The 2025 Indiana General Assembly session concluded with several impactful bills passed and signed by the governor, many of which IEC actively shaped to support cooperative interests. Below is a summary of key legislative outcomes:
 
House Enrolled Act 1007 – Energy Generation Resources
This significant energy bill supports small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), streamlines infrastructure development for large load customers, and mandates review of large generation retirements (>105 MW). IEC secured the inclusion of all distribution cooperatives in the fast-track process to add large load customers onto the system and successfully removed harmful tariff cost allocation language.
 
Senate Bill 183 – Rural Intersection Safety
Though the bill failed, IEC amended it to exclude utility poles from the line-of-sight obstruction liability created by this bill. Despite House passage, Senate inaction on concurrence or dissent from the changes in the House led to the bill failing to advance this session.
 
Senate Enrolled Act 422 – Advanced Transmission Technologies
Effective in 2026, certain utilities must evaluate advanced transmission options within their integrated resource plans (IRPs) to further promote cost-effective and reliable electric service. Beginning in 2030, these utilities must also begin integrating distribution system planning within their IRPs. IEC ensured generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives aren’t subject to distribution system planning mandates, given that G&Ts do not own and operate distribution systems.
 
Senate Enrolled Act 425 – Energy Production Zones
Allows utility-scale projects on specific sites to bypass local zoning and limits the ability of a local authority to place a moratorium on energy infrastructure for longer than one year. Thanks to IEC efforts with other industry colleagues, cooperatives are exempt from the one-year local moratorium limit, preserving critical infrastructure siting rights already enshrined in state law and legal precedent.
 
Senate Enrolled Act 502 – Utility Pole Attachments
Applies to large-scale pole attachment requests tied to federal BEAD funds. IEC helped shape the process management agreement (PMA) framework and negotiated default timelines while ensuring no monetary penalties for pole owners. Cooperatives may be affected if awarded BEAD projects trigger more than 300 pole attachments.
 
Other Notable Legislation Monitored:

• HEA 1001: State budget.
• SEA 1: Major property tax reform.
• SEA 423/424: SMR development support (focused on IOUs).
• SEA 421: IURC’s technical agency updates.
• SEA 431: Restrictions on foreign-backed data centers.