As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, IASWCD can lead and engage in legislative advocacy and lobbying on behalf of SWCDs. The Association:
- Advocates for maintaining and increasing Clean Water Indiana funding
- Testifies on bills related to conservation, e.g. wetlands and watershed policies
- Retains a lobbyist who keeps a pulse on the Statehouse during session
- Trains Districts on how to talk to legislators, host legislative tours, and more
- Coordinates Statehouse visits for District staff and supervisors
- Coordinates an annual visit to Washington, D.C. to maintain relationships with our legislators on Capitol Hill and advocate for conservation in federal policy, including the Farm Bill
- Provides regular legislative updates to all Districts during session
Resources
Indiana Statehouse
2026 Legislative Bill Tracking
During the 2026 Legislative Session, IASWCD’s lobbyist firm, VanceMitchem, prepared weekly legislative updates on the tracking of bills. View these tracking sheets at the links provided below:
January 10
January 16
January 30
February 8
February 13
February 21
February 27
Federal Advocacy
National Association of Conservation Districts’ ‘(NACD) Spring Fly-In to DC
During March 2026, five conservation leaders from Indiana participated as a team in the NACD Spring Fly-In in Washington DC. Representing Indiana was Liz Rice (IASWCD), Eric Shideler (Vermillion County SWCD/NCDEA), Ken Gunkel (Dearborn County SWCD and NACD Representative), Samantha Miller (Hamilton County SWCD), and Marc Roberts (Montgomery County SWCD and IASWCD Board President). They joined district representatives from across the county to advocate for locally led conservation. During their time in DC, they met with members of Congress and their staff to highlight the impact of conservation districts and the importance of strong federal policy, including the passage of a Farm Bill. Their participation ensures Indiana’s conservation priorities are heard at the national level.
A recap session was held on April 7 and can now be viewed online.
Other resources:
- Essential Information for Navigating and Participating in Indiana Legislative Process — If you’re new to this, start here.
- Legislative Outreach Tips, Tricks, and Checklists — A tool to help Districts host legislators in their hometowns.
- Clean Water Indiana Booklet — A handy overview of how CWI dollars are leveraged to get conservation on the ground throughout the state. Downloadable and printable.
Spring 2024: Upcoming resources will include “How to Advocate for Your District with Your County’s Elected Officials” and “Tips on How and Why to Create Real Relationships with Legislators.“
Legislative Committee
IASWCD’s legislative work is led by a committee of the Board of Directors. The committee is updating its Guiding Principles as of spring 2024. When complete, this resource will be posted here.