Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 256 (2026) — State Offices and Administration (Foreign Adversary Restrictions on AI/Tech)
Indiana · Ind. Senate Enrolled Act 256 (2026 Reg. Sess.) / Pub. L. 131-2026, eff. July 1, 2026
Indiana requires new or renewed government contracts for technological products or services — a category that expressly includes artificial intelligence, information systems, and surveillance technology — to include a certification that the contractor and its subcontractors are not 'prohibited persons,' meaning businesses controlled by or domiciled in a designated foreign adversary such as China, Russia, North Korea, or Iran. The law also restricts public colleges from enrolling students from those countries in certain qualifying (including AI) programs until a foreign-influence and research-security review is completed.
Technical detail
SEA 256 (Pub. L. 131-2026, eff. July 1, 2026), amending IC Title 4, requires 'qualified entity' contracts for a technological product or service (defined to include artificial intelligence) to certify the contractor and subcontractors are not prohibited persons/agents of a foreign adversary, and conditions admission of certain foreign students into qualifying programs on a foreign-influence/research-security review.
Who is protected: The state and its political subdivisions, and the integrity of state-funded research and procurement.
Who must comply: State agencies, political subdivisions, and state educational institutions, and vendors of technological products or services including AI.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Indiana |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2026-07-01 |
| Enacted | 2026-03-05 |
| Citation | Ind. Senate Enrolled Act 256 (2026 Reg. Sess.) / Pub. L. 131-2026, eff. July 1, 2026 |
| Enforced by | Indiana Attorney General (and the contracting state agencies / educational institutions) |
| Penalties | The Act does not specify a penalty for the technology-contract certification or student-review provisions; related real-property provisions carry civil penalties and divestiture. |
| Topics | government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-07-24 |
| Official source | Indiana General Assembly — Senate Enrolled Act 256 (2026), Enrolled Text ↗ |
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