FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STATEHOUSE (March 24, 2026) — State Sen. Stacey A. Donato (R-Logansport) achieved a 98% voting record for the 2026 legislative session. This record reflects Donato's stellar attendance during session.
"The people of Senate District 18 elected me to represent them in the Statehouse and ensure their voices are heard,” Donato said. “Having a good voting record is an important part of making their voice heard, and I look forward to continuing to work on creating and passing laws that are beneficial to our community."
The following are just some of the new laws Donato supported in the 2026 session.
Provide jury duty exemption for breastfeeding mothers
Senate Enrolled Act 139, which Donato authored, would allow courts to excuse a woman from jury duty if she gave birth in the past year, is breastfeeding and requests an exemption.
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.
Donato encourages constituents to contact her by filling out a Contact Me form online at IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Donato or by calling 800-382-9468.
-30-
Contact: Samantha Deese, Press Secretary
Samantha.Deese@iga.in.gov
317-234-9133
