STATEHOUSE — State Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford) attained a perfect 100% voting record for the 2026 legislative session. The 100% record reflects Koch’s attendance during the session, never missing a vote taken on the Senate floor.
The following are just some of the new laws Koch authored, sponsored, and supported in the 2026 session.
Improve public safety
Senate Joint Resolution 1, which Koch authored, 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.
Lower utility rates
House Enrolled Act 1002, which Koch sponsored, 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.
Prevent waste, fraud, and abuse
Senate Enrolled Act 1, which Koch co-authored, 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.
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.
Senator Koch is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Utilities, ranking member of the Senate committees on Commerce and Technology and Judiciary, and a member of the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
Senator Koch represents Senate District 44, which includes Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, and Orange counties, and a portion of Monroe County.
