Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1156
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 36-1.
Synopsis: Digital asset mining. Prohibits a county, municipality, or
township (unit) from adopting or enforcing an ordinance that would
have the effect of prohibiting, restricting, or impairing an individual's
or a business's ability to: (1) use digital assets to purchase legal goods
and services; (2) accept digital assets as a method of payment for legal
goods and services; (3) use a hardware wallet or self-hosted wallet to
store the individual's or business's digital assets; (4) take custody of
digital assets by using a hardware wallet or self-hosted wallet; or (5)
operate a node for the purpose of connecting to a blockchain protocol
and participating in the blockchain protocol's operations. Provides that
use of a property for a digital asset mining business is a permitted
industrial use under any applicable zoning ordinance of a unit and may
not be disallowed by a zoning ordinance in a zoning district that
permits industrial use. Prohibits a unit from applying the unit's zoning
ordinances in specified ways to regulate digital asset mining.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Pierce K, VanNatter, Miller K
January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Local Government.
2025 IN 1156—LS 6565/DI 154 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1156
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local
government.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 36-1-3-14 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
3 1, 2025]: Sec. 14. (a) The following definitions apply throughout
4 this section:
5 (1) "Digital asset" means:
6 (A) virtual currency;
7 (B) cryptocurrency;
8 (C) natively electronic assets, including stablecoins and
9 nonfungible tokens; and
10 (D) other digital only assets that confer economic,
11 proprietary, or access rights or powers.
12 (2) "Hardware wallet" means a physical device that is not
13 continuously connected to the Internet and allows an
14 individual to secure and transfer digital assets and under
15 which the owner of the digital assets retains independent
16 control over the digital assets. The term includes a physical
17 device under which the owner of the digital assets retains
2025 IN 1156—LS 6565/DI 154 2
1 independent control over the digital assets.
2 (3) "Node" means a computational device that does:
3 (A) not exercise discretion over transactions initiated by
4 the end users of the blockchain protocol; and
5 (B) one (1) or more of the following:
6 (i) Communicates with other devices or participants on
7 a blockchain to maintain consensus and integrity of the
8 blockchain.
9 (ii) Contains and validates transaction blocks.
10 (iii) Contains and updates a copy of the blockchain.
11 (4) "Self-hosted wallet" means a digital interface that is used
12 to do the following:
13 (A) Secure and transfer digital assets.
14 (B) Allow the owner to retain independent control over the
15 digital assets secured by the digital interface.
16 (b) A unit may not adopt or enforce an ordinance that would
17 have the effect of prohibiting, restricting, or impairing an
18 individual's or business's ability to:
19 (1) use digital assets to purchase legal goods and services;
20 (2) accept digital assets as a method of payment for legal
21 goods and services;
22 (3) use a hardware wallet or self-hosted wallet to store the
23 individual's or business's digital assets;
24 (4) take custody of digital assets by using a hardware wallet
25 or self-hosted wallet; or
26 (5) operate a node for the purpose of connecting to a
27 blockchain protocol and participating in the blockchain
28 protocol's operations.
29 SECTION 2. IC 36-1-30.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
30 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
31 JULY 1, 2025]:
32 Chapter 30.5. Regulation of Digital Asset Mining
33 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "blockchain" means data that is:
34 (1) shared across a network to create a ledger of verified
35 transactions or information among network participants
36 linked using cryptography to maintain the integrity of the
37 ledger and to execute other functions; and
38 (2) distributed among network participants in an automated
39 fashion to concurrently update network participants on the
40 state of the ledger and any other functions.
41 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "digital asset mining" means
42 using computer hardware and software specifically designed or
2025 IN 1156—LS 6565/DI 154 3
1 utilized for the purpose of validating data and securing a
2 blockchain network.
3 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "digital asset mining business"
4 means multiple digital asset mining devices at a single site that
5 consumes more than one (1) megawatt of energy on an average
6 annual basis in Indiana for the purpose of generating digital assets
7 by securing a blockchain network.
8 Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "digital asset mining device"
9 means computing hardware specifically designed or utilized to
10 participate in digital asset mining for the purpose of securing a
11 blockchain network.
12 Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "node" means a computational
13 device that does:
14 (1) not exercise discretion over transactions initiated by the
15 end users of the blockchain protocol; and
16 (2) one (1) or more of the following:
17 (A) Communicates with other devices or participants on a
18 blockchain to maintain consensus and integrity of the
19 blockchain.
20 (B) Contains and validates transaction blocks.
21 (C) Contains and updates a copy of the blockchain.
22 Sec. 6. Use of a property for a digital asset mining business is a
23 permitted industrial use under any applicable zoning ordinance of
24 a unit and may not be disallowed by a zoning ordinance (as defined
25 in IC 36-7-1-22) in a zoning district or classification of a unit that
26 permits industrial use.
27 Sec. 7. A unit may enact or enforce a law or plan that regulates,
28 prohibits, or limits use of property for digital asset mining in an
29 industrial zoning district or classification of a unit only if
30 enforcement is performed in the same manner as enforcement that
31 applies to similar properties that are not used for digital asset
32 mining businesses.
33 Sec. 8. A unit may not:
34 (1) require a special exception, special use, or zoning variance
35 for the use of a property for a digital asset mining business in
36 an industrial zoning district or classification of a unit;
37 (2) interpret and enforce the unit's zoning regulations in a
38 manner that is intended for or has the effect of prohibiting or
39 unreasonably restricting the use of industrial property for a
40 digital asset mining business; or
41 (3) require a permit for the use of a property for a digital
42 asset mining business in an area that is zoned for industrial
2025 IN 1156—LS 6565/DI 154 4
1 use.
2 Sec. 9. A unit may change the zoning classification of a property
3 used for a digital asset mining business only as provided under
4 IC 36-7-4.
2025 IN 1156—LS 6565/DI 154