State Sen. Jean Leising chairs second meeting of Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources

Friday, October 3, 2025 at 4:44 AM

By Staff report

State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) chaired the second meeting of the Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on Thursday.

The committee continued to focus on the economic value of public land and its impact on the economy, small businesses and tourism.

After hearing testimony from experts in the previous meeting on Sept. 11, this meeting focused on how to best support public lands in the legislature for next session. The committee presented recommendations like creating an oversight and funding structure for historic sites as part of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

"Our public lands are an incredibly important part of our state's economy," Leising said. "The discussion we had today was very productive and many ideas were shared. I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow legislators on supporting our public lands as we get closer to session."

To view study committee agendas and stream hearings online, visit iga.in.gov. To view a list of topics that will be examined by the committees, click here.