At a prior hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard HB 1193 on civil rights commission sponsored by Sen. Carrasco and authored by Rep. Jeter. The bill:
- Provides that the civil rights commission (commission) may not represent a private individual in a civil action filed in a circuit or superior court.
- Requires the party asserting a civil rights violation must file their own civil case.
- Specifies that the commission may order damages to restore an aggrieved party’s losses, if the commission determines the party has incurred losses as a result of a discriminatory housing practice.
- Provides that the commission may only represent the state in a civil action and repeals a provision allowing a court to award monetary damages in those cases.
- Authorizes the commission to investigate unconstitutional practices if no other state agency has jurisdiction to investigate these practices.
- Adds to the definition “discriminatory practice” the following: Title VI of the federal Civil Right Act of 1964, Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
On February 18, 2026, the Committee heard the bill for an amend and vote. The Committee amended the bill by consent and the relevant provisions provide the following:
- Removes language that defines a violation of discriminatory practice as a violation of a person’s rights protected by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Indiana, federal law and the Fourteenth Amendment.
- Inserts language regarding retaliation protections.
- Inserts language that if the commission receives a complaint that another state or federal agency has jurisdiction to investigate, the commission shall send the complaint and all documentation to that state or federal agency. It allows the commission to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the state or federal agency that grants the commission enforcement jurisdiction over the complaint.
The Civil Rights Commission testified in support of this bill. The amended bill passed 9-2.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/house/1193