Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hoosier Homestead Eminent Domain topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears bill to put Hoosier Homestead award into statute and give families limited remonstrance rights against condemnation
Summary
House Bill 1265 would codify the Hoosier Homestead Award program and create a narrow local remonstrance process for family farms with century-long ownership facing fee‑simple condemnation; committee discussion produced neutral agency testimony and the bill was held for technical amendments.
Representative introduced House Bill 1265 to codify the Hoosier Homestead Farm program into statute and to give qualifying farms a limited opportunity for local remonstrance when a fee‑simple taking is proposed through eminent domain.
The bill would put the Hoosier Homestead Award program—an honorific program recognizing family farms owned continuously for 100, 150 or 200 years—into statute and create a registry at ISDA. Representative Green, in his presentation, said the bill “first puts the Hoosier Homestead Farm Program into statute,” and described a process that would trigger notice to the local legislative body when an attempt is made to take all or part of a registered homestead farm by condemnation.
Under the remonstrance procedure described in testimony, the local legislative body (most often a county board of commissioners or a city/town council) would review whether there is a feasible and prudent alternative to using the homestead farm for the public purpose that underlies the condemnation. The proposed review is limited to fee‑simple takings and would not apply to easements, leases or voluntary sales.
Quentin Hayes of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture testified neutral on the bill and described the Hoosier Homestead Award as a ceremonial program created in 1976 that currently operates administratively. Hayes suggested technical clarifications for the statute, including whether property taxes must be current and which parcel(s) should be designated for protection under the statute.
Several family farmers and local officials testified in support, including Linda Norton who described her family’s multi‑generation farm and the value of the Hoosier Homestead award, and Jason Abel, a fourth‑generation farmer and county commissioner. Supporters said the registry and remonstrance process would give families a chance to present local harm and local bodies an opportunity to weigh alternatives before a condemnation proceeds.
Committee members asked for specific statutory language and technical edits. Representative Green said staff and the author would work with ISDA on technical changes, and he indicated the bill would be held until those edits are prepared. Quentin Hayes’ neutral testimony and the author’s closing remarks signaled agreement to return with clarified language.
No final committee vote was taken on HB 1265 at this hearing; the author said the item would be held and returned with technical amendments.
