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Indiana House and Senate leadership announced Monday the legislature will address “time-sensitive issues” – including redistricting and Indiana’s tax code – during the first two weeks of December, which would mean the legislators would meet during the 2026 legislative session. House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, issued separate statements that the legislature will meet between Dec. 1 and Dec. 12. “The meeting days in December would be part of the 2026 regular session that officially starts on Organization Day on Nov. 18,” Huston said in a statement. “Our goal is to avoid any added session-related costs, and we will continue to look for ways to save taxpayer dollars as we work through and finalize the schedule.” Bray said in a statement that shifting the 2026 legislative calendar “is what makes the most sense when we consider member schedules, the logistics of legislative action and – most importantly – the costs to the taxpayer.” “Making this shift allows the legislature to consider the topics presented to us in a thoughtful way without burdening Hoosier taxpayers with the cost of a special session,” Bray said. The announcement comes on the day Gov. Mike Braun’s special session for redistricting has started. Last week, a Senate Republican spokeswoman told the Post-Tribune the Senate didn’t have the votes to pass new congressional maps. She did not respond to a follow-up question Monday about whether the Senate has the votes. A House Republican spokeswoman told the Post-Tribune Monday the House has the votes for redistricting. Last week, Braun called for a special legislative session to “consider altering the boundaries of Indiana’s congressional districts” and federal and state tax compliance beginning Nov. 3, according to a news release. “I am calling a special legislative session to protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington and ensure their representation in Congress is fair. I am also asking the legislature to conform Indiana’s tax code with new federal tax provisions to ensure stability and certainty for taxpayers and tax preparers for 2026 filings,” Braun said in the release. Under Indiana law, a special session can’t last more than 30 session days or 40 calendar days. As of Nov. 3, legislators can choose what day to start the special session within those parameters. President Donald Trump and national Republicans have been pressuring red states to change their congressional maps before the 2026 election to increase Republican control of the U.S. House. In August, Texas lawmakers approved redistricted maps to include five new districts that would favor Republicans. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on the new maps, but a lawsuit has been filed against Abbott and the Secretary of State for the maps. In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved a special election to take place in November for residents to vote on a redrawn congressional map designed to help Democrats win five more House seats next year. Meanwhile, Trump has pushed other Republican-controlled states, including Indiana and Missouri, to also revise their maps to add more winnable Republican seats. Ohio Republicans have also started the process of partisan redistricting. Vice President JD Vance came to Indianapolis in early August to talk to Republican leadership about redistricting. More than 55 Republican state legislators went to the White House Aug. 27 to talk about redistricting, and then Vance came back to Indianapolis Oct. 10 to discuss redistricting. It is unusual for redistricting to take place in the middle of the decade and typically occurs once at the beginning of each decade to coincide with the census. Indiana was last redistricted in 2021, which left Congressional Republicans with seven seats and Democrats two seats. The two Democratic seats are the First District, held by U.S. Rep Frank Mrvan, and the Seventh District, held by U.S. Rep. André Carson. Mrvan previously said Braun’s decision to call a special session for redistricting was “unsurprising.” “The only thing more unpopular in Indiana than redistricting is the Governor himself. His attempt to silence the very voters he represents is yet another example of how out of touch he is with the people of our great state,” Mrvan said in the statement. The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus was holding a rally against redistricting when legislative leaders announced the dates to address redistricting. Further, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ annual conference is held in early December, and most Indiana members made plans to attend over a month ago, said State Rep. Cherish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, in a statement. “I will cancel those arrangements to be here to fight against this partisan power grab that is targeting minority voters in two congressional districts. The two districts that Republicans seek to annihilate with these new maps are also the two most diverse areas of the state. Getting rid of congressional representation for Marion County and Lake County is an explicit attempt to silence minority voices,” Pryor said. But, Pryor said legislative leadership did not confirm whether redistricting would be addressed during the two-week session. “Hoosiers have made it clear that they do not want new congressional maps, they want an affordable Indiana. So far, our pressure has been working. I hope that we use this session to address the real ‘time sensitive issues’ of utility bills, rent, property taxes, healthcare, child care costs and the overall cost of living,” Pryor said. Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Chair State Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, said he learned of the session dates shortly after the rally. Harris said the announcement of session dates was very straightforward, which he found telling. “It did not really sound like the numbers were there and it’s a done deal,” Harris said. As the rally highlighted, Harris said Hoosiers don’t want redistricting. Instead, Hoosiers would like the legislature to address the rising cost of living, from child care to health care. “We’re not coming back to deal with those issues, to help Hoosiers. We’re being called back to help someone in Washington hold on to power,” Harris said. House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta issued a statement Monday that House Democrats are focused on “the skyrocketing cost of living here in Indiana,” including health care premiums, utility bills, child care costs and property taxes. “Redrawing political maps won’t solve any of these problems. House Democrats will be offering solutions, and I look forward to hearing from Statehouse Republicans about what their plans to make Indiana more affordable look like,” GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, said. House Democratic Caucus Chair Carey Hamilton, D-Indianapolis, issued a statement echoing GiaQuinta’s sentiment. “Partisan redistricting does nothing to put money back in people’s pockets or food on their tables. We’re prepared to bring forward real solutions to these challenges, and I’m eager to see what concrete plans the majority party has to ease the financial strain on hard-working Hoosiers,” Hamilton said. State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, said with session dates announced, he’s “going to get wrapped up in” making a decision on redistricting. “I’m weighing everything and listening to both sides,” Niemeyer said. Niemeyer declined to share which way he’s leaning on the issue. But, he said proposed maps would go through committees and both the House and the Senate. “We’ll see if it gets out of committee and to the floor of the Senate,” Niemeyer said. Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, issued a statement Monday calling the recent redistricting efforts “a mid-decade scheme to rig the maps, and the only reason this is even on the table is because Trump’s losing – and Governor Braun caved.” “They didn’t cancel the power grab. They just delayed it. And we all know why,” Yoder said. “You don’t serve Indiana by bending the knee to a man in Washington who’s afraid of voters. You serve Indiana by listening to them.” Senate Democrats will prepare bills to address affordable housing, lower health care costs, expand child care and lower utility hikes, Yoder said. “This isn’t just a delay. It’s a test. Of who’s watching. Who’s speaking up. And who’s standing with the people,” Yoder said. akukulka@post-trib.com
