As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, things are moving really fast at the Indiana Statehouse this year. It’s a non-budget (short) session that also had the redistricting debacle in December. In other words, this is a short-short session.
With things happening fast, I can’t be sure if all the bills supported by the ISRPA will make it to the Governor’s desk. What I can be sure of is that the 10th and 11th were good days at the Statehouse.
Tuesday 10 February was a very good day at the Statehouse. It started early in the House Local Government Committee with Senate Bill 176 (Shooting Ranges.) The pro-2nd Amendment (2A) forces were definitely present at this hearing. The link to the video as well as timepoints is below:
https://iga.in.gov/session/2026/video/committee_local_government_1300
1:09: Committee starts with SB 191 Electronic Record of Confidential Addresses. This is a very serious bill dealing with keeping addresses out of public record to prevent abusers from finding the abused. The testimony from those familiar with this was worth taking note for the seriousness of the situation.
07:10: SB 176 is introduced
07:22: Senator Jim Tomes introduces the bill
13:38: Rep Ben Smaltz (House Sponsor)
17:39: Christopher Lee (not The Man with the Golden Gun, the other one) from the National Shooting Sports Foundation
19:17: Kelly Myers, Co-Director of Government Affairs for the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association
21:55: Charlie Hiltunen, ISRPA President testifying as an NRA board member
24:40: Naomi Farmer from the US Sportsman Alliance
SB 176 passed out of committee and out of the House.
One thing you might have noticed when you clicked the link for the committee hearing taking place in room 156-C: it looks like a conference table was shoved to the end of a hallway. That’s not just the camera angle, that’s what the room looks like.
10 February was also Sportsman’s Day at the Statehouse. I was there representing the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA.) I had the opportunity to speak with many fellow 2A supporters, elected officials from both sides of the aisle, and a candidate for office. There was also free BBQ for lunch so it was a very good day.
Wednesday 11 February saw two bills up in different committees. First up was House Bill 1274 Insurance Mandated Gun Free Zone Notices in the Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee. The link and timepoints are below. If you remember from previous articles, I’ve mentioned that watching the recorded videos gives you the advantage of the fast-forward option. When you are waiting for your bill to come up for testimony, fast-forward is not an option. Days like the 11th of February are why I say this. In previous articles I’ve mentioned some of the bills that the 2A-supporters sat through to get to our bill. All of them are mentioned below/this was a very long day. This hearing started with five “amend and vote only” bills (testimony was in previous week’s hearing) and had a large number of bills with testimony on the schedule.
https://iga.in.gov/session/2026/video/committee_insurance_4000
0:34:00: All five amend and vote only bills are done! Things are looking good.
0:34:00: HB 1273 Requirements for Proxy Advisors
- This went for over an hour, until 1:36:27
- It was worse than “Fence Height Requirements for Outdoor Seating with Liquor Sales”
- It was worse than “Racehorses on Steroids”
- It was worse than “Mortgage Broker Principle Managers”
1:36:58: HB 1044 Insurance Coverage for Public Safety Employees
This is one of those bills that was hard to hear, but really important. A Trafalgar Police Officer in a wheelchair and his wife testified.
2:51:45: HB 1274 Insurance Mandated Gun Free Zone Notices (Finally!)
2:53:17: Kelly Myers with the ISRPA
2:54:18: Charlie Hiltunen representing the NRA
HB 1274 passed out of committee and is currently on the Senate floor
Last but certainly not least, HB 1052 (which includes the Antique Firearms bill language) was up for a hearing in the Senate Public Policy Committee on the afternoon of the 11th. Link to the hearing and timepoints are below:
https://iga.in.gov/session/2026/video/committee_public_policy_4400
I highly recommend fast-forwarding to 3:27:05
3:27:05: Christopher Lee (not Count Dooku from Star Wars, the other one) from the National Shooting Sports Foundation
HB 1052 passed out of committee, and passed both 2nd and 3rd reading in the Senate.
Hopefully in the March article I’ll be able to report that all of these bills successfully made it through the “sausage making” process. If not? The 2027 General Assembly Session will be here before we know it.
Kelly Myers, Co-Director Government Affairs
About the Author
