SB 224 Indiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Department of natural resources.

Summary

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.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Jan 8, 2026 Signed Mar 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled Senate Bill (S) → Senate Bill (H) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Indiana Code to reflect recent legislative changes, primarily reorganizing and renumbering definitions within the Department of Natural Resources chapter. It removes an outdated definition for 'Corporation' and consolidates definitions for 'Fund' and 'Executive' to ensure consistency across various statutes. The bill also includes a synopsis that outlines broader policy shifts, such as raising financial thresholds for boating and off-road vehicle accidents and establishing new landowner liability restrictions, though these specific policy details are not fully detailed in the provided text.

Scope change

The bill's scope is technically narrowed in the provided text by removing the definition for 'Corporation' (IC 14-8-2-57), but the synopsis indicates the overall bill expands the scope of natural resources regulations by raising accident reporting thresholds and modifying landowner liability rules.

DEFINITION

The definition for 'Corporation' was removed from the code, likely because it is no longer relevant or has been superseded by other statutes.

The definition for 'Fund' was reorganized to clarify its application across multiple sections of the Indiana Code.

The definition for 'Executive' was updated to align with current statutory requirements.

REQUIREMENT

According to the synopsis, the bill raises the financial threshold for reporting boating accidents from $750 to $2,000 and off-road vehicle accidents from $750 to $2,500.

The bill establishes new restrictions on landowner liability for recreational users, with exemptions for residential land.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 29, 2026 · House Feb 24, 2026

How they voted

47–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 48

Jan 29, 2026

D Democratic9

9 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican39

38 Yea 1

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 5, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by the Speaker

lower

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by the President of the Senate

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by the President Pro Tempore

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced

Senate dissented from House amendments

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Amendment #2 (Lindauer) prevailed; voice vote

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jan 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

upper

3 primary · 1 co-sponsor