Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1661
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 14-23; IC 15-11-9.
Synopsis: Healthy forests and hardwoods expansion. Requires the
department of natural resources to create the landowner forest
management program. Requires the Indiana state department of
agriculture to: (1) conduct an inventory of all forest land lost in Indiana
from 2010 to 2024; and (2) conduct an economic impact study based
on the findings of the lost forest land report. Makes an appropriation.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Baird
January 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
2025 IN 1661—LS 7662/DI 150 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. 1661
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
natural and cultural resources and to make an appropriation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 14-23-1-1 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
2 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 1. The department shall
3 do the following:
4 (1) Have the care, custody, and control of the forest land owned
5 by the state, exclusive of state parks.
6 (2) Adopt necessary rules to properly enforce this chapter.
7 (3) Establish, operate, and maintain nurseries for the production
8 of trees to be used in reforestation. The trees may be:
9 (A) used to reforest land owned by the state;
10 (B) supplied to owners of private land at a price not exceeding
11 cost of production; or
12 (C) used for planting on public roads or land under the terms
13 that are considered by the department to be for the public
14 benefit.
15 (4) Prepare, print, post, or distribute printed matter relating to
16 forestry.
17 (5) Make investigations or experiments with regard to forestry
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1 questions.
2 (6) Subject to the approval of the governor, purchase land and
3 forests. For the purpose of acquiring land and forests, the
4 commission may exercise the right of eminent domain in the
5 manner provided in IC 14-17-3.
6 (7) Receive and accept, in the name of the people of Indiana, by
7 gift or devise, the fee or other estate in land or forests.
8 (8) Examine the forest land owned by the state or by a state
9 institution for the purpose of advising and cooperating in securing
10 proper forest management of the land.
11 (9) Employ, with approval of the authorities having control of the
12 state penal institutions, convicts committed to a penal institution
13 for the purpose of producing or planting trees, building roads, or
14 doing other work in the forests and in clearing, draining, or
15 developing land purchased or acquired by the state for forestry
16 purposes.
17 (10) Propagate trees and shrubs for state institutions or for
18 planting along highways. A common carrier may transport trees
19 or shrubs grown by the state at a rate less than the established
20 tariff to and from points within Indiana.
21 (11) Have the custody of all abstracts of title, papers, contracts, or
22 related memoranda, except original deeds to the state, for land
23 purchased or received under this section.
24 (12) Examine private forest land:
25 (A) upon request of; and
26 (B) at the expense of;
27 the owner for the purpose of advising the owner on the proper
28 methods of forest management.
29 (13) Develop and implement a landowner forest management
30 program.
31 SECTION 2. IC 14-23-3-4 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
32 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 4. The department shall
33 expend the fund for the following:
34 (1) The purchase, supervision, and development of state forests
35 and state forest land.
36 (2) The growing and distribution of forest tree seedlings for state
37 and private forest planting.
38 (3) The organized prevention, detection, control, and suppression
39 of forest fires in the forests, woodlands, and plantations within
40 Indiana.
41 (4) The providing of forestry assistance to farmers and private
42 forest landowners for the purpose of providing for the better
2025 IN 1661—LS 7662/DI 150 3
1 protection, management, development, and utilization of forest
2 products and forests located in Indiana.
3 (5) The development and implementation of the landowner
4 forest management program.
5 SECTION 3. IC 14-23-10 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
6 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
7 JULY 1, 2025]:
8 Chapter 10. Landowner Forest Management Program
9 Sec. 1. (a) The department shall create a landowner forest
10 management program that does the following:
11 (1) Educates landowners on forest management best practices.
12 (2) Provides training for landowners on forest management
13 best practices.
14 (3) Educates landowners on common types of invasive species
15 in Indiana forests.
16 (4) Provides training for landowners on how to mitigate
17 invasive species.
18 (5) Provides landowners with grants to mitigate invasive
19 species on private forest land.
20 (b) To apply for a grant under subsection (a), a person must
21 submit all information and documentation required by the
22 department.
23 Sec. 2. Expenses for the landowner forest management program
24 shall be paid from the state forestry fund established by
25 IC 14-23-3-2.
26 Sec. 3. The department shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to
27 implement this chapter.
28 SECTION 4. IC 15-11-9-2.3 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
29 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
30 1, 2025]: Sec. 2.3. (a) The department shall:
31 (1) conduct an inventory of all forest land lost in Indiana from
32 2010 to 2024; and
33 (2) identify the primary cause of the reduction of forest land
34 under subdivision (1).
35 (b) The department shall issue a report to the legislative council
36 containing the department's findings and recommendations,
37 including any recommended legislation, in an electronic format
38 under IC 5-14-6 not later than July 1, 2026.
39 (c) This section expires June 30, 2027.
40 SECTION 5. IC 15-11-9-2.4 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
41 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
42 1, 2025]: Sec. 2.4. (a) The department shall conduct an economic
2025 IN 1661—LS 7662/DI 150 4
1 impact study based on the findings of the lost forest land report
2 described in section 2.3 of this chapter.
3 (b) The economic impact study must include:
4 (1) an analysis of the economic value to communities based on
5 every acre of forest land; and
6 (2) an assessment of economic development assistance for the
7 Indiana hardwood industry.
8 (c) The department shall issue a report to the legislative council
9 containing the department's findings and recommendations in the
10 economic impact study, including any recommended legislation, in
11 an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 not later than July 1, 2027.
12 (d) This section expires June 30, 2028.
13 SECTION 6. [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025] (a) There is
14 appropriated to the state forestry fund established by IC 14-23-3-2
15 for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027,
16 four million dollars ($4,000,000) from the state general fund for the
17 purpose of creating and operating the landowner forest
18 management program.
19 (b) This SECTION expires July 1, 2026.
2025 IN 1661—LS 7662/DI 150