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SB68 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning higher education.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning higher education.

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator Shelli Yoder
Last action
2026-01-22
Official status
Introduced Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify which disciplines beyond mental and behavioral health must offer the accelerated programs.

Accelerating Graduate Programs in Mental and Behavioral Health

This bill requires Indiana schools with two-year mental or behavioral health graduate programs to assess if these can be completed within one year or as part of a five-year combined bachelor's and master's program, then report their findings.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires state educational institutions offering two-year graduate degree programs in mental or behavioral health to evaluate the feasibility of providing these programs in a structured manner that allows full-time students to complete them within one year or as part of a five-year combined bachelor's and master's program.
  • Requires certain state educational institutions to offer at least one accelerated graduate degree program in specific disciplines, allowing full-time students to finish it either in one year or as part of a five-year combined bachelor's and master's program.
  • Asks these schools to report their findings about the feasibility of faster programs to the commission for higher education.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Indiana state educational institutions that offer graduate degree programs in mental or behavioral health.
  • Full-time students enrolled in or planning to enroll in these accelerated graduate programs.

Terms To Know

Commission for Higher Education
The agency responsible for overseeing higher education policies and standards in Indiana.
Baccalaureate degree program
A four-year undergraduate college or university degree program.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify which disciplines must offer the accelerated programs beyond mental and behavioral health.
  • The bill does not provide funding for these changes, so schools will need to find their own resources.
  • It is unclear how many schools currently have two-year graduate degree programs in mental or behavioral health.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Senator Crider added as third author

  2. 2026-01-08 Senate

    Senator Goode added as second author

  3. 2025-12-08 Senate

    Authored by Senator Yoder

  4. 2025-12-08 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning higher education.
Accelerated graduate degree programs.

Current Bill Text

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

Accelerated graduate degree programs.

Requires each state educational institution that offers a two year graduate degree program in mental or behavioral health to evaluate the graduate degree program to determine the feasibility of providing the program in a specifically structured manner to allow full-time students to complete the program within: (1) one year; or (2) five years if the program is combined with a baccalaureate degree program. Requires certain state educational institutions to offer at least one graduate degree program in one or more certain disciplines that is structured to allow full-time students to complete the program within: (1) one year; or (2) five years if the program is combined with a baccalaureate degree program. Requires certain state educational institutions to report to the commission for higher education (commission) regarding the graduate degree programs. Requires the commission to post the submitted reports on the commission's website.