All Roll Calls
Yes: 231 • No: 0
IndianaHB 1303Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026)HouseWALLET
Sex crimes and child safety.
Sponsored By: Wendy McNamara (Republican)
Became Law
courts and criminal codethe senatecorrections and criminal lawappropriations
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
14 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 2 costs, 3 mixed.
Sentence credit for prison education
Beginning July 1, 2026, you can earn time off your sentence for education completed in prison. A GED gives 6 months, a high school diploma 12 months, an associate degree up to 12 months, and a bachelor’s up to 24 months. Career and technical programs can give up to 12 months total; substance abuse, literacy, and reformative programs up to 6 months each. Total education credit is capped at the lesser of 24 months or one‑third of your applicable credit time. Credits are for people in approved DOC credit classes who show rehabilitation, and programs must be likely to lead to employable jobs. Credit must match the time and coursework completed, and DOC sets the rules.
Tougher penalties for child exploitation and trafficking
Beginning July 1, 2026, the law strengthens crimes for child sexual exploitation and child trafficking. Making, sharing, or possessing sexual images of a child is a felony, with higher levels for force, victims under 12, or other aggravators. Recruiting or moving a child for sexual exploitation is a Level 3 felony. Some child‑sex crimes now count as crimes of violence, and courts may not reduce possession of child sexual material to a misdemeanor. The law also clarifies key terms and updates definitions to match state and federal law.
$500-$5,000 fee for sex crimes
Beginning July 1, 2026, courts charge a sexual assault victims assistance fee for listed sex and trafficking crimes. The fee is at least $500 and up to $5,000. The judge sets the amount within that range, and the person convicted must pay it.
Child-facing workers with sex crimes lose jobs
Beginning July 1, 2026, state agencies must fire or end contracts for anyone who works with or around children and has ever been convicted of listed child-sex crimes (for example, child molesting, child exploitation, rape of a minor, or incest with a minor). Employers may also cancel a worker’s contract if the worker who serves children is convicted of those crimes. Agencies must follow required pre-deprivation steps. These rules remove affected workers from child-facing jobs to protect kids.
Prison education credits add paths, set caps
Beginning July 1, 2026, people in prison can earn time off by finishing approved programs, like job training, substance abuse treatment, literacy and life skills, reformative programs, or an approved case plan. Education credits come off the release date after other credit time is applied. Total education credit is capped at 24 months or one-third of your applicable credit time, whichever is smaller. You cannot get credit for both a GED and a high school diploma. If you are serving time for stalking, a felony against a person, or a crime that requires sex or violent offender registration, credits must be cut so they do not cause release or transition within 45 days of earning them. People who commit listed sex or violent offenses while required to register, and are sent to DOC, cannot earn these credits. Also, those serving for listed sex or violent offenses cannot earn reformative-program credit.
Supervised parenting time after sex convictions
Beginning July 1, 2026, courts presume a person convicted of child molesting or child exploitation may endanger a child. If the court grants that person parenting time, it is presumed to be supervised. If the conviction was within five years, the court must order supervised parenting time. This is meant to protect children during visits.
Broader definition of child trafficking victims
Beginning July 1, 2026, the law widens who counts as a child trafficking victim. It covers children recruited, moved, or forced into labor, prostitution, child exploitation, or nonconsensual marriage. This guides child‑welfare agencies and courts in giving protective services.
Employer alerts and tighter background checks
Beginning July 1, 2026, police may release limited criminal histories to non‑law‑enforcement only for specific reasons, like hiring, licensing, or volunteering with kids. Prosecutors must tell an employer when they charge a worker with certain child sex offenses, unless the worker does not work with children. These steps help keep children safer at work and volunteer sites.
Faster alerts for missing kids and adults
The clearinghouse runs Amber, green, and silver alerts and can partner with broadcasters to air alerts right away and often. The law defines who counts as a missing child and sets how silver alerts must work. Broadcasters who agree must quickly broadcast the alerts. These alert rules apply now.
Stricter housing and school limits for offenders
Beginning July 1, 2026, people convicted of sex offenses on supervision cannot live within one mile of the victim unless a court or board grants a waiver. Offenders against children face a Level 6 felony if they live within 1,000 feet of a school, youth center, park, or day care, or within one mile of the victim. Serious sex offenders also commit a Level 6 felony by knowingly entering school property, with a narrow defense for brief religious services. These limits aim to reduce risk near children.
Reduce some felonies to misdemeanors
Beginning July 1, 2026, you may ask a court to change a Class D or Level 6 felony to a Class A misdemeanor. You must wait three years after finishing your sentence, have no new felonies or pending charges, and meet other limits, including not being a sex or violent offender. The prosecutor gets notice and the court holds a hearing. If you are convicted of a felony within five years after conversion, the prosecutor can ask the court to restore the original felony. Your petition must list your conviction and sentence dates, obligations, when they were satisfied, and a sworn statement that no charges are pending.
Lifetime parole and 24/7 monitoring rules
Beginning July 1, 2026, sexually violent predators face lifetime parole rules. They must report address and job changes within 72 hours and avoid contact with victims and kids under 16 unless approved. For internet crimes against children, parole can restrict websites and data deletion, and require treatment. The board may order 24/7 GPS monitoring after a risk assessment and if funding exists. Parolees get written conditions to sign, and the board notifies the local sheriff and prosecutor. The law also updates who qualifies as a sexually violent predator and allows a petition to remove that status after 10 years.
Narrow defenses in child exploitation cases
Beginning July 1, 2026, schools, museums, and libraries may use child‑related material for real education or science without charges. Certain employees acting within their jobs have limited defenses. A close‑in‑age sexting defense exists only if all strict rules are met. A narrow defense also applies if someone possessed fewer than three images and promptly destroyed them or reported to police.
Stricter control of abuse images in court
Beginning July 1, 2026, child sex abuse material stays in state or court custody in criminal or civil cases. Courts must deny requests to copy or photograph that material if defense and experts can inspect it at an approved site. The rules apply only in court proceedings. These steps are meant to protect victims and prevent further spread.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Wendy McNamara
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Brett Clark
Republican • Senate
Cyndi Carrasco
Republican • Senate
Fady Qaddoura
Democratic • Senate
Jennifer Meltzer
Republican • House
Jim Pressel
Republican • House
Liz Brown
Republican • Senate
Lonnie Randolph
Democratic • Senate
Michael Karickhoff
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 2/25/2026
Roll Call 377 on HB1303.06.ENGS.CON01
Yes: 96 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/24/2026
Roll Call 253 on HB1303.05.COMS
Yes: 46 • No: 0 • Other: 2
House vote • 1/22/2026
Roll Call 79 on HB1303.02.COMH
Yes: 89 • No: 0 • Other: 4
Actions Timeline
Public Law 92
3/4/2026HouseSigned by the Governor
3/4/2026HouseSigned by the President Pro Tempore
2/27/2026SenateSigned by the President of the Senate
2/27/2026SenateSigned by the Speaker
2/26/2026HouseReturned to the House with amendments
2/25/2026SenateMotion to concur filed
2/25/2026HouseHouse concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 377: yeas 96, nays 0
2/25/2026HouseThird reading: passed; Roll Call 253: yeas 46, nays 0
2/24/2026SenateSecond reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/23/2026SenateAmendment #1 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote
2/23/2026SenateCommittee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/19/2026SenateSenator Randolph added as cosponsor
2/19/2026SenateSenator Qaddoura added as cosponsor
2/19/2026SenateCommittee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations
2/12/2026SenateSenator Brown L added as cosponsor
1/27/2026SenateFirst reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law
1/27/2026SenateReferred to the Senate
1/23/2026HouseSenate sponsors: Senators Clark, Carrasco
1/22/2026HouseThird reading: passed; Roll Call 79: yeas 89, nays 0
1/22/2026HouseSecond reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/20/2026HouseAmendment #3 (Zimmerman) prevailed; voice vote
1/20/2026HouseAmendment #1 (Bascom) prevailed; voice vote
1/20/2026HouseCommittee report: amend do pass, adopted
1/14/2026HouseFirst reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code
1/6/2026House
Bill Text
Engrossed House Bill (H)
Engrossed House Bill (S)
Enrolled House Bill (H)
House Bill (H)
House Bill (S)
Introduced House Bill (H)