Small and rural communities across Indiana are key to our identity as a state. From family farms to main street festivals, our rural areas are the source of a lot of Hoosier pride and hospitality. That's why Senate Republicans consistently pass laws that support these communities.
Protecting farmland, water
To preserve Hoosier farmland, a law passed in 2024 prohibited the purchase of any farmland by companies of foreign nations officially recognized as America's adversaries, some of which include Russa, China, Iran and North Korea. In 2026, this law was expanded to stop companies from our foreign adversaries from buying any type of land in Indiana.
Indiana is fortunate to have abundant natural resources – like water – that play a vital role in our state's success. To protect those resources, Senate Republicans prioritized a law that ensures our state's water supply is managed properly and restricts the ability of big corporations to use too much of a community's water.
Recognizing the unique needs of rural communities, Senate Republicans have passed laws that protect and expand access to health care in rural parts of the state.
For example, a new 2026 law requires medical students in Indiana to do a rotation working in a rural community. Hopefully, this law will spur more of our doctors in training to choose to practice in our small towns.
Other recent laws ensure rural Hoosiers will have adequate pharmacy coverage from their pharmacy benefit manager and prevent large hospital networks from making anti-competitive contracts with insurers that put our rural hospitals at a financial disadvantage.
In recent years, Senate Republicans have heard loud and clear from property owners who were feeling micromanaged by the government.
Landmark legislation from 2024 updated Indiana laws to make sure property owners can use their land without overly burdensome regulation. HEA 1383 ensures significant wetlands are protected in Indiana, but without needlessly driving up the cost of buying a home, operating a business or farming. The law also gives property owners more options to mitigate development of an isolated wetland.
Hoosier property owners – especially farmers – have also expressed frustration with what they feel is government micromanagement of drainage activities on their land, which is why Senate Republicans have led the way on updating, clarifying and simplifying those laws.
Finally, another 2024 law updated the way the Department of Natural Resources makes determinations and communicates with property owners about floodplain status, in order to give property owners more transparency about regulations that could affect their land.
Smaller rural communities have unique economic development needs. In recognition of this, Senate Republicans have consistently supported economic development in our small towns.
This includes creating a state Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation to support small businesses, creating a state revolving loan fund to make it easier for rural communities to invest in new housing development, and providing tens of millions of dollars in economic-development projects through the READI Grant program.
