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Committee holds Hoosier Homestead remonstrance bill for technical fixes
Summary
House Bill 1265, which would codify the Hoosier Homestead Farm program and add a limited local remonstrance step against fee‑simple condemnation for qualifying farms, was discussed and held for amendment by the House Agriculture Committee.
House Bill 1265, which would put the Hoosier Homestead Farm program into statute and create a limited local remonstrance process for families facing fee‑simple condemnation of qualifying homestead farms, was discussed in committee and held for technical changes.
The bill’s sponsor told the committee that putting the Hoosier Homestead Award program into statute would create an electronic registry of homestead farms and provide a local remonstrance step if a fee‑simple condemnation was proposed. Under the proposal, the remonstrance would notify the local legislative body (typically county commissioners or a city or town council) and allow that body to review whether there was a feasible and prudent alternative to using the homestead farm for the public purpose underlying the condemnation.
Linda Norton, an eighth‑generation farmer who has received a Hoosier Homestead award, testified in support, describing the ceremonial award and the importance of preserving family farms near growing metropolitan areas. “We live in Johnson County and … there’s continuing pressure for developers wanting to buy your farm ground,” Norton said, noting the heritage and community interest in Hoosier Homestead families.
Jason Abel, a fourth‑generation farmer and county commissioner, said the statute would be a useful complement to farmland protection efforts and help communities facing rapid growth pressures maintain agricultural vibrancy.
Quentin Hayes, legislative director for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, testified neutral on the bill and described the Hoosier Homestead Award as “ceremonial in nature.” Hayes suggested statutory changes the department would like to see, including adding a statutory requirement that property taxes be paid up to date and incorporating the application process into law; Hayes also clarified that the protection would apply to the parcel designated as a homestead farm.
Representative Green, closing the item, said the sponsor and staff were working with ISDA on technical amendments and that the bill would be held for the committee’s next meeting to allow those changes to be drafted. "We've been working with Quintin on the technical changes there to add into the bill for an amendment," Green said, and the chair indicated the item would remain on the agenda for the next meeting.
Ending: Committee members praised the symbolic importance of the Hoosier Homestead recognition and agreed additional statutory language is needed before the bill can advance. ISDA suggested a small set of technical inclusions (property‑tax status and an explicit parcel definition) to clarify the scope of protection.
