Indiana 2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 5 R cosponsors

SB 251 — OWI penalties.

Last action — Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 08, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 36% · moderate confidence

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 5 sponsors

    3 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (5 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Provides that if a person has one prior OWI conviction, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 10 days or perform community service, and if a person has two prior OWI convictions, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 20 days or perform community service. Provides that a person receives good time credit while serving a sentence imposed under this statute (under current law, a person does not receive good time credit).Provides that this statute does not increase the maximum sentence for the offense as provided by either IC 35-50-2 or IC 35-50-3. Specifies that "vehicle", for purposes of the crime of operating while intoxicated, includes a watercraft, and repeals the separate crime of operating a motorboat while intoxicated. Provides that an initial hearing may be waived and allows a person to apply for a specialized driving privilege after an initial hearing. Adds operating while intoxicated due to use of a controlled substance to the habitual traffic violator statute. Authorizes the use of a roadside chemical test under certain circumstances. Specifies that ignition interlock devices may only be used when the underlying offense is operating while intoxicated resulting from the use of alcohol. Makes certain provisions concerning pretrial administrative suspension of driving privileges discretionary with the court.Provides that the budget director shall review and determine before December 31, 2026, whether federal highway administration funding to the state will or will not be reduced due to the amendment of provisions concerning administrative suspension of driving privileges. Requires the budget director to notify the budget committee of the determination and those provisions may not be implemented until after budget committee review. Makes conforming amendments.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3

  2. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  3. Representative Olthoff added as cosponsor

  4. First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code

  5. Referred to the House

  6. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 124: yeas 47, nays 1

  7. House sponsor: Representative Jeter

  8. Second reading: ordered engrossed

  9. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  10. Senator Charbonneau added as coauthor

  11. Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations

  12. First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law

  13. Authored by Senators Freeman, Carrasco

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 145 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (145)

145 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 145 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety transportation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 251 do?
Provides that if a person has one prior OWI conviction, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 10 days or perform community service, and if a person has two prior OWI convictions, the court shall order that the person be imprisoned for at least 20 days or perform community service. Provides that a person receives good time credit while serving a sentence imposed under this statute (under current law, a person does not receive good time credit).Provides that this statute does not increase the maximum sentence for the offense as provided by either IC 35-50-2 or IC 35-50-3. Specifies that "vehicle", for purposes of the crime of operating while intoxicated, includes a watercraft, and repeals the separate crime of operating a motorboat while intoxicated. Provides that an initial hearing may be waived and allows a person to apply for a specialized driving privilege after an initial hearing. Adds operating while intoxicated due to use of a controlled substance to the habitual traffic violator statute. Authorizes the use of a roadside chemical test under certain circumstances. Specifies that ignition interlock devices may only be used when the underlying offense is operating while intoxicated resulting from the use of alcohol. Makes certain provisions concerning pretrial administrative suspension of driving privileges discretionary with the court.Provides that the budget director shall review and determine before December 31, 2026, whether federal highway administration funding to the state will or will not be reduced due to the amendment of provisions concerning administrative suspension of driving privileges. Requires the budget director to notify the budget committee of the determination and those provisions may not be implemented until after budget committee review. Makes conforming amendments.
Who sponsors SB 251?
SB 251 is sponsored by Julie Olthoff (Republican), Chris Jeter (Republican), Ed Charbonneau (Republican), Cyndi Carrasco (Republican), and Aaron Freeman (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 251?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 08, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 251?
Track SB 251 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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