Indiana legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Indiana HB1295: Hospital disclosures and requirements.
Status: In committee, January 6, 2026
Requires a hospital to: (1) inform a woman in premature labor of the hospital's capabilities of treating the born alive infant and managing a high risk pregnancy; and (2) if the hospital's capabilities interfere with the woman's care, provide this information before the woman is admitted to the hospital. Provides that if a born alive infant is transported to a hospital with an appropriate perinatal level of care, the woman must be offered an opportunity to be transported to the same hospital. Requires a local prosecuting attorney to investigate and seek criminal prosecution if the prosecuting attorney has probable cause to believe that a health care provider may have knowingly or intentionally: (1) violated the requirements concerning the treatment and care of a born alive infant or mother or the professional standards of practice through the health care provider's actions or inactions; and (2) caused harm or death to the born alive infant or mother.
What the bill says
A bill FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning health.
From the introduced text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning health. SECTION 1. IC 16-21-2-17, AS ADDED BY P.L.198-2021, SECTION 11, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 17. (a) As used in this section, "born alive" means the complete expulsion or extraction from the infant's mother, at any stage of development or gestational age, of an infant who after the expulsion or (2) has a beating heart or pulsation of the umbilical cord; or (3) has a definite movement of voluntary muscles; regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut or whether the expulsion or extraction occurs as a result of natural or induced labor, cesarean section, or induced abortion. (b) If a woman who is in premature labor presents to a hospital, the hospital must inform the woman of the hospital's capabilities of treating the born alive infant and managing a high risk pregnancy and, if the hospital's capabilities interfere with the woman's care, the hospital must provide this information before the woman is admitted to the 2026 IN 1295--LS 6486/DI hospital. If the hospital does not have the capability to treat the premature born alive infant or the ability to manage a high risk pregnancy, the hospital must provide the woman options to get to a hospital with the appropriate level …
Sponsors
- Lorissa Sweet (R, HD-050) · primary sponsor
- Lindsay Patterson (R, HD-055)
Latest actions
- : First reading: referred to Committee on Public Health
- : Authored by Representative Sweet
- : Coauthored by Representative Patterson
Subjects: HEALTH; Pregnancy, CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE; Prosecuting Attorneys (Non-Elected), HEALTH CARE FACILITIES; Hospitals
Common questions
- What is HB1295?
- HB1295 is a bill in the Indiana Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Hospital disclosures and requirements.
- What does HB1295 do?
- In its own words: A bill FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning health.
- What is the status of HB1295?
- In committee as of January 6, 2026. Latest action: First reading: referred to Committee on Public Health (January 6, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB1295?
- Lorissa Sweet (R, HD-050), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB1295?
- On the Indiana Legislature website: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/house/1295
Source: official Indiana record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.