IndianaSB 291Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026)Senate

Court security.

Sponsored By: Scott Baldwin (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Establishes a procedure to prevent certain personal information of a protected judicial individual from being publically available by a public agency. Creates a civil cause of action against a public agency that fails to remove certain personal information of a protected individual. Repeals current code concerning the supreme court sheriff. Allows the supreme court and the court of appeals to each appoint a court marshal and allows each appointed court marshal to hire deputy court marshals. Requires a court marshal to ensure the safety and security of the court. Requires a supreme court marshal and a court of appeals court marshal to carry out certain responsibilities. Provides that a court marshal is entitled to qualified immunity for acts performed in the course of official duties. Specifies that a court marshal has limited police powers and is required to notify the local law enforcement agency as soon as practicable when a security threat is detected. Allows the marshal appointed by the court of appeals to provide for the safety and security of the tax court.

judiciarythe housecourts and criminal code

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Judges and families gain privacy rights

Effective upon passage, the law protects current and retired Indiana judges and federal judges, justices, and magistrates domiciled in Indiana. Their spouses, children, and dependents living in the same household are also covered. Protected people or the Office of Judicial Administration can request that public agencies stop publishing or remove covered personal information. Requests go by certified mail or email, must verify protected status, and must identify the document or publication. The Office of Judicial Administration must provide certification. Covered information includes home addresses, including voter and property-tax addresses; home and mobile phone numbers; and personal email addresses. It also includes Social Security, driver's license, federal tax identification, card, and bank account numbers. Vehicle plates and unique identifiers, birth and marital records, and birth dates are covered too. Information publicly shared with the judge's consent is excluded. Agencies must acknowledge requests within one day of receipt and act as soon as practicable, no later than three days. Protected people can sue for actual damages, court orders, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees. Punitive damages are available for a willful refusal to remove information.

Court marshals gain powers and protections

Effective upon passage, the law establishes marshal and deputy marshal roles for Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court security. Their work includes protecting judges, court staff, court locations, and judicial homes; keeping courtroom order; and coordinating security with police. They also handle security assessments, systems, and court events, and send court papers to county sheriffs for service. On duty, marshals can protect judges and staff anywhere in Indiana, carry weapons on public or private property, and use necessary force. They have limited authority to detain people only as needed for their court-security duties. They can access criminal histories, motor-vehicle records, and sensitive police intelligence only for court security. Intelligence access is limited to assessing threats, officer safety, protective work, and preventing or reducing court-security threats. Marshals must follow rules for data use, sharing, storage, and confidentiality; unauthorized intelligence access, use, or sharing is prohibited. They must alert local police about threats as soon as practicable, avoid unrelated local incidents, and leave arrests, processing, and criminal charges to police. The law provides immunity for marshals and deputies acting within their official duties, limiting their potential civil liability. It also repeals the Supreme Court Sheriff statute and makes the Supreme Court's clerk and sheriff serve the Court of Appeals too.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Scott Baldwin

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Aaron Freeman

    Republican • Senate

  • Brett Clark

    Republican • Senate

  • Chris Jeter

    Republican • House

  • Craig Haggard

    Republican • House

  • Cyndi Carrasco

    Republican • Senate

  • Daryl Schmitt

    Republican • Senate

  • Eric Koch

    Republican • Senate

  • Greg Taylor

    Democratic • Senate

  • Gregory Steuerwald

    Republican • House

  • Liz Brown

    Republican • Senate

  • Lonnie Randolph

    Democratic • Senate

  • Michael Young

    Republican • Senate

  • Rodney Pol

    Democratic • Senate

  • Scott Alexander

    Republican • Senate

  • Spencer Deery

    Republican • Senate

  • Susan Glick

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 186 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/25/2026

Senate concurred with House amendments

Yes: 47 • No: 0

House vote • 2/10/2026

Third reading: passed

Yes: 95 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/26/2026

Third reading: passed

Yes: 44 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Public Law 139

    3/5/2026Senate
  2. Signed by the Governor

    3/5/2026Senate
  3. Signed by the President of the Senate

    2/27/2026Senate
  4. Signed by the Speaker

    2/27/2026House
  5. Signed by the President Pro Tempore

    2/27/2026Senate
  6. Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 288: yeas 47, nays 0

    2/25/2026Senate
  7. Motion to concur filed

    2/17/2026Senate
  8. Returned to the Senate with amendments

    2/11/2026House
  9. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 230: yeas 95, nays 0

    2/10/2026House
  10. Amendment #2 (Ireland) prevailed; voice vote

    2/9/2026House
  11. Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

    2/9/2026House
  12. Amendment #1 (Gore) prevailed; voice vote

    2/9/2026House
  13. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    2/5/2026House
  14. Representative Haggard added as cosponsor

    1/29/2026House
  15. First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code

    1/28/2026House
  16. Referred to the House

    1/27/2026Senate
  17. Cosponsor: Representative Jeter

    1/26/2026Senate
  18. House sponsor: Representative Steuerwald

    1/26/2026Senate
  19. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 86: yeas 44, nays 0

    1/26/2026Senate
  20. Senator Alexander added as coauthor

    1/26/2026Senate
  21. Senator Schmitt added as coauthor

    1/26/2026Senate
  22. Senator Deery added as coauthor

    1/26/2026Senate
  23. Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

    1/22/2026Senate
  24. Amendment #4 (Baldwin) prevailed; voice vote

    1/22/2026Senate
  25. Senators Brown L, Freeman, Taylor G, Randolph added as coauthors

    1/22/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • Engrossed Senate Bill (H)

  • Engrossed Senate Bill (S)

  • Enrolled Senate Bill (S)

  • Introduced Senate Bill (S)

  • Senate Bill (H)

  • Senate Bill (S)

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