As 2025 kicks off with many familiar faces, as well as numerous new faces, IWF continues to monitor the legislative session ensuring our members are well-informed of the multiple bills that could affect wildlife, natural resources, and public access. As always, this session is shaping up to be a mixed bag with a variety of bills advancing those issues we care about and some that we fear could be a detriment to our shared vision of Indiana. Below we will highlight eleven bills the Indiana Wildlife Federation plans to engage on, and in some cases call on you to lift up our voice, and a variety of bills we are currently tracking and will engage with should the need arise.
A full list of the bills we are tracking can be found on our website under the advocacy tab.
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Photo by Aaron J Hill
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Senate Bill 32: Prevention of Chronic Wasting Disease IWF Opposes this Legislation Senate Bill 32 was introduced by a long-time advocate of conservation in our state, Senator Sue Glick (R-13). Senator Glick, Assistant President Pro-Tempore and chair of the chair of the Natural Resources Committee introduced this legislation in reaction to the recently discovered cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in her district. While we applaud the Senator’s intent to find a solution to this serious threat to the white-tailed deer population in our state, IWF and our partners believe that this proposed solution would not only fail at protecting our wildlife it could potentially cause catastrophic harm to our herd. This legislation, as written, would direct a state-wide program of breeding captive deer with a combination of alleles that have been shown to give deer a longer life once infected with CWD. While longer-lived deer are often a good outcome, in this case, infected deer have been shown in captivity to live marginally longer but continue to shed CWD prions until their inevitable demise. Not only does this combination of alleles not provide immunity to deer, it is highly probable that this mutation is shared with other physical traits that could reduce the survivability of white-tailed deer in the wild. Lastly, the scientific community is in near consensus that the magnitude of captive-bred deer, possessing this trait, that would be required to meaningfully impact the wild population’s genetic makeup as it relates to CWD, would be so vast that it would be unfeasible to carry out. With all this in mind, as well as the support of a variety of statewide and national sportsman and conservation groups, the Indiana Wildlife Federation has testified to the potential harm of this legislation in the Natural Resources Committee. Currently, this legislation has been tabled and IWF will continue to monitor it and will fight the release of any captive-bred deer into our thriving wild population. |
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Senate Bill 121: Restrictions of Using Nets or Trapping Minnows IWF Supports this Legislation (with recommendations for changes) Senate Bill 121 was written by Senators Spencer Deery (R-23), Majority Whip Michael Crider (R-28), Scott Baldwin (R-20) and co-authored by James Thomes (R-49). SB121 looks to address a growing problem in our state, over-harvesting of aquatic life through netting. While netting can certainly play a role in responsible angling there has been a rise in the unsustainable harvest of numerous minnows, including many fish that are prohibited without proper permitting. The Indiana Wildlife Federation applauds the authors of this bill for trying to find a solution to the increasing problem of netting in our tributaries and rivers. We support this legislation and are looking into ways we can help the authors improve the legislation and ensure that there is both enforcement and education to help ensure a thriving fish population throughout our state.
Senate Bill 538: PFAS Chemicals IWF Opposes this Legislation SB 538, authored by Senator Zay (R-17) limits the ability of state agencies to regulate PFAS (forever chemicals) in a manner that is more restrictive than the Federal government. While this may not have been problematic in the current administration, with the incoming Presidential administration we expect environmental regulations to be greatly reduced. If this is the case Hoosiers will need our state to have the autonomy to properly protect our water, wildlife and population from harmful “forever chemicals.”
House Bill 1286: PFAS Chemicals IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1286, authored by Representative Beck Cash (R-25) and co-authored by Representative Julie McGuire (R-93) requires the Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to publish a registry of persons known to have discharged PFAS into the waters of Indiana. While this legislation would not seek to establish penalties for these discharges it will shed light on an increasing problem in our state, and we hope will be the first step towards limiting these discharges. |
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House Bill 1025: Treated Seeds IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1025, authored by Representative Mike Aylesworth (R-11) requires the state seed commissioner to study the impacts of seeds treated with certain insecticides, reporting their findings to the interim study committee. While this legislation may seem out of the prevue of the Indiana Wildlife Federation, the impacts of this could have profound impacts on wildlife in our state. Certain insecticides are known to have deleterious effects on both terrestrial and aquatic insects. Studies have tied the drastic loss of aquatic insects, the basis of our rivers and stream’s food web, to particular insecticides used in agriculture. Learning the impacts of these potentially harmful compounds is a vital first step to correcting them.
House Bill 1234: Conservation of Agricultural Land IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1234, authored by Representative Kendell Culp (R-16) seeks to establish a land protection program that allows the state of Indiana, or a country within the state, to accept agricultural land and hold it. Additionally, it seeks to provide funding for acquisition and management. Given the vast amount of agricultural land in our state and the amount being converted into low-grade construction, this bill would help to stem development and keep agricultural land, which can serve as wildlife habitat, from development.
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Photo by Tyler Mascola
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Senate Bill 211: Clean Water Indiana program IWF Supports this Legislation SB 211, authored by Senator Glick (R-13) allows for the use of funds from the Clean Water Indiana fund to be utilized in the management of invasive species. Invasive species have the ability to contribute greatly to the decreased water quality and currently funds from the clean water Indiana fund are not permitted to combat invasives plants. In order to allow environmental stewards, like those working for our soil and water conservation districts (SWCD), environmental organizations and land trusts this legislation is necessary.
House Bill 1190: Water Quality IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1190, authored by Assistant Majority Caucus Chair David Abbott seeks to establish a permanent water protection and conservation fund and water quality board. This would be a great step in increasing funding for the protection of our natural waters in the state.
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IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1237, authored by Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-32) seeks to name the Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis) the state mammal of Indiana. Currently, Indiana has no official state mammal and IWF believes the Indiana bat is an ideal candidate to represent Indiana’s natural heritage.
House Bill 1417: Prevention of CWD IWF Opposes this Legislation HB 1417, authored by Representative Bob Morris (R-84) and co-authored by Representative Beau Baird (R-44) is very similar to SB 32, and the Indiana Wildlife Federation opposes it for the same reason.
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Photo by Lucas Pezeta
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House Bill 1557: Prescribed Burning IWF Supports this Legislation HB 1557, authored by Representative Beau Baird (R-44) establishes a legal framework for the use of prescribed fire in the managing of natural landscapes. This legislation seeks to develop a safe framework for how land managers can safely use fire to combat invasive plants, improve forest stands and regenerate habitat throughout the state. HB 1557 also tasks the Indiana Department of Forestry with establishing a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program to ensure safe and standardized techniques for utilizing fire. This bill also clarifies liability concerns and reduces perceived risks associated with prescribed fire for landowners and practitioners and aligns the state with other Midwestern states that have similar laws. Prescribed fire is one of the most important tools for land managers to battle invasive plants while providing high quality habitat to wildlife throughout the state. |
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In addition to the eleven priority bills listed above, the Indiana Wildlife Federation will continue to monitor numerous bills, approximately forty, and constantly assess their impact on our wildlife and wild spaces. Throughout this legislative session, we will update you on the progress of these bills and more. We may also seek your help to convince your legislators to stand up for wildlife and their habitats.
Thank you for your continued support of IWF, without you, we could not do the work we do, standing up for wildlife throughout the state. |