Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Foreign Policy State Action topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves bill barring state agencies from opening offices in listed foreign adversaries
Summary
House Bill 1103 would bar state agencies from establishing taxpayer‑funded offices in countries listed as foreign adversaries (as cited in the bill language); the committee approved the measure 9-0 after discussion of prior agency activity in China and technical updates to a federal citation.
Representative Commons presented House Bill 1103, which the sponsor said would bar Indiana state agencies from establishing offices in countries designated in the bill as foreign adversaries and would make technical corrections to a cited federal code section. "House bill 11 o 3 would seek to bar state agencies from establishing offices in deemed foreign adversaries," the sponsor said, and noted the bill updates language tied to 15 CFR 791.4 (as cited in the hearing).
Representative Commons identified the countries named in the bill as North Korea, China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba during committee remarks. He told the committee the measure responds in part to a past Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) presence in Beijing: he said the IEDC had operated an office in Beijing and that the office was closed on June 30, 2024.
Committee exchange and clarifications: Committee members asked whether the bill would affect ongoing business relationships and how the statute treats Taiwan or Hong Kong; the sponsor said businesses remain free to operate with foreign partners and that the bill only restricts establishment of taxpayer‑funded offices in the listed adversary countries. On Taiwan, the sponsor told the committee the state operates an office in Taiwan and that the existing code language does not require separate definition of Taiwan for Indiana law.
Committee action: The committee moved, seconded and called the roll; the measure passed the committee with a recorded vote of 9 in favor, 0 opposed and was reported to the next stage of the legislative process.
What the bill does not do: It does not criminalize private business dealings with listed countries nor does it prohibit private or federal diplomacy. The sponsor emphasized the restriction applies to taxpayer‑funded state agency offices rather than private sector activity.
Next steps: With committee approval, HB1103 proceeds for further consideration by the full chamber.
