Braun signs first bill into law, establishes new online agricultural portal

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has officially signed his first bill into law.

On Tuesday, Braun signed House Bill 1149 into law, a bill that establishes an online portal through the Indiana Department of Agriculture to help Hoosier farmers get information and communicate with the state government.

“This is a big day,” Braun said during Tuesday’s signing. “We are getting stuff across the finish line.” 

This comes after Braun signed a series of executive orders as part of his first few months as Indiana’s Republican governor. This includes orders surrounding environmental policy, unemployment fraud, gender ideology and Medicaid.

According to a draft of House Bill 1149, this will establish an online portal to help users navigate agricultural or related topics in federal and state agencies. This portal is also aimed to be a single source to access federal and state funding opportunities for agriculture producers.

The draft states that the portal will also include an opportunity for the public to comment on regulations that impact the state’s rural economy, as well as feedback surrounding the portal itself.

Braun said on Tuesday that this new portal will be a “powerful tool for Hoosier farmers.”

“This new online portal was part of my Freedom and Opportunity agriculture agenda and is a win for Hoosier farmers,” Braun said in a news release. “It’s a one-stop-shop to help Hoosier farmers navigate state and federal agencies, avoid red tape, and communicate with the state government what we can do better to help them be successful.”