All Roll Calls
Yes: 210 • No: 119
IndianaSB 204Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026)SenateWALLET
Various education matters.
Sponsored By: Spencer Deery (Republican)
Signed by Governor
education and career developmentappropriationsthe houseeducation
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
College transfer credits count more
Beginning July 1, 2026, at least 70 core courses must transfer statewide and apply to degree requirements. Each core course must count the same as the receiving school’s equivalent course. IU and Purdue must count the same‑number course the same across campuses. Colleges must give credit for qualifying AP and certain Cambridge exam scores and apply them to core courses or as electives.
New charter and STEM teacher pathways
Beginning July 1, 2026, new paths let more people become licensed teachers. For charter schools, you need a bachelor’s degree and either a 3.0 GPA in the subject or a passing content exam. You may teach while earning the license. After two effective years, passing a written test, and completing training, you can get an initial practitioner license. STEM majors with at least a 2.5 GPA can also earn an initial practitioner license for non‑special‑education after nine credits in teaching methods, a test, required training, and practicum work.
New rules for teacher pay plans
Beginning July 1, 2027, districts set teacher raises using more factors. Up to 50% of an increase can come from experience and degrees, and at least 10% must reflect academic needs. Districts may give extra pay outside bargaining when it is in students’ best interest. Pay must be differentiated for required literacy endorsements and can vary for hard‑to‑fill subjects and retention. Districts must publish plans and cannot cut a teacher’s pay below the pre‑July 1, 2015 level just to fit a new plan.
Religious opt-out for student vaccines
Beginning July 1, 2026, health profession programs and clinical sites cannot require a vaccine when you or, if you are an unemancipated minor, your parent objects for a sincerely held religious belief. This applies to enrollment, participation, and required clinical training. It applies to contracts signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2026. If the shot is offered at the clinical site, a provider still cannot require it when you object on religious grounds.
Low-enrollment degrees face review
Beginning July 1, 2027, low‑enrollment degree programs must be reviewed to continue. A school must seek approval if the three‑year average graduates are below: associate 10, bachelor’s 15, master’s 7, education specialist 3, or doctorate 3. If approval is denied, the program ends; the school may let new students enroll until June 1 of the next year and must let current students finish. The commission publishes a yearly list of denials by December 1.
Higher review bar for college projects
Starting July 1, 2026, state review for college building and repair projects starts at $3,000,000 instead of $2,000,000. The commission and governor review construction, land purchases, and repairs over $3,000,000. If any state funds or mandatory student fees are used and cost is over $3,000,000, the legislature must also approve. The commission must finish reviews within 90 days. Each school must file by April 1 a list of last year’s $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 projects that skipped commission review.
More college reporting, some reports dropped
Colleges must report foreign‑adversary gifts twice a year on January 31 and July 31, including indirect gifts. Gifts from 2021 through June 2024 had to be disclosed by September 1, 2024. By November 1 each year, the higher‑ed commission publishes enrollment by school and by engineering and computer science, with resident vs. nonresident counts, citizenship, country of origin for noncitizens, and dual credit numbers. Each school must also send, by September 1, staffing counts, the number of DEI roles and proceedings, steps to protect free speech, and the DEI budget. The law also ends Ivy Tech’s old annual campus‑by‑campus facilities and overhead report on July 1, 2026.
Two narrow higher-ed rules repealed
Effective July 1, 2026, the state repeals the student‑athlete sudden cardiac arrest statute. The law also voids one subsection of the Indiana Administrative Code (25 IAC 5‑6‑3(b)) on July 1, 2026; that part of this act expires July 1, 2027.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Spencer Deery
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Greg Goode
Republican • Senate
Hunter Smith
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 2/27/2026
Roll Call 430 on SB0204.05.COMH.CCH001
Yes: 66 • No: 28
Senate vote • 2/27/2026
Roll Call 322 on SB0204.05.COMH.CCS001
Yes: 35 • No: 15
House vote • 2/24/2026
Roll Call 347 on SB0204.05.COMH
Yes: 68 • No: 28 • Other: 2
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Roll Call 106 on SB0204.03.COMS
Yes: 33 • No: 12 • Other: 1
Senate vote • 1/26/2026
Roll Call 64 on SB0204.03.COMS.AMS001
Yes: 8 • No: 36
Actions Timeline
Signed by the Governor
3/12/2026SenatePublic Law 150
3/12/2026SenateSigned by the President Pro Tempore
3/5/2026SenateSigned by the Speaker
3/3/2026HouseSigned by the President of the Senate
3/2/2026SenateSenator Yoder removed as conferee
2/27/2026SenateRules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 322: yeas 35, nays 15
2/27/2026SenateCCR # 1 filed in the Senate
2/27/2026SenateRules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 430: yeas 66, nays 28
2/27/2026HouseCCR # 1 filed in the House
2/27/2026HouseRepresentative Ireland added as conferee
2/27/2026HouseRepresentative Smith V removed as conferee
2/27/2026HouseSenator Walker K added as conferee
2/27/2026SenateSenate advisors appointed: Goode, Hunley
2/26/2026SenateSenate conferees appointed: Deery, Yoder
2/26/2026SenateReturned to the Senate with amendments
2/25/2026HouseMotion to dissent filed
2/25/2026SenateSenate dissented from House amendments
2/25/2026SenateHouse advisors appointed: Behning, Carbaugh, DeLaney, Klinker, Pfaff
2/25/2026HouseHouse conferees appointed: Smith H, Smith V
2/25/2026HouseThird reading: passed; Roll Call 347: yeas 68, nays 28
2/24/2026HouseSecond reading: ordered engrossed
2/23/2026HouseAmendment #3 (Errington) failed; voice vote
2/23/2026HouseCommittee report: do pass, adopted
2/18/2026HouseRecommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3
2/12/2026House
Bill Text
Enrolled Senate Bill (S)
Introduced Senate Bill (S)
Senate Bill (H)
Senate Bill (S)