republic-os/legislation/us/states/in/2024/hb-1142.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Hoosier first responder medal of honor."
description: "Establishes the Hoosier first responder medal of honor (medal). Provides that the department of homeland security (department) may determine an Indiana first responder is eligible for the Hoosier first responder medal of honor if the Indiana first responder distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of the Indiana first responder's life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an act of public service. Provides that, upon approval of a nomination by the department, the department shall notify the entity employing the Indiana first responder or for which the Indiana first responder volunteers of the nomination. Provides that the entity shall notify a member of the general assembly who represents the district in which the entity is located of the Indiana first responder's nomination. Provides that the member of the general assembly shall recommend the Indiana first responder for the medal to the governor. Provides that, if the department determines that an Indiana first responder nominated to the department does not meet the eligibility requirements to receive the medal, the department may make recommendations to the entity that employs the Indiana first responder or for which the Indiana first responder volunteers of other forms of recognition for the Indiana first responder. Provides that the governor may award the medal to the Indiana first responder or the Indiana first responder's next of kin at a public ceremony."
jurisdiction: "us/states/in"
legislature: "Indiana General Assembly"
session: "2024"
identifier: "HB 1142"
citation: "Indiana HB 1142 (2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["AGENCIES; Department of Homeland Security (IDHS)", "FIREFIGHTERS; Generally", "HEALTH; Emergency Medical Services (EMS)", "LAW ENFORCEMENT; Generally", "STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS; Governor"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Chris Garten", "Greg Goode", "Jim Lucas", "Scott Baldwin"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 21
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2024-01-08"
last_action: "2024-03-11"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/6d7c3f62-6fa5-43cd-b7fc-b41e2e95e295"
source_url: "https://api.iga.in.gov/2024/bills/hb1142"
source_hash: "36dd94a78486b50b352a68fbed88c9a0b7a9d3852d3d75d890b23a2b90692da3"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-in"]
---

# Indiana HB 1142 (2024) — Hoosier first responder medal of honor.

Establishes the Hoosier first responder medal of honor (medal). Provides that the department of homeland security (department) may determine an Indiana first responder is eligible for the Hoosier first responder medal of honor if the Indiana first responder distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of the Indiana first responder's life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an act of public service. Provides that, upon approval of a nomination by the department, the department shall notify the entity employing the Indiana first responder or for which the Indiana first responder volunteers of the nomination. Provides that the entity shall notify a member of the general assembly who represents the district in which the entity is located of the Indiana first responder's nomination. Provides that the member of the general assembly shall recommend the Indiana first responder for the medal to the governor. Provides that, if the department determines that an Indiana first responder nominated to the department does not meet the eligibility requirements to receive the medal, the department may make recommendations to the entity that employs the Indiana first responder or for which the Indiana first responder volunteers of other forms of recognition for the Indiana first responder. Provides that the governor may award the medal to the Indiana first responder or the Indiana first responder's next of kin at a public ceremony.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Enrolled House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1142/HB1142.04.ENRS.pdf)
2. **House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1142/HB1142.03.COMS.pdf)
3. **House Bill (S)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1142/HB1142.02.COMH.pdf)
4. **Introduced House Bill (H)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1142/HB1142.01.INTR.pdf)

## Votes

- HB 1142 - Goode - 3rd Reading — **48–0** (pass) · upper
- HB 1142 - Lucas - 3rd Reading — **96–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Chris Garten — primary (person)
- Greg Goode — primary (person)
- Jim Lucas — primary (person)
- Scott Baldwin — primary (person)
- Blake Doriot — cosponsor (person)
- Chris Judy — coauthor (person)
- John Crane — cosponsor (person)
- Lonnie Randolph — cosponsor (person)
- Steve Bartels — coauthor (person)
- Zach Payne — coauthor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-01-08** Authored by Representative Lucas
- **2024-01-08** First reading: referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2024-01-22** Representative Payne Z added as coauthor
- **2024-01-29** Committee report: amend do pass, adopted `committee-passage`
- **2024-01-29** Representatives Bartels and Judy added as coauthors
- **2024-01-31** Second reading: ordered engrossed `reading-2`
- **2024-02-05** Senate sponsors: Senators Goode, Garten, Baldwin
- **2024-02-05** Third reading: passed; Roll Call 133: yeas 96, nays 1 `passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2024-02-06** Referred to the Senate `referral`
- **2024-02-12** First reading: referred to Committee on Homeland Security and Transportation `reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2024-02-27** Committee report: do pass, adopted `committee-passage`
- **2024-02-29** Second reading: ordered engrossed `reading-2`
- **2024-03-04** Senators Crane and Doriot added as cosponsors
- **2024-03-04** Third reading: passed; Roll Call 253: yeas 48, nays 0 `passage, reading-3, reading-3`
- **2024-03-04** Senator Randolph added as cosponsor
- **2024-03-05** Returned to the House without amendments `receipt`
- **2024-03-07** Signed by the Speaker `passage`
- **2024-03-07** Signed by the President Pro Tempore `passage`
- **2024-03-11** Signed by the Governor `executive-signature`
- **2024-03-08** Signed by the President of the Senate `passage`
- **2024-03-11** Public Law 55 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/6d7c3f62-6fa5-43cd-b7fc-b41e2e95e295`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Indiana legislature records).