STATEHOUSE (March 31, 2026) — State Senator Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville) achieved a perfect 100% voting record for the 2026 legislative session. The 100% record reflects Byrne's attendance during session, never missing a vote taken on the Senate floor.
"As the voice for the people of Senate District 47, I make sure I am on the floor for every vote so my constituents' voices are heard," Byrne said. "I always encourage constituents to reach out to me so I can have their feedback on legislation. I do not take my role as senator lightly, and I will continue to prioritize voting on every bill."
The following are just some of the new laws Byrne supported in the 2026 session.
Promoting successful values
Senate Enrolled Act 88, which Byrne authored, requires schools to teach about the "success sequence" of obtaining a high school diploma, securing full-time employment and waiting until marriage to begin having children. Additionally, it requires Indiana's public universities to accept the Classic Learning Test results in the same way the schools accept ACT and SAT results for admission purposes.
Prevent waste, fraud and abuse
Senate Enrolled Act 1, Senate Republicans' top priority, will help prevent waste, fraud and abuse in Indiana's SNAP and Medicaid programs by increasing eligibility checks for public assistance programs. It also requires the state government to verify the citizenship or immigration status of people applying for Medicaid and SNAP to help prevent illegal immigrants from claiming benefits and preserve the integrity of the program for the Hoosiers who need it most.
Improve public safety
Senate Joint Resolution 1 seeks to amend Indiana's constitution so judges can hold arrestees without bail if there is no way to release them without threatening the safety of the public. While most states already allow judges to deny bail for dangerous suspects, current Indiana law only allows bail to be withheld in instances of murder and treason. Under Indiana's constitutional amendment process, Hoosier voters will have a chance to vote on SJR 1 on this November's ballot. Senate Enrolled Act 2 is a companion law that will guarantee all arrestees have legal protections like the right to an attorney at their bail hearing, the right to present evidence and the right to have their bail set in a timely manner.
No taxes on tips, overtime
Senate Enrolled Act 243 couples Indiana's tax code to the federal tax code regarding no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on loan interest for American-made vehicles in 2026. This means Hoosier workers will benefit from those same tax cuts passed in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill on their state taxes. These cuts are estimated to save Hoosiers up to $237 million on their state and local taxes this year.
Lower utility rates
House Enrolled Act 1002 is the biggest change to Indiana's ratemaking process in over 100 years, changing from a fee-for-service model to a performance-based ratemaking model. HEA 1002 will ensure electric utilities promote affordability, predictable monthly bills and reliable service by tying the amount utilities can collect to the quality of service they provide to customers.
Byrne encourages constituents to contact him by filling out a Contact Me form online at IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Byrne or by calling 800-382-9468.
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State Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville) represents Senate District 47,
which includes Harrison and Washington counties, and most of Floyd County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
