The 2026 legislative session has wrapped up, and bills have either been signed into law by the governor or await his signature. For the last two months, I listened, voted on and advocated for legislation that will benefit and improve the quality of life for Hoosiers in House District 16.
Indiana is leading in the adoption of cover crop farming methods, promoting the enhancement of nutrients in the soil, erosion reduction and runoff prevention. I supported Senate Enrolled Act 277 to streamline the permitting process, eliminate outdated and redundant regulations and ensure that the state's environmental laws are based on formally adopted science to encourage the use of natural nutrient products in addition to nitrogen as a more sustainable way to increase soil health and crop production.
Throughout the legislative process, many of the bills I originally drafted ended up in other related bills. For example, I drafted House Bill 1064 to protect private property from unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones that interfere with crops and livestock, which was later amended into House Enrolled Act 1249. To streamline confined feeding permitting and protect expanding farms from costly regulatory upgrades, I authored House Enrolled Act 1355 that will clarify and assist in the confined feeding operations approval process. It also cuts red tape on equipment required for solid manure produced by livestock and designates a contact within the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to field questions and concerns related to the confined feeding operations permitting and application process.
Similarly, I authored an amendment to a House Republican priority bill, House Enrolled Act 1003 to establish the Agricultural Promotion and Regulation Task Force to study if changing the Indiana State Department of Agriculture into a regulatory agency would compromise their advocacy role for the agriculture community and whether any changes are needed to ISDA or other state agencies that promote or regulate the state's agriculture industry to improve these functions.
Even with the condensed session, I am excited to see how new laws addressing energy and housing affordability, government efficiency and access to child care positively impact the growing communities and families living and working in House District 16. Visit iga.in.gov to learn more about the new laws passed this year.
As your state representative, I am eager to hear from you. Please reach out to my office with any questions at in.gov/h16 or by calling 317-232-9819.
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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
