being addressed or how it will be handled.
SB0224.02.COMS.AMH11

Committee Senate Bill (H) • Representative Shane Lindauer

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes how river basin commissions are organized and run in Indiana.

  • Adds new rules about the structure of river basin commissions, including membership requirements.
  • Specifies that river basin commissions must follow certain procedures when making decisions.
  • The exact details of the new procedures for river basin commissions are not fully explained in this amendment text.
SB0224.03.COMH.AMH001

Filed Senate Bill (H) • Representative Shane Lindauer

Failed

Plain English: This amendment aims to modify the Indiana Code regarding natural and cultural resources but does not provide specific details on what changes it intends to make.

  • The amendment seeks to alter the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources, though exact changes are not specified in the provided text.
  • The official amendment text is incomplete and lacks specific details about the proposed changes.
  • It is unclear what precise modifications this amendment would make to the existing law.
SB0224.03.COMH.AMH002

Filed Senate Bill (H) • Representative Shane Lindauer

Passed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to include new requirements for reporting and managing invasive species.

  • Adds a requirement for state agencies to report on invasive species management efforts.
  • Establishes procedures for identifying, monitoring, and controlling invasive species in natural areas.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details about the penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with these new requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Public Law 123

  3. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Dissent rescinded

  4. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Motion to concur filed

  5. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules Suspended. Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 313: yeas 45, nays 4

  6. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  7. 2026-02-27 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  8. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  9. 2026-02-26 House

    House advisors appointed: Abbott, Hostettler, Jackson C, Novak

  10. 2026-02-26 House

    House conferees appointed: Lindauer, Burton

  11. 2026-02-25 House

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

  12. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Motion to dissent filed

  13. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate dissented from House amendments

  14. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate advisors appointed: Tomes, Yoder

  15. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate conferees appointed: Glick, Spencer

  16. 2026-02-24 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 348: yeas 85, nays 11

  17. 2026-02-23 House

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  18. 2026-02-23 House

    Amendment #2 (Lindauer) prevailed; voice vote

  19. 2026-02-12 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  20. 2026-02-09 House

    Representative Abbott added as cosponsor

  21. 2026-02-02 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources

  22. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 139: yeas 48, nays 0

  23. 2026-01-29 Senate

    House sponsor: Representative Lindauer

  24. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Senator Tomes added as second author

  25. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Referred to the House

  26. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  27. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  28. 2026-01-08 Senate

    Authored by Senator Glick

  29. 2026-01-08 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources.
Department of natural resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning natural and cultural resources.

Department of natural resources.

Defines various terms. Amends and removes various definitions. Makes various changes to natural resources commission procedures. Makes various changes to the department of natural resources (department) powers and duties. Removes the hometown Indiana grant program. Amends various boating and wakeboard regulations. Raises the financial threshold for certain actions in a boating accident from $750 to $2,000. Raises the financial threshold for certain actions in an off-road vehicle accident from $750 to $2,500. Establishes various restrictions on landowner liability to recreational users. Provides that various restrictions on landowner liability do not apply to a parcel of land assessed as residential land. Removes the penalty for a person who acts as a hunting guide without a guide license. Allows the division of water to perform certain functions on behalf of the natural resources commission. Requires the natural resources commission to coordinate with the department for purposes of a reporting requirement regarding conservancy districts. Establishes a consolidated chapter for river basin commission administration. Repeals existing, separate chapters for the Maumee River basin commission, the St. Joseph River basin commission, and the Upper Wabash River basin commission. Creates a new chapter for a river basin commission's conversion into a watershed development commission. Makes technical and conforming changes.