Indiana Chamber Announces 2026 Legislative Priorities

Among the list are addressing barriers to work-based learning opportunities.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Chamber of Commerce today announced its top legislative priorities for the 2026 legislative session. Among the list are addressing barriers to work-based learning opportunities, tort reform to help maintain a business-friendly climate and creating additional childcare options.

All of the organization’s goals align with its current visioning plan for the state, Indiana Prosperity 2035 (IP35). A survey of Indiana Chamber member companies at the end of 2025 solidified that the IP35 pillar of Economic Growth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship ranked as the most critical area for the organization’s increased involvement, with the Education and Workforce pillars rounding out the top trio.

“This session, we are focusing on the policies we believe will have the biggest impact on employers, particularly small employers, and can get accomplished in the short timeframe we have,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders. “What they all have in common is preserving or improving Indiana’s economic competitiveness in various areas and overall business climate. We look forward to working with lawmakers, Governor Braun and other stakeholders to advance bills that make that happen.”

The full list of the Indiana Chamber’s 2026 legislative priorities:

Ensure tax conformity or decoupling with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3) to maintain Indiana’s competitive tax status

“Indiana has worked over many years to maintain a tax code that is broad-based, stable and relatively easy for individuals and employers to navigate. We have and will continue to urge state leaders to take action around OB3 to ensure clarity for taxpayers and ongoing stability in Indiana’s tax system.”

Enact tort reform to protect those unjustly targeted and improve the state’s business climate

“Smart tort reform is not about limiting legitimate claims; it’s about ensuring a level playing field, reducing uncertainty and protecting employers who operate responsibly – all in the interest of economic growth. Indiana has long benefited from a reputation as a balanced, business-friendly state that values fairness while discouraging abusive litigation practices. Maintaining that reputation matters, particularly as competition among states for high-growth companies and innovation-driven investment intensifies.” 

The Indiana Chamber is part of the Indiana Alliance for Legal Reform, a new nonprofit entity seeking state-level civil and tort law reforms, announced in late December and comprised of statewide groups and Indiana-based businesses.

Establish a sustainable, scalable approach to addressing liability barriers for employers hiring students under 18 years old for work-based learning experiences

“If Indiana wants to be a leader in work-based learning and grow its own talent pipeline, we must address barriers to participation on both sides. For employers, too often the obstacle is around liability insurance; we need to determine a long-term solution that is accessible to multiple industries and sizes of corporate partners.”

Establish framework to enable scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) to serve children aged five and under in childcare settings

“One of the things we hear repeatedly from our member companies is the need to do more around childcare to help families and employers. By allowing designated scholarship granting organizations to offer scholarships to qualified childcare providers for preschool students, it should reduce some of the strain on the federal Child Care and Development Fund and enable more Hoosiers to return to the workforce and increase their household income. Plus, employers benefit from a deeper talent pool to fill their job openings.”

Provide the option for township government elimination to maximize resources and efficiency

“We have been chipping away at common sense local government reform for years. This is the next step in that modernization by allowing township governments that are within another unit of local government to essentially eliminate themselves to better serve their residents. There is support from some of these impacted municipalities to do just that; they recognize the redundancy and want to consider this option.”

• Build on economic development collaboration across the state to continue momentum for initiatives in all regions
•  Enhance workplace safety by allowing employers to act quickly when credible threats of violence emerge
• Continue to deregulate as appropriate and cut unnecessary red tape associated with environmental regulations

The Indiana Chamber will publish the next phase of its policy efforts in its Legislative Analysis document later this month. That’s when the organization assigns positions to the introduced bills impacting the business community. Learn more at www.indianachamber.com/policy.