INDIANAPOLIS – Senate Republicans overwhelmingly passed House Bill 1383 on Tuesday, making the bill weakening wetland protections as the very first piece of legislation to reach the governor’s desk during the 2024 session.

Indiana has already lost the vast majority of its natural wetlands, and Republicans crafted HB 1383 specifically with the development lobby to target some of Indiana’s most important wetlands.

Republicans have tried to claim that this bill is a compromise, but that simply isn’t true. When the bill was crafted this summer, Statehouse Republicans and IDEM only met with the building lobby to write the bill, leaving out important input from homeowners’ associations, environmental groups, and water regulators. 

“Hoosier families are facing a $1 billion FSSA shortfall and dwindling childcare and healthcare options, yet Republicans’ very first priority this session is to roll back wetland protections for their millionaire and billionaire friends,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl. “Hoosiers of all walks of life benefit from our wetlands. They are a natural flood prevention barrier for our properties, and help filter our groundwater – all for free. 

“This is the latest example of how the Republican supermajority is simply unaccountable to Hoosiers. They think Hoosiers aren’t watching; it’s time to tell them they’re wrong at the polls this November. We need legislators that work for regular, working people and find true compromise. The Republican supermajority has shown its first priority is lobbyists and developers.”

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