Rep. Ed Soliday

Requires a utility to accept certain methods of payment from the department of natural resources (department) for utility service provided to a property owned by the department. Prohibits a utility from limiting or restricting the: (1) dollar amount to less than $10,000; or (2) number of allowable payment transactions for a singular invoice to less than five; with respect to a payment made by one of the specified payment methods. Provides that for any singular property owned by the department, the department may request from a utility a consolidated bill for the property. Requires a utility that receives such a request to provide the department with a singular invoice for the entire property, unless the utility is unable to do so because of billing limitations or other operational constraints. Requires the natural resources commission to obtain primary enforcement authority from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to regulate Class VI underground injection wells. Grants the natural resources commission authority to adopt rules to regulate Class VI underground injection wells. Provides a mechanism and regulatory scheme for underground storage of carbon dioxide in Indiana but excludes the carbon sequestration pilot project from application of the new requirements. Specifies that the carbon sequestration pilot project's Class VI wells are not experimental.

Amends the statute that authorizes a conservancy district providing water service to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) if the conservancy district serves less than 2,000 customers, so as to authorize a withdrawal from the IURC's jurisdiction if the conservancy district serves less than 3,000 customers. Amends the existing statute authorizing alternative regulatory procedures for water or sewer utilities with customer bases not exceeding specified numbers to include within the scope of the statute a procedure that promotes economic development opportunities in rural areas while providing just and reasonable protections to a utility's existing ratepayers. Prohibits a water or wastewater utility (utility) from charging or collecting a capacity related fee or a tap fee to an eligible customer for connecting workforce housing to the utility's water or wastewater system (system) under certain circumstances. Provides that if the utility determines that the extension of service to the workforce housing will not result in a positive contribution to the utility's overall cost of service over a 20 year period, the utility may charge and collect from the eligible customer a capacity related fee or a tap fee that does not exceed the difference between: (1) the otherwise applicable capacity related fee or tap fee; minus (2) the contribution to the utility's overall cost of service over a 20 year period that will result from the extension of service to the workforce housing. Provides that for purposes of these provisions, an "eligible customer" means a not-for-profit organization that: (1) has entered into an agreement with the Indiana housing and community development authority under which the person will construct workforce housing in Indiana; and (2) seeks to connect the workforce housing to the system of a utility under the terms of a special contract with the utility. Authorizes a water or wastewater utility that is eligible under existing law to recover costs for service enhancement improvements (eligible utility) to adjust the statutory adjustment tracker to reflect certain per unit chemical and power costs if those costs have increased or decreased by more than 3% over the two most recent years. Provides that if the costs: (1) have increased by more than 3% over the two year period, the amount of the adjustment shall be included in the adjustment rider as an expense; or (2) have decreased by more than 3% over the two year period, the amount of the adjustment shall be included in the adjustment rider as a credit. Provides that an eligible utility is not required to seek preapproval of a plan from the IURC in order to seek recovery of the costs of chemicals and power. Requires an eligible utility for which the IURC has issued an order approving an adjustment rider for the recovery of chemical or power costs to file a petition for a change in its adjustment amount: (1) not later than 30 days after the end of each 12 month period after the date of the IURC's order approving the adjustment rider; and (2) until the IURC issues an order in the eligible utility's next general rate case. Specifies that the costs of chemicals and power may be recovered in full and without deferring 20% of the costs for recovery as part of the eligible utility's next general rate case.

Defines "surplus interconnection service" (SIS), with respect to established interconnection service connecting an electric generating facility with an electric transmission system, as any portion of that service that: (1) has not been used; and (2) is not reasonably expected to be needed; the use of which would result in the total amount of interconnection service at the point of interconnection remaining the same. Provides that an electric utility that is required to file integrated resource plans (IRPs) with the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) must include in any IRP filed after December 31, 2029, an analysis of the potential for SIS to meet immediate needs for capacity and energy at utility owned facilities. Provides that with respect to any petition filed with the IURC after December 31, 2029, for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction, purchase, or lease of an electric generation facility, the IURC shall consider whether: (1) the petitioner has conducted an analysis of the use of SIS as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, the proposed construction, purchase, or lease of the facility; and (2) the proposed construction, use, or lease of the facility will make use of, or allow for the use of, SIS. Requires the IURC to conduct a study to evaluate the potential use of SIS by electric utilities. Sets forth specific topics that the IURC must evaluate as part of the study. Requires the IURC to include in its 2027 annual report its findings with respect to the topics evaluated in the study.

Adds telecommunications network wire to the definition of "valuable metal" for purposes of Indiana law governing valuable metal dealers. Moves existing criminal penalties concerning valuable metals to the criminal code. Provides that a person may not sell or attempt to sell, and a valuable metal dealer may not purchase or attempt to purchase, telecommunications network wire in any amount unless specified conditions are satisfied. Provides that a person who suffers a pecuniary loss as a result of a violation of Indiana law governing valuable metal dealers may bring a civil action for specified damages against the person who caused the loss.

Establishes a traffic enforcement on private roads pilot project. Provides that a subdivision: (1) that is subject to governance authority by a homeowners association; (2) that contains at least 1,500 lots; and (3) with at least 15 miles of private road that are owned and maintained by the homeowners association; may establish maximum speed limits and designate intersections at which a vehicle is required to stop. Provides that a law enforcement officer has all police powers necessary to enforce the laws of the state for the regulation and use of vehicles on the private roads within the subdivision governed by the homeowners association. Provides that, with the exception of maximum speed limits and stop signs established by the homeowners association, a law enforcement officer may not enforce other rules or requirements established by the homeowners association. Provides that, with certain requirements, a homeowners association may enter into an agreement with or employ an off duty law enforcement officer. Provides that the pilot program expires July 1, 2028.

Requires an electricity supplier, other than a municipally owned utility, that is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to do the following: (1) Beginning with the first monthly billing cycle that begins after June 30, 2026, apply a levelized billing plan (plan) to all active residential customer accounts: (A) for service provided under the electricity supplier's standard residential tariff to a household that is eligible for and has applied for assistance from the state's home energy assistance program; and (B) to which a plan does not already apply. (2) Not later than April 1, 2026, offer each customer a mechanism by which the customer may opt out of a plan at any time without penalty. (3) Not later than July 1, 2026, for any plan offered by the electricity supplier and applied to an active customer account, amend or design the plan so that plan's account reconciliation mechanism is applied at such times during a calendar year to reflect typical seasonal patterns of electricity usage by residential customers, but not more than two times during a calendar year. Prohibits an electricity supplier from referring to or promoting a levelized billing plan as a "budget billing plan" unless the levelized billing plan also provides other specified forms of relief for customers. Authorizes the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions. Amends existing law granting the IURC the authority to take certain actions with respect to the rates and services of public utilities during emergency circumstances, as judged by the IURC, to provide instead that the IURC may recommend that the governor declare a disaster emergency or proclaim a state of energy emergency during which the IURC may take such actions. Specifies that the emergency must result from: (1) a national economic depression; (2) an act of war; or (3) a disaster of unprecedented size and destructiveness. Provides that an electric utility, other than a municipally owned utility, may not terminate residential electric service to a customer on any day with respect to which the National Weather Service has forecast, not earlier than 48 hours in advance, a heat index of at least 95 degrees for the location where the customer receives service. Requires an electricity supplier, other than a municipally owned utility, that is under the jurisdiction of the IURC for the approval of rates and charges to report to the office of utility consumer counselor (OUCC) on a quarterly basis certain data concerning residential customer accounts. Requires the OUCC to annually compile and summarize the information contained in the reports and include the summary in the OUCC's annual report to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications. Provides that an investor owned electricity supplier that is under the jurisdiction of the IURC for the approval of rates and charges must petition the IURC for approval of any change in its basic rates and charges through the submission of a three-year multi-year rate plan (MYRP). Beginning in 2026, requires each electricity supplier to file its first petition with the IURC for approval of an MYRP according to a prescribed schedule. Provides that the base rates for the first rate year of an MYRP shall be established by the IURC in the same manner that base rates would be established in a proceeding for a change in basic rates and charges that occurs outside an MYRP. Specifies that in a petition to the IURC for a multi-year plan, an electricity supplier must include certain information in its case in chief. Provides that for each rate year in an electricity supplier's MYRP, the following apply: (1) A customer affordability performance metric and an associated performance incentive mechanism (PIM) that: (A) is based on the electricity supplier's performance in meeting the customer affordability performance metric; and (B) provides financial rewards or penalties to the electricity supplier based on that performance. (2) A service restoration performance metric and an associated PIM that: (A) is based on the electricity supplier's performance in meeting the service restoration performance metric; and (B) provides financial rewards or penalties to the electricity supplier based on that performance. Sets forth the methods by which the IURC must calculate the prescribed performance metrics and determine the associated PIMs. Sets forth specified findings the IURC must make in approving an electricity supplier's MYRP. Provides that at any time before the expiration of an electricity supplier's approved MYRP, the IURC may, upon its own motion, or at the request of the OUCC or the electricity supplier: (1) examine the electricity supplier's rates under the MYRP; (2) conduct periodic reviews with opportunities for public hearings and comments; and (3) adjust the base rates or PIMs under the MYRP. Beginning in 2029, requires the IURC to include in its annual report certain information about: (1) the status of electricity suppliers' MYRP filings and current MYRPs; (2) electricity suppliers' calculated performance metrics for the current rate year; and (3) the impact of all applicable PIMs on customer rates. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions. Requires an electricity supplier, other than a municipally owned utility, that is under the jurisdiction of the IURC to offer, not later than July 1, 2026, a low income customer assistance program (program) that provides financial assistance to low income residential customers for the payment of monthly bills for utility service. Requires an electricity supplier to annually fund its program in an amount equal to: (1) at least 0.2% of the electricity supplier's jurisdictional revenues for residential customers; plus (2) any contributions from governmental agencies or programs or from other third parties. Provides that if a customer who applies for assistance is eligible for assistance under the program, the electricity supplier shall enroll the customer in the program. Provides that an electricity supplier may, but is not required to, petition the IURC for approval to recover eligible program costs. Provides that "eligible program costs" do not include costs recovered by the electricity supplier through contributions that are provided at no cost to the electricity supplier. Beginning in 2027, requires the IURC to include each year in its annual report specified information concerning each electricity supplier's program with respect to the most recently concluded state fiscal year. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions.

Maddy summarySB 27, titled "Vehicle Bill" (though the bill's actual content relates to stadiums, not vehicles), establishes the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority. This authority is created to acquire, build, and finance stadiums and related facilities in northwest Indiana. The bill outlines the authority's specific powers, including funding mechanisms and operational duties for managing these projects. The bill directly affects northwest Indiana communities by creating a dedicated entity to handle stadium development and financing.

Provides that a homeowners association's governing documents may not include a covenant, policy, or similar measure that: (1) prohibits or restricts the use of; (2) distinguishes between types of; or (3) results in differing standards for different types of; motor vehicles or outdoor equipment based on the fuel source that powers the motor vehicle or outdoor equipment. Provides that a homeowners association's governing documents may not include a covenant, policy, or similar measure that prohibits the display of an American flag.Prohibits a homeowners association from installing, maintaining, or operating an automated license plate reader (ALPR), and prohibits a homeowners association from permitting the installation, maintenance, or operation of an ALPR on the property of the homeowners association unless the ALPR is installed by a law enforcement agency and only the law enforcement agency has access to the ALPR data.Prohibits a county or municipality from adopting or enforcing a utility usage data ordinance. Prohibits a county, municipality, or township from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, order, regulation, resolution, policy, or similar measure that: (1) prohibits or restricts the use, sale, or lease of; (2) distinguishes between types of; or (3) results in differing regulatory standards for different types of; motor vehicles or machines other than vehicles, including outdoor equipment, based on the fuel source that powers the motor vehicle or machine. Requires political subdivisions located within five miles of the end of a runway of a publicly owned, public use airport to adopt an airspace overlay zoning ordinance.

Provides that a special license plate may be issued to former members of the general assembly who served: (1) for a former member of the house of representatives, not less than five terms; (2) for a former member of the senate, not less than three terms; and (3) for an individual who served in both the house of representatives and the senate, for a total of not less than 12 years.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding House resolution (HR 28) that formally recognizes the U.S. national debt as a threat to national security. It does not propose new laws or policies, but serves as a symbolic statement acknowledging the concern. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the House (91-0) on February 18, 2026, with multiple representatives added as co-authors. It directly affects congressional discourse but has no legal effect on debt management or security policies.