# Indiana SB 91: Grooming.

Indiana SB 91, Grooming., is a First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Dan Dernulc (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-01-16 (Senator Tomes added as second author) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB91-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Indiana SB 91
- State: Indiana
- Session: First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)
- Title: Grooming.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-08
- Last action: 2025-01-16, Senator Tomes added as second author
- Sponsor: Dan Dernulc (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Subjects: corrections and criminal law
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Provides that a person at least 18 years of age commits sexual grooming, a Class A misdemeanor, if the person, with the intent to prepare or condition the child for future sexual activity, communicates with a child less than 14 years of age concerning sexual activity. Increases the penalty to a Level 6 felony if the grooming is committed by using a computer network, and to a Level 5 felony if the person has a prior conviction for a sex offense. Renames the offense of inappropriate communication with a child "sexual grooming", and increases the penalty to: (1) a Class A misdemeanor for the base offense; (2) a Level 6 felony if the offense is committed by using a computer network; and (3) a Level 5 felony if the person has a prior conviction for a sex offense.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dan Dernulc (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: James Tomes (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Bohacek (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Rick Niemeyer (Republican), Senate

## Actions (7)

- 2025-01-16: Senator Tomes added as second author (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Senator Tomes removed as coauthor (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Senator Bohacek added as coauthor (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Senator Niemeyer added as third author (Senate)
- 2025-01-13: Senator Tomes added as coauthor (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Authored by Senator Dernulc (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0091/versions/SB0091.01.INTR?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
- [Introduced Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0091/versions/SB0091.01.INTR?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-SB91-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).