Senate Rules Committee advances bill to eliminate dozens of boards, shift rulemaking and delay expirations to 2027

The State Senate Rules Committee unanimously approved House Bill 1,003 as amended, advancing a wide-ranging package that would repeal or consolidate dozens of state boards and change the state's rulemaking and building-code review process.

Chair Rob Bray opened the April hearing and said the committee would consider Amendment 19 before voting on the bill. Legislative counsel Ross summarized Amendment 19, saying it substantially reduced the bill's size (from roughly 440 pages to 322 in counsel's description) and reduced the number of sections (reported in the summary as 747 to 518). Ross said the amendment shifts the bill's approach from expiring boards to repealing them and moves key dates to July 1, 2027. He also noted changes in the building-code provisions and that building codes would remain published in the Indiana Administrative Code.

Sponsor Senator Maxwell told the committee the bill's goal is to "reduce government" and to eliminate 32 boards and commissions while merging others and transferring substantial duties to existing agencies so "services remain uninterrupted." Maxwell said the measure would codify a recent gubernatorial executive order by requiring agencies to demonstrate the value of rules rather than allowing rules to renew by default.

A string of industry and stakeholder witnesses spoke in support of the amendment and the amended bill. Joe Miller, representing Roseacre Farms and a member of the fertilizer advisory board, said he welcomed a task-force review of agricultural boards. Dr. Elizabeth Struble, a family physician speaking for the Indiana State Medical Association and the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians, praised removal of proposed changes to the medical licensing board but urged care in consolidating the graduate medical education board with the medical education board, arguing the two serve different missions and that funding and leadership selection should protect residency programs.

"Graduate medical education supports new residency programs," Dr. Struble said, adding that "over 70% of residents who graduate from the residency stay in the area," and urging that missions and funding streams remain distinct.

Drew Fox of the Indiana Apartment Association said the bill's changes to building-code review should speed updates and preserve volunteers' work, and Rick Wojdah of the Indiana Builders Association supported provisions that would allow the General Assembly greater oversight of building-code changes and a reestablished governor's workforce cabinet. Agricultural groups including the Indiana Farm Bureau, the Agribusiness Council of Indiana and seed producers said they supported the task-force approach but urged careful attention to seasonal timelines and technical programs such as the Office of the State Chemist.

Philip Clay, executive director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, supported consolidating multiple cultural commissions into a single Indiana Cultural Commission, saying a unified structure could improve accountability and coordination. Clay provided meeting and quorum data for existing commissions, arguing consolidation could reduce failures to meet quorum and increase impact.

Committee members questioned witnesses on fiscal savings and oversight. Senator Cordura asked for an estimate of savings; Adam Battaglia, senior policy adviser to the governor, and Senator Garten said precise savings are difficult to quantify because the state does not track board costs in a uniform way. Garten pointed to out-of-state examples of savings from similar reorganizations but said the first step is improving recordkeeping and oversight.

Senator Yoder raised concerns about removing per-diem reimbursements for certain lay members, particularly on Medicaid advisory bodies. Chair Bray and counsel said the current amendment language does not remove per diems for those lay Medicaid advisory members.

Chair Bray moved a technical correction to Amendment 19 to fix a typographical effective-date error (an incorrect 2017 date); the committee agreed by consent to change it to 2027. The panel then took Amendment 19 by consent and moved the bill as amended; the roll call recorded an 11-0 approval to report the bill to the floor as amended.

What happens next: House Bill 1,003, as amended by Amendment 19, was sent to the full Senate for floor consideration. The committee vote does not itself change law; the bill will advance through the legislative process and may be amended further on the floor.

Sources: Testimony and exchanges at the State Senate Rules Committee hearing on House Bill 1,003 and Amendment 19.