IndianaIndiana will ask voters where city court judges may live
Indiana will ask voters in 2026 whether city and town court judges may live in the court's county or the closest bordering county.
What it does
Indiana will ask voters in 2026 whether city and town court judges may live in the county where their court sits or the closest bordering county. The Constitution would change only if voters approve.
Argument forIf voters approve the change, courts near county lines might draw judges who live closer to the city or town they serve.
Argument againstIf voters approve the change, judges might have fewer ties to the county where their court sits because they could live in a nearby county.
More detail
Indiana law requires a question about a proposed constitutional change to appear on the 2026 general election ballot. The question goes to Indiana voters and concerns judges of city and town courts. The constitutional change would allow a city or town court judge to live in the county where the court is located or the bordering county closest to the city or town. Voters must approve the proposed change for it to take effect. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and requires the question on the 2026 general election ballot.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Feb 24Public Law 18Latest
- Feb 24Signed by the Governor Mike BraunBecame Law
- Feb 23Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Feb 19Signed by the President Pro TemporeMajor
- Feb 19Signed by the SpeakerMajor
- Feb 18Returned to the House without amendmentsMinor
- Feb 17Third reading: passed; Roll Call 173: yeas 44, nays 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded HB 1019 - Koch - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 16Second reading: ordered engrossedMinor
- Feb 12Committee report: do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 27First reading: referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Jan 14Referred to the SenateMinor
- Jan 13Senate sponsor: Senator Koch
- Vote recorded HB 1019 - Aylesworth - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 13Third reading: passed; Roll Call 41: yeas 92, nays 1Passed House
- Jan 12Amendment #2 (Hamilton) ruled out of order
- Vote recorded HB 1019 - Aylesworth. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 12Second reading: ordered engrossedMinor
- Jan 12Appeal the ruling of the chair (Hamilton); ruling of the chair sustained Roll Call 33: yeas 66, nays 25
- Jan 8Committee report: do pass, adoptedMinor
- 2025
- Dec 5Reassigned to Committee on Courts and Criminal CodeMinor
- Dec 1First reading: referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Dec 1Authored by Representative AylesworthIntroduced
Civil Rights & Voting