*ES0280.2*
Reprinted
March 26, 2025
ENGROSSED
SENATE BILL No. 280
_____
DIGEST OF SB 280 (Updated March 25, 2025 1:55 pm - DI 143)
Citations Affected: IC 14-22.
Synopsis: Deer hunting. Provides that, for a hunting season beginning
after June 30, 2025, rifles may be used to hunt deer on public property
subject to certain restrictions. Removes certain rifle case length
limitations and provides that a hunter may use a rifle chambered for a
centerfire rifle cartridge that fires a bullet that is at least five and fifty-
six hundredths (5.56) of a millimeter in diameter or larger to hunt deer.
Prohibits the department of natural resources from adopting rules
regarding centerfire rifle case length limitations.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Baldwin, Garten, Johnson T, Raatz
(HOUSE SPONSORS — LINDAUER, COMMONS, ABBOTT, GREENE)
January 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
January 27, 2025, reported favorably — Do Pass.
February 3, 2025, read second time, amended, ordered engrossed.
February 4, 2025, engrossed. Read third time, passed. Yeas 50, nays 0.
HOUSE ACTION
March 3, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
March 13, 2025, reported — Do Pass.
March 17, 2025, read second time, ordered engrossed.
March 18, 2025, engrossed.
March 24, 2025, returned to second reading.
March 25, 2025, re-read second time, amended, ordered engrossed.
ES 280—LS 6837/DI 143 Reprinted
March 26, 2025
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.
ENGROSSED
SENATE BILL No. 280
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
natural and cultural resources.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 14-22-2-8, AS AMENDED BY P.L.164-2020,
2 SECTION 53, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to a hunting season
4 beginning after June 30, 2016. 2025.
5 (b) A hunter may use a rifle to hunt deer on privately owned land or
6 on public property subject to the following:
7 (1) The use of a rifle is permitted during hunting seasons
8 established by the department.
9 (2) The rifle must be chambered for a centerfire rifle cartridge
10 that fires a bullet that is at least two hundred forty-three
11 thousandths (.243) of an inch five and fifty-six hundredths
12 (5.56) of a millimeter in diameter or larger.
13 (3) The rifle must fire a cartridge that has a minimum case length
14 of one and sixteen-hundredths (1.16) inches, but is no longer than
15 three (3) inches.
16 (4) (3) A hunter may not possess more than ten (10) cartridges for
17 the rifle while hunting deer under this section.
ES 280—LS 6837/DI 143 2
1 (5) (4) Except as provided in subsection (d), the rifle must meet
2 any other requirements established by the department.
3 (c) The use of a full metal jacketed bullet to hunt deer is unlawful.
4 (d) The department shall report on the impact of the use of rifles to
5 hunt deer under this section to the governor and, in an electronic format
6 under IC 5-14-6, the general assembly before February 15, 2020.
7 (d) The department may not adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 that
8 include centerfire rifle case length limitations for subsection (b).
9 (e) The department may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to authorize the
10 use of rifles on public property.
ES 280—LS 6837/DI 143 3
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. President: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources, to
which was referred Senate Bill No. 280, has had the same under
consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the Senate with
the recommendation that said bill DO PASS.
(Reference is to SB 280 as introduced.)
GLICK, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0
_____
SENATE MOTION
Mr. President: I move that Senate Bill 280 be amended to read as
follows:
Page 1, delete lines 9 through 11, begin a new line block indented
and insert:
"(2) The rifle must be chambered for a centerfire rifle cartridge
that fires a bullet that is at least two hundred forty-three
twenty-three thousandths (.243) (.223) of an inch in diameter or
larger.".
Page 1, line 15, delete "(2)" and insert "(3)".
Page 1, line 17, delete "(3)" and insert "(4)".
Page 2, line 7, after "include" insert "centerfire".
Page 2, line 7, delete "cartridge or".
(Reference is to SB 280 as printed January 28, 2025.)
BALDWIN
_____
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Natural Resources, to which was
referred Senate Bill 280, has had the same under consideration and
begs leave to report the same back to the House with the
recommendation that said bill do pass.
(Reference is to SB 280 as reprinted February 4, 2025.)
LINDAUER
Committee Vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0
ES 280—LS 6837/DI 143 4
HOUSE MOTION
Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to Rule 136, I move that Senate Bill 280 be
returned to the second reading calendar forthwith for the purpose of
amendment.
LINDAUER
_____
HOUSE MOTION
Mr. Speaker: I move that Engrossed Senate Bill 280 be amended to
read as follows:
Page 1, delete lines 9 through 12, begin a new line single block
indented and insert:
"(2) The rifle must be chambered for a centerfire rifle cartridge
that fires a bullet that is at least two hundred forty-three
thousandths (.243) of an inch five and fifty-six hundredths
(5.56) of a millimeter in diameter or larger.".
(Reference is to ESB 280 as printed March 13, 2025.)
LINDAUER
ES 280—LS 6837/DI 143