# Indiana HB 1278: Nursing matters; education programs. Indiana HB 1278, Nursing matters; education programs., is a Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) House bill sponsored by Brad Barrett (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-03-04 (Public Law 89) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1278-2026 - 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 1278 - State: Indiana - Session: Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) - Title: Nursing matters; education programs. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-06 - Last action: 2026-03-04, Public Law 89 - Sponsor: Brad Barrett (Republican) - Cosponsors: 9 - Subjects: public health, the senate, health and provider services - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (139 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Requires the Indiana State Nurses Association, any time there is a vacancy or expiration of a term on the board of nursing, to recommend to the governor a list of qualified nurses for appointment. (Current law requires the Indiana State Nurses Association to recommend the list when there is a vacancy on the board.) Allows an institution that has been operating an eligible nursing program for at least five years to increase the enrollment in any eligible nursing program at any rate the institution considers appropriate. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Brad Barrett (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cindy Ledbetter (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ed Charbonneau (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: J.D. Ford (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Justin Busch (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: La Keisha Jackson (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lonnie Randolph (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Robin Shackleford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Shelli Yoder (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Isa (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-17 | Senate | Third reading: passed | pass | 45 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Third reading: passed | pass | 94 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2026-03-04: Public Law 89 (House) - 2026-03-04: Signed by the Governor (House) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President Pro Tempore (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Signed by the Speaker (House) - 2026-02-25: Joint Rule 15 Certification (House) - 2026-02-18: Returned to the House with amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 187: yeas 45, nays 0 (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Amendment #1 (Busch) prevailed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Reread second time: amended, ordered engrossed (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Senator Randolph added as cosponsor (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Placed back on second reading (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Senator Yoder added as cosponsor (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Second reading: ordered engrossed (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Senator Ford J.D. added as cosponsor (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-02: First reading: referred to Committee on Health and Provider Services (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Referred to the Senate (House) - 2026-01-28: Senate sponsors: Senators Busch, Charbonneau, Jackson L (House) - 2026-01-28: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 128: yeas 94, nays 0 (House) - 2026-01-22: Second reading: ordered engrossed (House) - 2026-01-20: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House) - 2026-01-20: Representatives Ledbetter, Isa, Shackleford added as coauthors (House) - 2026-01-06: First reading: referred to Committee on Public Health (House) - 2026-01-06: Authored by Representative Barrett (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.04.ENGS?format=pdf) - Enrolled House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.05.ENRS?format=pdf) - House Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.02.COMH?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.03.COMS?format=pdf) - Introduced House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1266: Department of education and education matters. (signed) - HB 1277: Health and human services 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/HB1278/versions/HB1278.04.ENGS?format=pdf) - [Enrolled House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.05.ENRS?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.02.COMH?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.03.COMS?format=pdf) - [Introduced House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1278/versions/HB1278.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related - [HB 1266: Department of education and education matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1266-2026) - [HB 1277: Health and human services matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1277-2026) - [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-HB1278-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).