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Committee hears bill to codify Hoosier Homestead program and add remonstrance option for century farms
Summary
House Bill 1265 would place the Hoosier Homestead Farm recognition program into statute and create a limited local remonstrance process against fee‑simple condemnations of farms with continuous family ownership, testimony showed; ISDA testified neutral and the sponsor plans technical amendments.
Representative Green presented House Bill 1265, which would place the Hoosier Homestead Farm program in statute, establish an electronic registry of eligible homestead farms and allow a local legislative body a single review (remonstrance) when a fee‑simple condemnation is proposed for a designated homestead farm.
"1265 simply gives a homestead farm the right to make one final appeal to their local legislative body to review the potential condemnation," Representative Green said, adding the process would not apply to easements, leases or voluntary sales.
Supporters with multi‑generation ties to farming testified in favor. Linda Norton, who said her family farm is an eighth‑generation operation and a past Hoosier Homestead awardee, told the committee preserving the award and giving farms a chance to be heard mattered to families facing development pressure near Indianapolis.
Jason Abel, a county commissioner and fourth‑generation farmer, described local growth pressures and said the bill complements other farmland protection measures such as House Bill 1234.
Quentin Hayes of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture testified neutral on 1265 and described the current Hoosier Homestead program as ceremonial. Hayes recommended statutory clarifications the department would like to see, including application requirements and confirming which parcel(s) would receive a homestead designation.
Representative Green told the committee staff are working with ISDA on technical changes and that an amendment will likely appear at the next meeting. The sponsor asked members to hold the bill to allow those technical edits; the bill was held for further consideration.
