# Indiana SB 206: Protection of underground facilities.

Indiana SB 206, Protection of underground facilities., is a Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) Senate bill sponsored by Gary Byrne (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-01-12 (Senator Buchanan added as second author) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB206-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Indiana SB 206
- State: Indiana
- Session: Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026)
- Title: Protection of underground facilities.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-01-12, Senator Buchanan added as second author
- Sponsor: Gary Byrne (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: utilities
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Provides that the following are exempt from the law governing demolitions and excavations in the area of underground facilities: (1) Excavation that is performed: (A) only with a hand tool; (B) by a communications service provider; and (C) to a depth not greater than 12 inches; for the purpose of connecting a communications service customer's home or business to the communications service provider's own communications network. (2) Excavation performed using only high pressure air. (3) Excavation performed solely by: (A) injecting water into soil; and (B) removing the resulting mixture of soil and water with a vacuum.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Gary Byrne (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian Buchanan (Republican), Senate

## Actions (3)

- 2026-01-12: Senator Buchanan added as second author (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: Authored by Senator Byrne (Senate)
- 2026-01-08: First reading: referred to Committee on Utilities (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/SB0206/versions/SB0206.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 179: Indiana department of transportation. (signed)
- SB 204: Various education matters. (signed)
- SB 185: Alcohol and tobacco matters. (signed)
- SB 80: Code publication. (signed)
- HB 1424: Farm and homestead food sales. (signed)
- HB 1406: Tax and fiscal matters. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/SB0206/versions/SB0206.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related
- [SB 179: Indiana department of transportation.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB179-2026)
- [SB 204: Various education matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB204-2026)
- [SB 185: Alcohol and tobacco matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB185-2026)
- [SB 80: Code publication.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB80-2026)
- [HB 1424: Farm and homestead food sales.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1424-2026)
- [HB 1406: Tax and fiscal matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1406-2026)
- [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-SB206-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).