Indy Standard

With the conclusion of the 2025 legislative session in April, State Representatives Julie Olthoff and Ed Soliday are drawing attention to new state laws that took effect this summer.

Olthoff noted that several new laws began on July 1, including a law aimed at increasing child care access. House Enrolled Act 1253 simplifies licensure requirements for multi-site child care centers, allowing them to operate under a single license. It also expands school-based child care programs to serve children from the entire school corporation.

"We need more child care options for families in rural and urban areas across the state," Olthoff said. "This new law expands child care programming by streamlining licensures and opening up school-based child care programs."

Soliday highlighted legislative actions addressing energy demands in Indiana. House Enrolled Act 1007 aims to position Indiana as a leader in clean and reliable energy generation technology by creating incentives for small modular nuclear reactors. This initiative seeks to modernize the state's energy grid while reducing ratepayer risks associated with meeting new or expanding energy needs of large commercial users.

"As our economy grows, we need to have the energy to match," said Soliday, author of HEA 1007. "This new law will help modernize and expand energy generation in our state and protect ratepayers from picking up additional costs related to large companies’ electricity needs."

Additional laws were also highlighted by local lawmakers:

To support foster families, a law co-authored by Olthoff makes foster parents eligible for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers for their foster children, easing financial burdens. It reserves a set number of CCDF vouchers for children placed with licensed foster parents.

Regarding Medicaid spending, which has increased significantly over recent years, a new law enhances oversight to prevent fraud and abuse. It strengthens eligibility and accountability measures to ensure tax dollars are used effectively.

For more information about these and other new state laws, visit iga.in.gov.