Indiana lawmakers will spend the interim taking a hard look at how the state assesses property — including whether to scrap or overhaul the annual trending process — under study assignments approved Tuesday by the Legislative Council.
Resolution 26-01 directs the Fiscal Policy Committee to study alternatives to the annual adjustment process and the use of cost tables in property assessment, a charge flowing from SEA 163 and HEA 1210. The committee is instructed to weigh reports from the Department of Local Government Finance, including a forthcoming analysis of automated valuation models, and to consider how property use and ownership affect deductions and exemptions.
The same committee will hear a DLGF report on county electronic payment systems, including how many counties allow monthly property tax payments by electronic funds transfer, what those systems cost, whether taxpayers are charged fees, and what share of taxpayers actually use them.
Fiscal Policy drew one of the heaviest workloads on the slate. It will also study sources of funding for child care expansion, at the request of Sen. Shelli Yoder and seven other legislators, and the funding and management of guardian ad litem and CASA programs, at the request of Rep. Garcia Wilburn and seven others. SEA 4-2026 also directs the committee to compile a comprehensive listing of every court fee and fine in Indiana code, the revenue each generates, and where that money goes.
Elsewhere on the slate, the Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services Committee was directed to conduct a sweeping study of Indiana’s sexual assault response workforce — including law enforcement practices, the feasibility of uniform statewide policies, sexual assault kit handling, and trauma-informed training. The assignment was driven by letters from Yoder and Rep. Becky Cash, joined by 18 other legislators.
The Education Committee will take up Name, Image, and Likeness rights for high school student-athletes, at the request of Rep. Bob Burton and two other legislators.
The Employment and Labor Committee, at the request of Sen. Rodney Pol, will study the feasibility of increasing workers’ compensation benefits, related premium impacts, and the declining rate of workers’ comp claims.
The Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee will examine regulation of private credit funds, a topic flagged by Sen. Ed Charbonneau. The Roads and Transportation Committee will study mobile digital driver’s licenses pursuant to Senate Resolution 56.
Eight statutory committees received no study topics, including Elections, Government, and Public Policy. Also drawing no assignments: the Probate Code Study Committee, the Health Care Cost Oversight Task Force, the Artificial Intelligence Task Force, and the Child Welfare Task Force.
Final reports are due to the Council before Nov. 1, 2026.
The Council is chaired by House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, with Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, serving as vice-chair. The resolution supersedes LCR 25-01.
