Indiana lawmakers advance proposals targeting Delta-8 THC products and unauthorized street camping on public land

Key measures moving early in the 2026 Indiana legislative session

Two issues drawing renewed attention at the Indiana Statehouse are hemp-derived intoxicants commonly marketed as Delta-8 THC and proposals to restrict unauthorized “street camping” on public property. Both topics are being shaped by overlapping state and federal actions, as lawmakers weigh consumer safety, enforcement authority and homelessness policy.

Street camping proposals: HB 1431 and SB 285

In the 2026 session, House Bill 1431 and Senate Bill 285 were filed in early January and referred to committee. The bills would prohibit camping, sleeping or using for long-term shelter land owned by the state or a political subdivision unless the land is authorized for that use.

HB 1431 would create a criminal penalty when specified elements are met, classifying certain violations as a Class C misdemeanor. The measure also includes language allowing referral to a problem-solving court program for a violation and would restrict local policies that discourage enforcement of orders or ordinances prohibiting public camping, sleeping, or sidewalk obstruction.

SB 285 is framed more broadly as a “housing matters” bill. Along with a similar street-camping prohibition, it would require the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority to establish eligibility criteria connected to applications for federal Continuum of Care funding and require annual reporting by recipients of program funding.

• HB 1431: Introduced Jan. 8, 2026; assigned to the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee.

• SB 285: Introduced Jan. 12, 2026; assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Legislators, local officials, service providers and advocates have previously debated whether enforcement-based approaches reduce public encampments without expanding shelter and housing capacity.

Delta-8 and hemp-derived THC: state debates amid a shifting federal landscape

Indiana lawmakers have also continued to grapple with how to regulate hemp-derived THC products, including Delta-8 and other intoxicating cannabinoids that have been sold widely in convenience stores and smoke shops in many states.

At the federal level, Congress approved changes in late 2025 tightening standards for hemp-derived products by limiting allowable THC content in final consumer packages and narrowing what qualifies as legal hemp under federal law, with an effective date set for November 2026. In January 2026, Indiana U.S. Rep. Jim Baird introduced legislation seeking to delay that effective date to 2028.

The interaction between federal standards and state-level enforcement has become central to Indiana’s policy discussion because hemp-derived products can be sold through different channels than state-regulated cannabis programs in states where marijuana is legal. Indiana does not permit recreational marijuana sales, adding pressure to clarify what is permissible in retail markets and how age restrictions, testing and labeling should be handled.

What happens next

Both the street-camping bills and hemp-derived THC policy debates are positioned for committee action as the General Assembly’s 2026 session progresses. The immediate questions include whether lawmakers align the House and Senate approaches on homelessness policy, and whether Indiana’s handling of Delta-8 and related products will be primarily driven by state legislation, federal implementation timelines, or a combination of both.