The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Indiana bill sets maintenance standards for utility lines in public rights-of-way and establishes daily fines for violations
Last action · January 20, 2026: Representative Pressel added as coauthorSponsors: Michelle Davis and 3 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Indiana House Bill 1041 establishes minimum installation and maintenance standards for utility and communications facilities located in public rights-of-way, effective July 1, 2026. The legislation defines s and holds s liable for fines up to $500 per day, capped at a total of $2,500 per violation.
Utility providers and contractors operating in public rights-of-way face new financial penalties for unmanaged equipment, while local counties and municipalities gain explicit statutory backing to fine noncompliant operators up to $2,500.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Permittees and Utility Providers
Utility and communications service providers must comply with new maintenance standards, ensure equipment is labeled with contact information, and face daily fines up to $2,500 for line pollution violations.
Counties and Municipalities
Local units gain statutory authority to regulate public right-of-way facility maintenance standards and assess fines of up to $500 per day against noncompliant permittees.
Contractors and Subcontractors
Agents and contractors working on behalf of permittees must ensure that equipment left in rights-of-way is clearly marked with their contact information and permittee details.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is considered a 'permittee' under this bill?
What is the maximum fine a local government can charge for a line pollution violation?
How long does a permittee have to fix an unsecured conduit or damaged structure after receiving notice?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
5 actions- Jan 20, 2026HouseRepresentative Pressel added as coauthor
- Jan 20, 2026HouseRepresentative Bartels removed as coauthor
- Dec 2, 2025HouseIntroducedFirst reading: referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
- Dec 2, 2025HouseCoauthored by Representatives Greene, Bartels, Shonkwiler
- Dec 2, 2025HouseAuthored by Representative Davis
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of Unified Right-of-Way Fines
The bill creates a specific statutory framework for 'line pollution violations' with standardized daily fines, moving beyond general municipal code enforcement.
Connected Entities
Sources
iga.in.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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