2025 Bill Tracking Information
Sine Die! The 2025 Indiana General Assembly officially adjourned at 1:38 a.m. on Friday, April 25, bringing this year’s budget session to a close.
The session, which began January 8, marked a pivotal moment in shaping Indiana’s two-year financial plan. Budget sessions, held during odd-numbered years, allow for more extended debate and broader policy action—and this year was no exception. Water infrastructure, resource management, and rural investment emerged as dominant themes throughout the session.
Policymakers elevated water as a key legislative priority. Senate Republicans advanced proposals for permitting requirements on large-scale water transfers and cross-basin pipeline projects to protect Indiana’s aquifers. The Indiana Farm Bureau backed initiatives to expand groundwater protections and create a statewide monitoring network—reflecting increasing urgency to secure long-term water access for agriculture, communities, and economic development.
The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water was actively involved throughout the session—providing testimony, working closely with legislators, and advocating for resources and policies that directly support rural water and wastewater systems. Several bills were enacted, including measures that involve utility asset management, establish watershed commissions, and improve drainage and onsite wastewater standards.
Of the 1,229 bills filed, 245 (19.9%) made it across the finish line and have either been signed by Governor Mike Braun or await final executive action. Once a bill reaches the Governor’s desk, he has seven days to sign, veto, or allow it to become law without his signature. From this point forward, all legislation that passed both chambers will be referred to as Enrolled Acts.
You can track the Governor’s bill signings here. For the final status of bills and roll call votes, visit iga.in.gov.
Below, we highlight key legislation affecting water and wastewater utilities—what passed, what stalled, and what’s next for Indiana’s rural systems.
[Check out last year's Legislative Recap from Executive Director, Kristin Bean! Discover insights on key legislative outcomes in 2024, including passed bills, failed measures, and more. Check it out HERE]
House Bills
- HB1001 - State Budget.
Summary: Appropriates funds for state operations, including K-12 and higher education, Medicaid services, and various other distributions. Notably, it establishes tax credits for capital investments in rural funds and the Hoosier workforce investment tax credit for certain training costs.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on May 6, 2025
- HB1052 - Onsite sewage systems.
Summary: Establishes standards and regulations for the installation and maintenance of onsite sewage systems to protect public health and the environment.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on May 1, 2025
- HB1126 - Watershed development commissions.
Summary: Authorizes the creation of watershed development commissions to manage water resources and address issues such as flooding and water quality within specific regions.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 22, 2025
- HB1459 - Water and wastewater utility asset management.
Summary:
Now House Enrolled Act 1459 mandates that all water and wastewater utilities—whether public, private, nonprofit, or municipal—to report on their asset management plans every four years starting January 1, 2026. these reports must demonstrate efforts to implement Indiana finance authority (IFA) guidelines and certify the utility's technical, managerial, legal, and financial capabilities. the IURC will verify each utility's program every four years. if deficiencies are identified, the utility will be notified and given a timeframe to address them. two consecutive deficiency notices will result in the IURC asserting jurisdiction over the utility's rates and charges, requiring a base rate case. three consecutive deficiencies may lead to the initiation of a receivership proceeding. additionally, beginning January 1, 2027, utility governing bodies must complete a quadrennial training program covering best practices in asset management, fiduciary duties, financial management, and environmental compliance.Learn more about HEA 1459 in this plain-language summary: HEA 1459
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 16, 2025
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HB1460 - Drainage systems.
Summary: Addresses the maintenance and improvement of drainage systems to prevent flooding and promote effective water management.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on May 1, 2025
- HB1477 - Mobile home community matters.
Summary: Regulates aspects of mobile home communities, including infrastructure standards and resident protections.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on May 1, 2025
Dead House Bills
These bills did not pass the House third reading deadline and did not advance this session.
- HB1190 - Water quality.
- HB1268 - DNR study of groundwater resources.
- HB1286 - PFAS chemicals.
- HB1316 - Sewer and stormwater fees incurred by tenants.
- HB1366 - PFAS water safety standards.
- HB1421 - Septic grant program.
- HB1446 - Sales tax exemption for utility service.
- HB1553 - PFAS biosolids testing.
- HB1610 - Onsite wastewater industry registry.
- HB1628 - Property development matters.
- HB1645 - Rural utility infrastructure.
- HB1673 - Tracking of municipal utility costs.
- HB1674 - Tracking of statewide utility costs.
Note: While these bills are no longer active, their concepts may reappear in amended bills or in 2026. Continued monitoring is advised, especially on PFAS, asset management, and rural infrastructure funding.
Senate Bills
- SB4 - Water matters.
Summary: Beginning July 1, 2025, water utilities must obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission before building long-haul water pipelines. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources must also approve large interbasin water transfers via a permit process to ensure sustainability and public interest. Ongoing transfers exceeding system capacity may also require permits. Violations may result in civil penalties.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 22, 2025
- SB28 - Ground water emergencies.
Summary: Establishes protocols and provides resources for responding to groundwater contamination emergencies to protect public health and the environment.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 16, 2025
- SB211 - Clean Water Indiana program.
Summary: Enhances funding and support for the Clean Water Indiana Program, which focuses on reducing nonpoint source pollution through conservation practices.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 1, 2025
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SB421 - IURC matters.
Summary: Relates to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), including changes to its regulatory authority and procedures.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on March 31, 2025
- SB426 - Water utility infrastructure.
Summary: Expands IURC oversight to include water utilities that, like certain wastewater utilities, are not under IURC rate jurisdiction but have received enforcement orders from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Additional enforcement orders trigger increasing regulatory actions, including rate reviews, rate regulation, and potential receivership. The bill also requires IURC to consider mechanisms for integrating and investing in acquired utilities and allows utilities to recover certain infrastructure improvement costs. It limits liability for water utilities if their supplied drinking water meets federal and state standards and restricts the Department of Natural Resources from ordering the removal of certain dams if doing so would impact public or private water supplies.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on April 3, 2025
- SB459 - Environmental matters.
Summary: Allows the Environmental Rules Board to establish regulations for the reclamation and reuse of treated wastewater. It also mandates that certain entities conduct annual cybersecurity vulnerability assessments for public water systems, designate a primary cybersecurity incident reporter, submit annual certification to the Department of Environmental Management, and report any actual or suspected cybersecurity breaches to the Office of Technology.
Status: Signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on May 1, 2025
Dead Senate Bills
These bills failed to pass the Senate third reading deadline and therefore did not advance during the 2025 session.
- SB134 - Water management authority
- SB235 - Limitations on diversity, equity, and inclusion
- SB251 - Indiana Economic Development Corporation
- SB256 - Ground water
- SB349 - Environmental remediation
- SB394 - Various tax and fiscal matters
- SB427 - Nonjurisdictional water utilities
- SB458 - Extension of water services
- SB538 - PFAS chemicals
Note: While these bills are no longer active, their concepts may reappear in amended bills or in 2026. Continued monitoring is advised.
Stay up to date!
Stay up to date and read more about each of these bills here:
IGA | Bills for 2025 Session (in.gov).
Also, be sure to contact us if you have questions or would like to share your utility's concern or support of a particular bill. If you would like to attend the session, we welcome you to join us!