Senate Bill
SB 256
Foreign agent registration, foreign terrorist organizations, and foreign adversaries.
In plain English
Requires certain people acting for a hostile foreign country to register with the attorney general, and requires state technology contracts to include a promise that the contractor and its subcontractors are not prohibited persons. Creates a process to deny state benefits to people who aid a foreign terrorist organization, bars certain people and businesses from buying Indiana real property, and 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 contracts entered into, amended, or renewed by a qualified entity for the provision of a technological product or service must contain a provision requiring the contractor to confirm that the contractor and any subcontractors working under the contract for the contractor are not prohibited persons. Requires certain persons acting on behalf of a hostile foreign country to register with the attorney general. Establishes a procedure to deny state benefits to persons who aid a foreign terrorist organization. Requires a state educational institution to meet certain requirements regarding the admission and enrollment of a foreign student into qualifying programs at state educational institutions. Requires an approved postsecondary educational institution to provide to the commission for higher education the number of foreign students currently enrolled in a qualifying program and the number of foreign students enrolled in a qualifying program for each academic year for the preceding 10 years. Prohibits certain individuals and business entities from acquiring real property located in Indiana. Provides that an agreement or cooperative agreement between a unit and a prohibited person is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable. Repeals existing statutes regarding foreign ownership of agricultural land.
Latest action: Public Law 131, March 5, 2026Full text and history at iga.in.gov
Authors and sponsors
Chris Garten, Eric Koch, Aaron Freeman, Matt Commons
Co-authors and co-sponsors: Justin Busch, Scott Baldwin, Gary Byrne, Daryl Schmitt, Blake Doriot, Randy Maxwell, Liz Brown, Ron Alting, Chris Judy, Chris Jeter, Andrew Ireland
Roll-call votes
4 recorded votes, oldest first. Third-reading votes decide whether a bill passes a chamber; amendment votes and procedural motions are listed too.
Senate · Jan 26, 2026
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: SB 256 - Garten - 3rd Reading
Passed
44 yes0 no5 did not vote
Republicans: 37 yes, 0 no, 2 did not voteDemocrats: 7 yes, 0 no, 3 did not vote
How each member voted
Yes (44)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Chris Garten (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)
- Jean Leising (R)
- Jeff Raatz (R)
- Jim Buck (R)
- Jim Tomes (R)
- Justin Busch (R)
- Kyle Walker (R)
- Linda Rogers (R)
- Liz Brown (R)
- Mark Spencer (D)
- Michael Crider (R)
- Mike Bohacek (R)
- Mike Gaskill (R)
- Mike Young (R)
- Randy Maxwell (R)
- Rick Niemeyer (R)
- Rod Bray (R)
- Rodney Pol (D)
- 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)
Did not vote (5)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- J.D. Ford (D)
- La Keisha Jackson (D)
- Lonnie Randolph (D)
- Vaneta Becker (R)
House · Feb 19, 2026
Third reading: vote to pass
Roll call text: SB 256 - Commons - 3rd Reading
Passed
93 yes1 no6 did not vote
Republicans: 64 yes, 0 no, 5 did not voteDemocrats: 28 yes, 1 no, 1 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)
- Carey Hamilton (D)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Maureen Bauer (D)
- Michelle Davis (R)
- Mike Andrade (D)
- Mike Aylesworth (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)
- Matt Pierce (D)
Did not vote (6)
- Chris Jeter (R)
- Doug Miller (R)
- Ed Soliday (R)
- Justin Moed (D)
- Mike Karickhoff (R)
- Todd Huston (R)
Senate · Feb 27, 2026
Final vote: concurrence or conference report
Roll call text: SB 256 - Garten
Passed
49 yes0 no1 did not vote
Republicans: 40 yes, 0 noDemocrats: 9 yes, 0 no, 1 did not vote
How each member voted
Yes (49)
- Aaron Freeman (R)
- Andrea Hunley (D)
- Blake Doriot (R)
- Brett Clark (R)
- Brian Buchanan (R)
- Chris Garten (R)
- Cyndi Carrasco (R)
- Dan Dernulc (R)
- Daryl Schmitt (R)
- David Niezgodski (D)
- Ed Charbonneau (R)
- Eric Bassler (R)
- Eric Koch (R)
- Fady Qaddoura (D)
- Gary Byrne (R)
- Greg Goode (R)
- Greg Taylor (D)
- Greg Walker (R)
- 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)
- Rodney Pol (D)
- 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 (1)
- J.D. Ford (D)
House · Feb 27, 2026
Final vote: concurrence or conference report
Roll call text: SB 256 - Commons
Passed
82 yes13 no5 did not vote
Republicans: 65 yes, 0 no, 4 did not voteDemocrats: 16 yes, 13 no, 1 did not voteIndependents: 1 yes, 0 no
How each member voted
Yes (82)
- Alaina Shonkwiler (R)
- Alex Burton (D)
- Alex Zimmerman (R)
- Andrew Ireland (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)
- Carey Hamilton (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)
- Dave Heine (R)
- David Abbott (R)
- Doug Miller (R)
- Ed Clere (I)
- Ed Soliday (R)
- Elizabeth Rowray (R)
- Ethan Lawson (R)
- Ethan Manning (R)
- Garrett Bascom (R)
- Greg Steuerwald (R)
- 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)
- 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 Lehman (R)
- Maureen Bauer (D)
- Mike Andrade (D)
- Mike Aylesworth (R)
- Mike Karickhoff (R)
- Mitch Gore (D)
- Peggy Mayfield (R)
- Randy Novak (D)
- Robb Greene (R)
- Ryan Dvorak (D)
- Ryan Lauer (R)
- Shane Lindauer (R)
- Sheila Klinker (D)
- Steve Bartels (R)
- Tim O'Brien (R)
- Tim Wesco (R)
- Tim Yocum (R)
- Tony Isa (R)
- Tonya Pfaff (D)
- Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D)
- Wendy Dant Chesser (D)
- Wendy McNamara (R)
- Zach Payne (R)
No (13)
- Carolyn Jackson (D)
- Chris Campbell (D)
- Earl Harris (D)
- Ed DeLaney (D)
- Gregory Porter (D)
- John Bartlett (D)
- Matt Pierce (D)
- Phil GiaQuinta (D)
- Reneé Pack (D)
- Robin Shackleford (D)
- Sue Errington (D)
- Vanessa Summers (D)
- Vernon Smith (D)
Did not vote (5)
- Beau Baird (R)
- Matt Hostettler (R)
- Michelle Davis (R)
- Ragen Hatcher (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.