HB 1363 Indiana House · 2026 Regular Session

Various public safety matters.

Summary
Provides that the law enforcement training board (board) shall select an executive director to serve at the pleasure of the board. Provides that a person confined to a county jail may be required to make a copayment in an amount of not more than $30 (current law is $15). Provides that a person confined to a county jail is not required to make a certain copayment if, among other things, the person does not have funds in the person's commissary account or trust account within 180 days after the service is provided (current law is 60 days). Provides that a correctional professional is considered a public safety officer for purposes of determining eligibility for line of duty death benefits. (Current law provides that a correctional officer is considered a public safety officer for determining eligibility for line of duty death benefits.) Provides a process for certain sex and sex or violent offenders to submit certain information to the department of correction (department) regarding sex offender status in other states or jurisdictions. Provides that a person who is a: (1) sex offender; or (2) sex or violent offender; shall register for the period required by another jurisdiction or the period in Indiana, whichever is longer. Repeals the integrated public safety commission. Establishes the Indiana department of emergency communications. Changes the name of the "integrated public safety communications fund" to the "emergency communications fund". Provides that if: (1) the department releases a child who is a ward of the department; and (2) the child is less than 18 years of age; the department's wardship of the child ends. Provides that if a child who is a ward of the department is released and no parent or guardian allows the child to live with them, the department must immediately notify a certain court that the child needs to be a ward of the department of child services. Provides that the department is not required to send certain notices sent by offenders within the jurisdiction of the department by registered or certified mail. Makes it a Class B misdemeanor for a person to knowingly or intentionally possess an imitation firearm: (1) in or on school property; or (2) on a school bus. Provides that the department of emergency communications shall issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the purchase, or before issuing a change order, of any communications systems and equipment by the department that may be made available to public safety agencies. Provides that the communications equipment must be compatible with existing communications equipment used by public safety agencies. Provides that proposals shall be evaluated and awarded on a competitive basis using a scoring rubric established by the department. Makes conforming changes.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 8, 2026 Last action Jan 22, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced House Bill (H) House Bill (H) · 7 edits
MODERATE
This bill was amended to shift authority over the law enforcement training board's executive director from the governor to the board itself, with stricter qualification requirements. The digest was updated to reflect new provisions about jail copayment amounts and registration periods for sex offenders, along with establishing a new department of emergency communications. Several sections were reorganized and expanded to include additional operational requirements for the new communications department.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include new provisions for the Indiana department of emergency communications and updated requirements for jail copayments and sex offender registration.
REQUIREMENT

Changed executive director appointment authority from the governor to the law enforcement training board, with the director now serving at the board's pleasure rather than the governor's.

Added qualification requirements for the executive director, requiring at least 10 years of active law enforcement experience with at least 5 years in executive or administrative capacity.

Extended the time period for determining whether a jail inmate qualifies for copayment exemption from 60 days to 180 days after service is provided.

Added registration requirements for sex offenders to register for the longer period required by another jurisdiction or Indiana, whichever is longer.

FISCAL

Increased the maximum jail copayment amount from $15 to $30 for persons confined to county jails.

DEFINITION

Established the Indiana department of emergency communications and added requirements for issuing competitive requests for proposals for communications equipment.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from July 1, 2026 to upon passage, with July 1, 2026 remaining as an effective date for specific sections.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Jan 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Steve Bartels
Steve Bartels
RRepublican
IN
74