DEI rollbacks. Police Mandates. Trans Sports Bans. Usurping Local Control.  

Make no mistake: Indiana has entered its big government era. 

The key message from the 2025 legislative session is clear: lawmakers know best. In fact, they know better than local police chiefs, sheriffs, educators, school boards, doctors, and even parents. 

It sets a dangerous precedent when lawmakers strip authority from local governments in order to mimic the worst of national politics — eroding the very values they claim to uphold.  

In the face of sweeping overreach and efforts to erode fundamental rights, the ACLU of Indiana, our partners and thousands of Hoosiers made their voices heard. While this was a tough year in many ways, there were also some bright spots, including the decriminalization of fentanyl test strips and other safety devices– a move that will no doubt save lives.   

Click through below to read more about some of the bills that will soon become law and scroll to the bottom to see how your lawmakers voted on those bills. We’re also highlighting some bills that failed but that we anticipate will resurface in future years.

Bills to watch in 2026 and beyond 

As anyone who has followed legislation knows, failed bills can always make a comeback.  The ACLU of Indiana will be watching out for bills that are likely to return in the future – both good and bad.  

One bill, HB 1662, which would have criminalized homelessness, failed in the 2025 session. Its language was then added as an amendment to two other bills before finally being removed. This was a hard-fought victory – one that advocates will likely have to keep fighting in the future. 

Legislation that would allow chaplains to work in public schools was proposed in 2024 and again in 2025 as SB 523. It failed both times. This language would violate important constitutional principles separating church and state, and the ACLU of Indiana will be watching to see if it returns in 2026.  

Among the good bills that may be proposed again is a repeal of Indiana’s sales tax on period products, HB 1042 and SB 173. Although these bills failed, advocates were hopeful when the tax was repealed in the first budget proposal. Ultimately, however, the tax was added back into the budget that passed and was signed into law. Because these products are a necessity, not a luxury, some lawmakers will continue to push for Indiana to join the 20+ states who have eliminated this unfair tax.  

Other good bills that may return include a repeal of the death penalty, HB 1030, which enjoyed bipartisan support but did not receive a committee hearing, and driver cards for immigrants (HB 1224/SB 296) that would make Indiana streets safer.  

DeOnyae-Dior Valentina is an activist in Indianapolis and the subject of our June advocate profile. Valentina serves as an Urban Leaders Fellow with the City of Indianapolis’ Office of Equity, Belonging & Inclusion, where she leads a project identifying service gaps for immigrant and refugee communities. She is also a Policy Fellow with the Positive Women’s Network, where she works to advance national campaigns for HIV decriminalization, healthcare justice, and the leadership of woman of color and nonbinary people living with HIV.

Tell us about you (i.e., your hometown, your hobbies, family, interests).
I’m a Black and brown trans woman and community advocate from Indianapolis. My lived experience navigating child welfare, housing instability, and the justice system fuels my commitment to building a more just and equitable world, especially for youth who live at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.

When you’re not working in these roles, how do you spend your time?
Outside of these roles, I’m a poet, organizer, and podcast host. I created Strength Over Struggle: The Up & Coming Podcast to spotlight mental health, survival, and joy within QTBIPOC communities. I believe in storytelling as a sacred act of resistance—and in building a community rooted in care, accountability, and faith.

How did you start advocating for LGBTQ+ social justice causes?
My advocacy started from survival. As a Black and brown trans girl in Indiana, I grew up facing rejection, instability, and systems that tried to erase me. I didn’t see people like me represented in leadership, let alone protected by the policies shaping our lives. That absence lit a fire in me. 

I began organizing in high school—first around LGBTQ+ visibility in child welfare systems, then around youth homelessness, sexual health justice, and trans healthcare access. Over time, my lived experience became my expertise, and I committed to making sure that other queer and trans youth, especially those of color, wouldn’t have to fight to be seen, heard, or valued the way I did. Advocacy became my way of surviving—and now, it’s how I help others thrive.

In your time advocating, what has been your proudest moment?
One of my proudest moments was co-facilitating a legislative teach-in at the Statehouse, where I guided a group of young LGBTQ+ Hoosiers, many of whom were new to advocacy, through meetings with legislators. Watching them speak their truth with power, despite fear and stigma, brought tears to my eyes. That day, they didn’t just feel seen; they knew they belonged in those halls.

This year, what were you fighting for? Did you have any successes?
This year, I fought to protect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and the rights of LGBTQ+ people, especially trans youth, in Indiana. While many of the bills I opposed ultimately passed, I had the opportunity to testify against harmful legislation—including HB 1041, SB 289, and SB 442—to make sure our voices were heard. Even without legislative victories, showing up, speaking out, and building community resistance was a powerful act of defiance and care in a hostile climate.

What piece of advice would you share with other advocates?
Start from your story. There’s power in our lived experiences, especially when systems try to silence us. And don’t forget: you’re not alone. Build community, rest when needed, and know that faith-rooted justice isn’t just about resistance—it’s also about joy, healing, and collective care.

Design the Democracy You Want to Live In: Democracy Designers is a year-long volunteer cohort program from the ACLU of Indiana that prepares you to lead, engage, and inspire in the lead-up to the 2026 election.

Register for the cohort now.