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HB 1174

Project Lifesaver program requirement for counties.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Andrade and 1 co-sponsor

Indiana counties must establish and fund Project Lifesaver programs to locate wandering individuals with cognitive disorders, with DDRS oversight and annual compliance reporting.

Authored by Representative Pfaff
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Bill Summary · HB 1174

Summary of House Bill 1174 (Indiana, 2026)

Overview

  • Title: Project Lifesaver program requirement for counties
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: Indiana
  • Introduced: January 5, 2026
  • Primary sponsors: Rep. Pfaff (author), with Co-sponsors Reps. Tonya Pfaff and Mike Andrade
  • Effective date: July 1, 2026
  • Committee referral: Local Government

Purpose and Intent

HB 1174 would require Indiana counties to establish and maintain a Project Lifesaver program. The bill tasks the Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDR S) with ensuring counties comply and reporting compliance to the General Assembly.

Key Provisions

  1. Creation and Scope of Project Lifesaver (New Chapter 29 in IC 36-8-29):

    • Defines Project Lifesaver as a community-based, public-safety, nonprofit program that provides:
      • Law enforcement agencies
      • Fire and rescue agencies
      • Caregivers
      • with a program to protect and locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to wandering behavior.

  2. County Requirement (Section 2):

    • Not later than January 1, 2027, every county must establish and maintain its own Project Lifesaver program.

  3. County Funding (Section 3):

    • The county fiscal body must appropriate and approve funds necessary for the county to comply with the chapter.

  4. Division Responsibilities (Section 4):

    • (a) DDRS must ensure county compliance with the chapter.
    • (b) DDRS must report, in electronic format under IC 5-14-6, county compliance to the General Assembly no later than March 1, 2027.
    • (c) DDRS may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to administer the chapter.

  5. Departmental Context (Section 1 of the bill):

    • DDRS administers a range of programs (including public assistance and developmental disability services) and would expand oversight to include Project Lifesaver compliance.

Who Is Affected

  • Counties in Indiana: Required to establish and maintain a Project Lifesaver program by January 1, 2027; must allocate local funds to support it.
  • Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS): Responsible for ensuring county compliance, reporting progress to the General Assembly, and potentially issuing rules to implement the program.
  • Law enforcement, fire and rescue, and caregivers: Entities that would participate in Project Lifesaver as part of the program’s operational framework to locate wandering individuals with cognitive disorders.
  • Individuals with cognitive disorders prone to wandering: Direct beneficiaries through enhanced safety and locating capabilities.

Timeline and Procedural Aspects

  • July 1, 2026: Effective date of the bill.
  • January 1, 2027: Deadline for counties to establish and maintain their Project Lifesaver programs.
  • March 1, 2027: DDRS must report county compliance to the General Assembly electronically (under IC 5-14-6).
  • Ongoing: DDRS may adopt implementing rules under IC 4-22-2 to carry out the chapter.

Fiscal Considerations

  • State impact: DDRS workload increases to ensure compliance, prepare a report to the General Assembly, and adopt necessary rules. The fiscal note indicates work can be absorbed within current resources.
  • Local impact: Counties that have not yet implemented Project Lifesaver would incur expenditures to establish and maintain the program. The fiscal note estimates the cost to join Project Lifesaver ranges from roughly $4,100 to $4,920 per agency, not including instructor travel and training, and equipment costs. There are 62 agencies across 39 Indiana counties already participating in Project Lifesaver, which may influence local costs for counties adopting the program.

Summary

HB 1174 proposes a statewide mandate for Project Lifesaver programs at the county level, with state-level oversight and reporting by the DDRS. It aims to improve safety for individuals with cognitive disorders prone to wandering by coordinating resources among law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers, while requiring counties to fund and sustain these programs and report compliance to the legislature.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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