Mid-session cutoff stalls hundreds of Indiana bills; firing squad, Ten Commandments falter

A mid-session deadline ended movement on hundreds of state bills, leaving dozens of high-profile proposals, including a firing squad execution method and Ten Commandments display measures, stalled as lawmakers move toward adjournment. The cutoff narrows the immediate pathway for legislation that could affect schools, courts, public safety and consumer access across Dubois County.

As of Tuesday, just 112 of the Indiana Senate’s 253 non-vehicle bills remained eligible to move forward, meaning 141 had stalled. In the House, 112 of 427 non-vehicle bills were still in play, leaving 315 measures on hold. Combined, 456 non-vehicle bills did not advance by the mid-session cutoff, a figure widely reported as “more than 450.”

House Bill 1119, which would have added the firing squad as an execution method in Indiana, was one of the most closely watched proposals to fall short. The bill, authored by Rep. Jim Lucas, R–Seymour, narrowly failed on the House floor, drawing only 48 yes votes and not securing the 51 votes required for passage. The measure could have been placed back on the calendar for another vote before the deadline, but it was not.

Gambling-related proposals saw mixed results. House Bill 1078, which would have allowed the Hoosier Lottery to sell tickets online and was authored by Rep. Ethan Manning, R–Logansport, did not advance before the deadline. “Bill author Rep. Ethan Manning, R-Logansport, previously told the Capital Chronicle the proposal lacked sufficient support and that the legislature appears unwilling to move forward with online gambling in any form this year.” At the same time, lawmakers approved House Bill 1052, banning so-called “sweepstakes” games, online offerings that mimic illegal gambling and involve exchanging payment for a chance at monetary prizes, signaling movement away from expanding online lottery access.

Marijuana-related bills also stalled. House Bill 1298, authored by Lucas, would have reclassified marijuana as a less dangerous drug under Indiana law. House Bill 1191, filed by Gore, sought to decriminalize possession of two ounces or less. Neither bill received the necessary committee hearings or votes needed to advance before the cutoff. “Huston did not explain why Gore’s bill was left off the calendar.”

Proposals to display the Ten Commandments in schools and measures addressing youth social media access likewise failed to reach required votes before the cutoff. Monday marked the last day for House and Senate bills to receive third-reading votes and advance to the opposite chamber. Measures that missed that cutoff are no longer moving on their own, although lawmakers can still revive language by inserting it into other bills before the General Assembly adjourns later this month.

A photo by Casey Smith shows Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray speaking with reporters on Jan. 29 in coverage of the session. For Dubois County residents, the cutoff means many proposals affecting classrooms, local courts and consumer protections could reappear only as amendments to other bills or in next year’s session. Lawmakers are expected to wrap up the short session by the end of February, and the coming weeks will determine which stalled measures are revived before adjournment.