# Indiana SB 4: Water matters. Indiana SB 4, Water matters., is a First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Eric Koch (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Public Law 99) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB4-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Indiana SB 4 - State: Indiana - Session: First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025) - Title: Water matters. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-14 - Last action: 2025-04-22, Public Law 99 - Sponsor: Eric Koch (Republican) - Cosponsors: 23 - Subjects: utilities, the house - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (238 yes, 134 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary Prohibits a water utility from constructing a long haul water pipeline unless the water utility first obtains a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) from the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC). Sets forth specified information that an application for a CPCN must include. Sets forth specified findings that the IURC must make before granting a CPCN. Sets forth conditions under which a water utility may recover through rates the actual costs the water utility incurs in reliance on a CPCN issued by the IURC. Provides that a person that transfers, sells, or leases a long haul water pipeline must provide written notice to the IURC of the transfer, sale, or lease not later than 60 days after the transfer, sale, or lease is finalized. Prohibits a person that transfers or proposes to transfer: (1) more than an annual average of 30,000,000 gallons of water per day out of a basin; or (2) water from a restricted use area; from transferring water out of a basin, or supplying water to another person that the person knows will transfer more than 100,000 gallons of water out of a basin, without first obtaining a transfer permit from the department of natural resources (department). Sets forth specified information that must be included in an application for a transfer permit. Provides that a transfer permit is required for an existing or ongoing interbasin transfer (as of July 1, 2025) if the existing or ongoing transfer exceeds the capacity of any system engaged in the interbasin transfer in any 90 day period. Provides that the department shall approve an application for a permit if the department determines that the transfer: (1) will not result in a perennial overdraft of a ground water resource or in a perennial stream flow depletion; and (2) is in the public interest, as described in the Indiana Code section concerning beneficial uses of Indiana's surface water resources. Provides that a transfer permit: (1) does not expire; and (2) may be renewed, revoked, suspended, or modified in certain circumstances. Provides that the department may assess a civil penalty for violations of these provisions. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Water customers pay qualifying pipeline costs: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, utilities generally recover qualifying long-haul pipeline costs through customer rates, which can raise water bills. Recovery excludes fraud, concealment, or gross mismanagement. For completed projects, costs approved during ongoing review enter rates without further review;… - Large water users face transfer limits: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, users proposing transfers averaging more than 30 million gallons daily, or transferring from a state-designated restricted-use area, generally need a permit to move water between Indiana basins. This also covers supplying someone they know will move more than 100,000 gallons… - Utilities need approval for major pipelines: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, utilities need state approval before building new continuous pipelines able to carry at least 10 million gallons daily at least 30 miles from the source. Pipelines returning at least 50% of the water after use, or located partly or wholly in the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Rive… - Water transfer permits carry ongoing duties: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, water-transfer permits stay in effect unless the permit or another law sets an expiration. Holders must certify compliance at least once every five years. The Department of Natural Resources can change, suspend, or revoke permits for violations, fraud or other wrongdoing in… - Utilities face pipeline reporting and oversight: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, approved pipelines receive ongoing construction review unless the utility chooses review at completion or cancellation. During ongoing review, utilities must report progress and updated costs yearly, unless they agree with the commission on another schedule. The commission c… - Water transfers require studies and fees: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, applicants for covered water-transfer permits must document the purpose, need, volumes, locations, return flows, facility capacity, and start date. They must also provide water-flow and environmental studies, alternatives, conservation practices, any other required informati… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Eric Koch (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Alaina Shonkwiler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Andrea Hunley (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Blake Doriot (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Brian Buchanan (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris Garten (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Cyndi Carrasco (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Dan Dernulc (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Daryl Schmitt (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Dave Hall (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ed Charbonneau (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Edmond Soliday (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Eric Bassler (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Greg Goode (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: J.D. Ford (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Tomes (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Linda Rogers (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Bohacek (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Gaskill (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Ron Alting (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Stacey Donato (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Susan Glick (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Travis Holdman (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Vaneta Becker (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-08 | Senate | Senate concurred with House amendments | pass | 45 | 2 | | | 2025-04-01 | House | Third reading: passed | pass | 93 | 0 | | | 2025-03-31 | House | Amendment #2 (Campbell) failed | fail | 25 | 66 | | | 2025-03-31 | House | Amendment #1 (Pierce M) failed | fail | 27 | 66 | | | 2025-02-04 | Senate | Third reading: passed | pass | 48 | 0 | | ## Actions (34) - 2025-04-22: Public Law 99 (Senate) - 2025-04-22: Signed by the Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Signed by the Speaker (House) - 2025-04-09: Signed by the President Pro Tempore (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 369: yeas 45, nays 2 (Senate) - 2025-04-04: Motion to concur filed (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Returned to the Senate with amendments (House) - 2025-04-01: Representative Hall added as cosponsor (House) - 2025-04-01: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 339: yeas 93, nays 0 (House) - 2025-04-01: Representative Shonkwiler added as cosponsor (House) - 2025-03-31: Amendment #1 (Pierce M) failed; Roll Call 324: yeas 27, nays 66 (House) - 2025-03-31: Amendment #2 (Campbell) failed; Roll Call 325: yeas 25, nays 66 (House) - 2025-03-31: Second reading: ordered engrossed (House) - 2025-03-25: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House) - 2025-03-03: First reading: referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications (House) - 2025-02-07: Referred to the House (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Senator Buchanan added as coauthor (Senate) - 2025-02-04: House sponsor: Representative Soliday (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 65: yeas 48, nays 0 (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Senator Schmitt added as coauthor (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Amendment #1 (Deery) prevailed; voice vote (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Senators Becker, Bohacek, Dernulc, Donato, Gaskill, Rogers, Holdman, Tomes added as coauthors (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Senators Carrasco and Bassler added as coauthors (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Senators Charbonneau, Goode, Doriot added as coauthors (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Senator Garten added as second author (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Senator Glick added as third author (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Senator Alting added as coauthor (Senate) - 2025-01-21: Senator Ford J.D. added as coauthor (Senate) - 2025-01-21: Senator Hunley added as coauthor (Senate) - 2025-01-14: First reading: referred to Committee on Utilities (Senate) - 2025-01-14: Authored by Senator Koch (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed Senate Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.03.ENGS?format=pdf) - Enrolled Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.05.ENRH?format=pdf) - Introduced Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.01.INTR?format=pdf) - Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.02.COMS?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.04.COMH?format=pdf) ## Related bills - SB 324: Criminal procedures. (signed) - SB 231: Various corrections matters. (signed) - SB 80: Code publication. (signed) - SB 453: Various tax matters. (signed) - SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit. (signed) - SB 371: Workforce matters. (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed Senate Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.03.ENGS?format=pdf) - [Enrolled Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.05.ENRH?format=pdf) - [Introduced Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.01.INTR?format=pdf) - [Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.02.COMS?format=pdf) - [Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0004/versions/SB0004.04.COMH?format=pdf) ## Related - [SB 324: Criminal procedures.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB324-2025) - [SB 231: Various corrections matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB231-2025) - [SB 80: Code publication.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB80-2025) - [SB 453: Various tax matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB453-2025) - [SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB464-2025) - [SB 371: Workforce matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB371-2025) - [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-SB4-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).