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Committee hears bill to codify Hoosier Homestead program and allow local remonstrance on eminent domain
Summary
House Bill 1265 would place the Hoosier Homestead Farm program into statute and create a limited local remonstrance process for family farms facing fee‑simple condemnation; the committee heard testimony and the author said technical changes are forthcoming before the bill is scheduled for further consideration.
Representative Green introduced House Bill 1265 to the House Agriculture Committee, saying the bill would codify the Hoosier Homestead Farm program and provide a narrowly drawn remonstrance process when a fee‑simple taking of a multi‑generational homestead is proposed.
Why it matters: Representative Green said the Hoosier Homestead program recognizes family farms that have been owned continuously by one family for at least 100 years and that the state lost 345,682 acres of farmland from 2010 to 2022. The bill would require ISDA to maintain a registry of homestead farms and allow an affected homestead to seek review by the local legislative body (usually county commissioners or a city/town council) before a fee‑simple condemnation proceeds.
Supporters argued the bill protects family heritage and provides an extra local check in eminent domain cases that permanently remove a farm from family ownership. Linda Norton, who described her family as an eighth‑generation farm and a past Hoosier Homestead award recipient, testified in favor and said the statute could raise awareness and improve record keeping for the program.
Jason Abel, a county commissioner and fourth‑generation farmer, told the committee that combining HB 1265 with farmland protection measures would help communities balance growth pressures while protecting agricultural heritage.
ISDA testified neutral on HB 1265. Quentin Hayes said the existing Hoosier Homestead Award is ceremonial and suggested statutory refinements the department would like to see, such as adding proof of up‑to‑date property tax payments and clarifying which parcel qualifies for protection if a farm contains multiple parcels. Hayes also described the existing application requirements (100, 150, or 200 years of continuous family ownership and minimum parcel size or income thresholds) used administratively.
Committee action and next steps: Representative Green said he and ISDA staff were working on technical amendments and that the item would be held for a future meeting once those changes are drafted. “We're going to hold this until they get that worked out for our next meeting,” the chairman announced at adjournment. No committee vote to advance HB 1265 was recorded at this hearing.
What’s next: The author indicated technical edits based on ISDA feedback will be developed and filed as an amendment; committee members said they prefer to see specific amendment language on second reading before taking a final vote.
