FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STATEHOUSE (March. 24, 2026) — State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) achieved a 99% voting record for the 2026 legislative session. This record reflects Raatz's stellar attendance during session.
"Showing up to vote means showing up for Hoosiers," Raatz said. "I was elected by Senate District 27 to be their voice at the Statehouse, and I take that role seriously. I work hard to make sure I represent my district well by taking into consideration feedback from constituents and representing them in each vote."
The following are just some of the new laws Raatz supported in the 2026 session.
Protecting children from harms of social media
House Enrolled Act 1408, sponsored by Raatz, restricts children under the age of 16 from setting up social media accounts unless their parents or guardians give consent. Social media platforms are also required to use reasonable means to estimate the age of account holders and flag accounts for parental consent if they determine a user is younger than 16. If a social media platform violates this law, they would be subject to civil penalties under the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.
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.
Raatz encourages constituents to contact him by filling out a Contact Me form online at IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Raatz or by calling 800-382-9468.
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State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) represents Senate District 27, which includes
Henry, Union and Wayne counties, and portions of Franklin County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
Contact: Elijah Roberson, Press Secretary
Elijah.Roberson@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
Karlee Monday, Press Secretary Intern
Karlee.Monday@iga.in.gov
