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Committee hears bill to codify Hoosier Homestead program and give farms a local remonstrance in condemnation cases
Summary
House Bill 1265 would put the Hoosier Homestead Award program into statute, create a registry of qualifying homestead farms and allow those farms limited local remonstrance against fee-simple condemnations; the committee discussed technical edits and held the bill for further amendments.
A member of the House introduced House Bill 1265 to the committee, describing it as complementary to HB1234 and saying the state lost "345,682 acres, to be exact, between 2010 and 2022." The bill would place the Hoosier Homestead Farm program into statute, require ISDA to maintain an electronic registry of qualifying homestead farms, and establish a local remonstrance process for homestead farms facing fee‑simple eminent domain takings.
The bill’s author said the remonstrance process is limited: it applies only to a fee-simple taking and does not apply to acquisition of an easement, leases, voluntary sales, or good-faith negotiations where parties reach agreement. The local legislative body—typically the county board of commissioners or a city/town council—would receive notice and could review whether there is "no feasible and prudent alternative" before condemnation proceeds.
Testimony in support included Linda Norton, who said her family farm is an eighth-generation Hoosier Homestead farm, and Jason Abel, a fourth-generation farmer and Shelby County commissioner, who said the proposed protections would help communities balancing growth and agricultural heritage. Quentin Hayes of ISDA testified neutral; he described the Hoosier Homestead Award as "ceremonial in nature" and recommended the legislature consider adding statutory application requirements such as up-to-date property taxes and codifying the parcel definitions into statute.
Committee members asked technical and drafting questions. Representative Green said staff and the author were working with ISDA on technical changes and that those would likely appear as an amendment at a future agenda. Committee leadership held the bill to allow for those edits before further action.
Why it matters: Supporters framed the bill as recognition and a limited procedural protection for long‑standing family farms—over 6,000 families have received Hoosier Homestead awards—while ISDA sought statutory clarification on program criteria and recordkeeping.
Ending: The committee held HB1265 for technical amendments; sponsors plan to return it with drafting changes.
