House Bill
HB 1161
Local government matters.
In plain English
Requires county and city or town executives to preapprove certain large park board actions, such as buying property or signing contracts, when the cost exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 10% of the park district's annual budget. Requires most county executives to adopt a written employee conduct policy and lets them set a county administrator's salary within limits. Also makes other changes.
Written by AI from the official digest below, and checked only by automated rules. If they differ, the official digest and bill text control.
Official digest
Provides that individuals who are appointed to certain boards, committees, or other bodies in a county that does not have a consolidated city, serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority as long as: (1) the officeholder who appointed the individual continues to hold the office; or (2) the board, committee, or body that appointed the individual retains all of the same members who served when the individual was appointed. Provides that, in the case of a reorganized political subdivision, the oath of office of the town board of police commissioners is administered by any of the individuals granted notary powers. Staggers the terms of a nine member local board of health. Provides that the county executive, excluding a county containing a consolidated city, may set the salary of a county administrator subject to: (1) salary parameters established; or (2) approval; by the county fiscal body. Provides that each county executive, excluding a county containing a consolidated city and certain employees, shall adopt and maintain a written personnel policy, employee handbook, or equivalent document establishing minimum standards for county employee conduct, performance, and workplace expectations. Requires the executive of a county or municipality (unit) to preapprove any of the following actions of the unit's park and recreation board, if the cost exceeds the lesser of $500,000 or 10% of the park district's annual budget: (1) Exercising eminent domain powers. (2) Entering into a contract. (3) Acquiring real or personal property. (4) Making capital improvements. Adds public defenders to those officials whose home addresses may be restricted from public property data base websites.
Latest action: Public Law 40, February 26, 2026Full text and history at iga.in.gov
Authors and sponsors
Ethan Lawson, Brett Clark, Mike Bohacek
Co-authors and co-sponsors: Alex Zimmerman, Jenny Meltzer, Justin Moed
Roll-call votes
3 recorded votes, oldest first. Third-reading votes decide whether a bill passes a chamber; amendment votes and procedural motions are listed too.
House · Jan 20, 2026
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: HB 1161 - Lawson - 3rd Reading
Passed
90 yes0 no10 did not vote
Republicans: 62 yes, 0 no, 7 did not voteDemocrats: 27 yes, 0 no, 3 did not voteIndependents: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (90)
- Alaina Shonkwiler (R)
- Alex Burton (D)
- Alex Zimmerman (R)
- Andrew Ireland (R)
- Beau Baird (R)
- Becky Cash (R)
- Ben Smaltz (R)
- Blake Johnson (D)
- Bob Behning (R)
- Bob Heaton (R)
- Bob Morris (R)
- Bruce Borders (R)
- Carey Hamilton (D)
- Carolyn Jackson (D)
- Cherrish Pryor (D)
- Chris Jeter (R)
- Chris Judy (R)
- Chris May (R)
- Chuck Moseley (D)
- Cindy Ledbetter (R)
- Cory Criswell (R)
- Craig Haggard (R)
- Craig Snow (R)
- Dale DeVon (R)
- Danny Lopez (R)
- Dave Hall (R)
- David Abbott (R)
- Doug Miller (R)
- Earl Harris (D)
- Ed Clere (I)
- Ed DeLaney (D)
- Ed Soliday (R)
- Ethan Lawson (R)
- Garrett Bascom (R)
- Greg Steuerwald (R)
- Gregory Porter (D)
- Hal Slager (R)
- Heath VanNatter (R)
- Hunter Smith (R)
- J.D. Prescott (R)
- Jack Jordan (R)
- Jake Teshka (R)
- Jeff Thompson (R)
- Jim Lucas (R)
- Jim Pressel (R)
- John Bartlett (D)
- Julie McGuire (R)
- Julie Olthoff (R)
- Justin Moed (D)
- Karen Engleman (R)
- Kendell Culp (R)
- Kyle Miller (D)
- Kyle Pierce (R)
- Lindsay Patterson (R)
- Lori Goss-Reaves (R)
- Lorissa Sweet (R)
- Mark Genda (R)
- Martin Carbaugh (R)
- Matt Commons (R)
- Matt Hostettler (R)
- Matt Lehman (R)
- Matt Pierce (D)
- Maureen Bauer (D)
- Michelle Davis (R)
- Mike Andrade (D)
- Mike Aylesworth (R)
- Mike Karickhoff (R)
- Mitch Gore (D)
- Peggy Mayfield (R)
- Phil GiaQuinta (D)
- Ragen Hatcher (D)
- Randy Novak (D)
- Robb Greene (R)
- Robin Shackleford (D)
- Ryan Lauer (R)
- Shane Lindauer (R)
- Sheila Klinker (D)
- Steve Bartels (R)
- Sue Errington (D)
- Tim O'Brien (R)
- Tim Wesco (R)
- Tim Yocum (R)
- Tony Isa (R)
- Tonya Pfaff (D)
- Vanessa Summers (D)
- Vernon Smith (D)
- Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D)
- Wendy Dant Chesser (D)
- Wendy McNamara (R)
- Zach Payne (R)
Did not vote (10)
- Brad Barrett (R)
- Chris Campbell (D)
- Dave Heine (R)
- Elizabeth Rowray (R)
- Ethan Manning (R)
- Jenny Meltzer (R)
- Joanna King (R)
- Reneé Pack (D)
- Ryan Dvorak (D)
- Todd Huston (R)
Senate · Feb 17, 2026
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: HB 1161 - Clark - 3rd Reading
Passed
45 yes0 no5 did not vote
Republicans: 37 yes, 0 no, 3 did not voteDemocrats: 8 yes, 0 no, 2 did not vote
How each member voted
Yes (45)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Cyndi Carrasco (R)
- Dan Dernulc (R)
- Daryl Schmitt (R)
- David Niezgodski (D)
- Ed Charbonneau (R)
- Eric Koch (R)
- Fady Qaddoura (D)
- Gary Byrne (R)
- Greg Goode (R)
- Greg Taylor (D)
- Greg Walker (R)
- J.D. Ford (D)
- Jean Leising (R)
- Jeff Raatz (R)
- Jim Buck (R)
- Jim Tomes (R)
- Justin Busch (R)
- Kyle Walker (R)
- La Keisha Jackson (D)
- Linda Rogers (R)
- Liz Brown (R)
- Lonnie Randolph (D)
- Mark Spencer (D)
- Michael Crider (R)
- Mike Bohacek (R)
- Mike Gaskill (R)
- Mike Young (R)
- Nick McKinley (R)
- Randy Maxwell (R)
- Rick Niemeyer (R)
- Rod Bray (R)
- Ron Alting (R)
- Ryan Mishler (R)
- Scott Alexander (R)
- Scott Baldwin (R)
- Shelli Yoder (D)
- Spencer Deery (R)
- Stacey Donato (R)
- Sue Glick (R)
- Travis Holdman (R)
- Tyler Johnson (R)
- Vaneta Becker (R)
Did not vote (5)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Chris Garten (R)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- Rodney Pol (D)
House · Feb 19, 2026
Final vote: concurrence or conference report
Roll call text: HB 1161 - Lawson
Passed
93 yes1 no6 did not vote
Republicans: 64 yes, 1 no, 4 did not voteDemocrats: 28 yes, 0 no, 2 did not voteIndependents: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (93)
- Alaina Shonkwiler (R)
- Alex Burton (D)
- Alex Zimmerman (R)
- Andrew Ireland (R)
- Beau Baird (R)
- Becky Cash (R)
- Ben Smaltz (R)
- Blake Johnson (D)
- Bob Behning (R)
- Bob Heaton (R)
- Bob Morris (R)
- Brad Barrett (R)
- Bruce Borders (R)
- Carolyn Jackson (D)
- Cherrish Pryor (D)
- Chris Campbell (D)
- Chris Judy (R)
- Chris May (R)
- Chuck Moseley (D)
- Cindy Ledbetter (R)
- Cory Criswell (R)
- Craig Haggard (R)
- Craig Snow (R)
- Dale DeVon (R)
- Danny Lopez (R)
- Dave Hall (R)
- Dave Heine (R)
- David Abbott (R)
- Earl Harris (D)
- Ed Clere (I)
- Ed DeLaney (D)
- Elizabeth Rowray (R)
- Ethan Lawson (R)
- Ethan Manning (R)
- Garrett Bascom (R)
- Gregory Porter (D)
- Hal Slager (R)
- Heath VanNatter (R)
- Hunter Smith (R)
- J.D. Prescott (R)
- Jack Jordan (R)
- Jake Teshka (R)
- Jeff Thompson (R)
- Jenny Meltzer (R)
- Jim Lucas (R)
- Jim Pressel (R)
- Joanna King (R)
- John Bartlett (D)
- Julie McGuire (R)
- Julie Olthoff (R)
- Karen Engleman (R)
- Kendell Culp (R)
- Kyle Miller (D)
- Kyle Pierce (R)
- Lindsay Patterson (R)
- Lori Goss-Reaves (R)
- Lorissa Sweet (R)
- Mark Genda (R)
- Martin Carbaugh (R)
- Matt Commons (R)
- Matt Hostettler (R)
- Matt Lehman (R)
- Matt Pierce (D)
- Maureen Bauer (D)
- Michelle Davis (R)
- Mike Andrade (D)
- Mike Aylesworth (R)
- Mike Karickhoff (R)
- Mitch Gore (D)
- Peggy Mayfield (R)
- Phil GiaQuinta (D)
- Ragen Hatcher (D)
- Randy Novak (D)
- Reneé Pack (D)
- Robb Greene (R)
- Robin Shackleford (D)
- Ryan Dvorak (D)
- Ryan Lauer (R)
- Shane Lindauer (R)
- Sheila Klinker (D)
- Steve Bartels (R)
- Sue Errington (D)
- Tim O'Brien (R)
- Tim Wesco (R)
- Tim Yocum (R)
- Tony Isa (R)
- Tonya Pfaff (D)
- Vanessa Summers (D)
- Vernon Smith (D)
- Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D)
- Wendy Dant Chesser (D)
- Wendy McNamara (R)
- Zach Payne (R)
No (1)
- Greg Steuerwald (R)
Did not vote (6)
- Carey Hamilton (D)
- Chris Jeter (R)
- Doug Miller (R)
- Ed Soliday (R)
- Justin Moed (D)
- Todd Huston (R)
Source: Open States, compiled from the Indiana General Assembly's official roll calls. The official record at iga.in.gov controls. Spot an error? Let us know.