# Indiana HB 1033: Various judicial matters. Indiana HB 1033, Various judicial matters., is a Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) House bill sponsored by Danny Lopez (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-03-04 (Public Law 76) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1033-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Indiana HB 1033 - State: Indiana - Session: Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) - Title: Various judicial matters. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-12-01 - Last action: 2026-03-04, Public Law 76 - Sponsor: Danny Lopez (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: courts and criminal code, judiciary, the senate - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (195 yes, 78 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary Amends the membership of the community corrections advisory board. Defines "full court" as the total of all Marion superior court judges who are appointed and serving as judges. Specifies that if a newly appointed judge is filling a vacancy of a judge whose term ends the same year as the appointment, the newly appointed judge shall serve a term that expires on December 31 of the sixth full year following the appointment. Requires the Marion County judicial selection committee (judicial selection committee) to nominate five candidates to the governor when a judicial vacancy exists and allows the governor to appoint any of the nominated candidates when filling more than one vacancy. Replaces the term "presiding judge" with "chief judge" within the Marion County superior court. Amends the membership of the judicial selection committee. Prohibits a member of the judicial selection committee who is not an ex officio member to serve consecutive terms and staggers the terms of certain members of the judicial selection committee to begin on July 1, 2026, or July 1, 2028. Requires the judicial selection committee to determine that a judge is suitable to retain judicial office before a judge's request for retention may be placed on the ballot. Establishes a procedure with specific deadlines for a judge who wishes to stand for retention in 2026. Repeals and replaces a provision concerning the procedure to select the Marion County judicial executive committee (executive committee) and certain court provisions. Provides that, for an executive committee starting a term on January 1, 2027, and for the selection of each executive committee thereafter, the full court shall meet not later than November 15 in the final year of the executive committee's term to select the candidates of the next executive committee. Requires a two-thirds vote of the sitting judges who will hold office on January 1 of the next year to select the candidates of the executive committee and requires the chair of the judicial selection committee to approve the members of the executive committee and select one member of the executive committee as the chief judge. Allows the chair of the judicial selection committee to remove a member of the executive committee for cause. Increases the term of an executive committee member of the Marion County judiciary from two years to three years. Specifies which duties are the responsibility of the full court and which are to be determined by a trial judge. Describes the duties and authority of the executive committee. Provides that any action taken by the executive committee may only be overruled by a vote of 85% of the full court sitting at the time the vote is taken. Removes a requirement that the executive committee requires the approval of two-thirds of the judges to determine the number of judicial officers and personnel required to serve the court. Provides that the judge of the circuit court has exclusive authority to appoint commissioners or magistrates allocated to the circuit court. Amends how magistrates and commissioners are appointed. Specifies that the executive committee has final authority for all employment decisions regarding commissioners and magistrates. Repeals a provision that allows the presiding judge to appoint a magistrate and allows the executive committee to appoint 28 magistrates. Requires a voting member of the justice reinvestment advisory council to cast a vote in person. Requires that, in a county having a consolidated city, the chief judge or a judge appointed by the chief judge be the chair of the local justice reinvestment advisory council. Provides that a local or regional advisory council may only take action upon the affirmative vote of the members and a member must cast a vote in person. Makes conforming changes. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More Candidates for Marion Court Vacancies: benefit, low. For each Marion Superior Court vacancy, the selection committee must nominate five candidates to the governor, up from three. The governor has 60 days to appoint a nominee; otherwise, the committee chair makes the appointment. For multiple vacancies within the same political party, the governor may… - Indiana Creates State And County Justice Councils: mixed, low. A new state council reviews pretrial services, behavioral health, community corrections, probation, parole, jail conditions, and grant priorities. The chief justice or a designee chairs it, with state agencies, courts, lawmakers, and criminal justice groups represented. It advises on funding and pu… - Marion Adds Magistrate Capacity With Limits: mixed, low. After December 31, 2025, the executive committee may appoint up to 28 full-time magistrates, up from 27. No more than 14 may belong to one political party. The committee sets staffing levels without the former two-thirds court approval and controls assignments, salaries, and court administration em… - Marion Court Committee Gains Operating Control: mixed, low. The executive committee controls court policies, case and courtroom assignments, finances, personnel policies, juvenile detention facilities, and operating hours. It approves senior and temporary judges and must review the county bond schedule at least once each three-year term. Committee actions r… - Marion Court Leaders Face New Selection Rules: mixed, low. Marion Superior Court's executive committee has four judges, with no more than two from one political party. The first selection occurs in 2026 for three-year terms starting January 1, 2027. Judges serving the following January select candidates by a two-thirds vote. The judicial selection committe… - Marion Judges Face Changed Review Standards: mixed, low. The selection committee must consider pending or started disciplinary cases when reviewing judicial candidates and judges seeking retention. That information is received in a private session and remains confidential, without public access. The review criteria no longer include whether candidates re… - Marion Judges Need Approval Before Retention: mixed, low. The selection committee now decides whether Marion Superior Court judges are suitable to stay, rather than simply advising voters. Judges are presumed suitable, but nine committee votes can find a judge unsuitable and block the judge from the retention ballot. Beginning with retention sought in 202… - New Rules Shape Marion Judge Selection: mixed, low. Marion County's judicial selection committee has 14 members. Legislative leaders appoint four county residents; the governor and Indiana chief justice each appoint two qualifying county attorneys. Each major party's county chair appoints two members, and two state court leaders serve automatically.… - Retired Judicial Officers Gain Firearm Access: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible retired judicial officers may possess and use firearms where on-duty law enforcement officers may. State and local government property cannot prohibit their firearm possession. Officers must have retired in good standing and carry a photo retired-officer ID issued b… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Danny Lopez (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chris Jeter (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cyndi Carrasco (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gregory Steuerwald (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-26 | House | House concurred with Senate amendments | pass | 59 | 27 | | | 2026-02-24 | Senate | Third reading: passed | pass | 39 | 9 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Amendment #4 (Qaddoura) failed | fail | 9 | 40 | | | 2026-01-20 | House | Third reading: passed | pass | 88 | 2 | | ## Actions (29) - 2026-03-04: Public Law 76 (House) - 2026-03-04: Signed by the Governor (House) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President Pro Tempore (Senate) - 2026-02-26: House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 389: yeas 59, nays 27 (House) - 2026-02-26: Signed by the Speaker (House) - 2026-02-25: Motion to concur filed (House) - 2026-02-24: Representative Garcia Wilburn removed as coauthor (House) - 2026-02-24: Returned to the House with amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 228: yeas 39, nays 9 (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #9 (Carrasco) prevailed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #7 (Taylor G) failed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #8 (Taylor G) failed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #3 (Qaddoura) failed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #4 (Qaddoura) failed; Roll Call 210: yeas 9, nays 40 (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #5 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (Senate) - 2026-01-26: First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Referred to the Senate (House) - 2026-01-20: Senate sponsor: Senator Carrasco (House) - 2026-01-20: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 52: yeas 88, nays 2 (House) - 2026-01-15: Second reading: ordered engrossed (House) - 2026-01-13: Representative Garcia Wilburn added as coauthor (House) - 2026-01-12: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House) - 2025-12-02: Reassigned to Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2025-12-01: Authored by Representative Lopez (House) - 2025-12-01: Coauthored by Representatives Jeter, Steuerwald (House) - 2025-12-01: First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.04.ENGS?format=pdf) - Enrolled House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.05.ENRS?format=pdf) - House Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.02.COMH?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.03.COMS?format=pdf) - Introduced House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1277: Health and human services matters. (signed) - HB 1266: Department of education and education matters. (signed) - HB 1210: Department of local government finance. (signed) - HB 1249: Various criminal law matters. (signed) - HB 1200: Bureau of motor vehicles. (signed) - HB 1115: Homeowners association governance. (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.04.ENGS?format=pdf) - [Enrolled House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.05.ENRS?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.02.COMH?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.03.COMS?format=pdf) - [Introduced House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1033/versions/HB1033.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related - [HB 1277: Health and human services matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1277-2026) - [HB 1266: Department of education and education matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1266-2026) - [HB 1210: Department of local government finance.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1210-2026) - [HB 1249: Various criminal law matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1249-2026) - [HB 1200: Bureau of motor vehicles.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1200-2026) - [HB 1115: Homeowners association governance.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1115-2026) - [Indiana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana/bills) - [Indiana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1033-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).