Indiana Public Safety Grants

Indiana Appropriation and Critical-Infrastructure Rules

SB 477 (2023) added IC 1-1-15: money appropriated by the General Assembly or a political subdivision may not be granted to, or used to purchase equipment or services produced or provided by, a statutory “prohibited person” or an FCC “covered communications equipment or service.” The chapter ties those terms to federal designations; it is not a ban on every product manufactured in a named country. Review the current Indiana Code, Title 1 and the vendor’s exact entity and listed equipment.

IC 1-1-16 also limits certain agreements concerning critical infrastructure when they give direct or remote access or control to companies meeting specified foreign-adversary ties. Determine whether the agreement, infrastructure and access actually meet that test before invoking it.

SEA 256: Surveillance and Technology Contracts

SEA 256, Section 1 added IC 1-1-15.3 effective July 1, 2026. For new contracts entered into after June 30, 2026, and existing contracts amended or renewed after June 30, 2027, the state, state agencies and political subdivisions must include confirmation that the contractor and its subcontractors working under the contract are not “prohibited persons.” The test concerns entities organized or headquartered in a defined foreign-adversary jurisdiction or entities with a qualifying controlling person, with specific individual exceptions. A breach may be regarded as a material breach.

“Technological product or service” here means something used for information systems, surveillance, light detection and ranging, or artificial intelligence, and expressly does not include an unmanned aerial system. Review separately procured cameras, software, LiDAR and services on their own facts; do not recast the aircraft as covered merely because it carries a sensor. View the official bill page.

Federal Drone and Surveillance Award Terms

OMB M-26-02 Appendix D implements American Security Drone Act federal financial-assistance restrictions from December 22, 2025: federal award funds generally may not procure or be used in connection with operation of FASC-prohibited UAS, subject to applicable exceptions and waivers. Section 889 addresses specified telecom and video-surveillance equipment and services. The FCC Covered List, TAA-covered federal acquisition, and Blue UAS vetting answer different questions; no single badge proves eligibility for every grant. Read NDAA, TAA, FCC & Blue UAS Explained and the actual award terms.

Indiana RAMP, Flight and Data Review

Indiana RAMP Policy P.05 applies to executive-branch covered entities and others connected to state IT infrastructure for cloud contracts executed, amended or renewed on or after October 14, 2025. It requires IOT approval and risk-based GovRAMP security designations; local entities outside its scope should follow their own security policies. For evidence platforms and connected cameras, check sensitive and CJIS data, vendor access, storage, updates and incident response. IOT policies.

Separately, law-enforcement UAS use on or over private property for a search, surveillance or capturing images can implicate IC 35-33-5-9’s warrant, consent and ordinary-search exceptions. Check the current criminal procedure code and FAA public-safety toolkit before operations.

Choose the Right Indiana Funding Route

BJA FY 2026 Indiana local JAG allocations total $1,854,891 for listed jurisdictions. Disparate groups submit a joint application through a fiscal agent with an MOU; the open FY 2026 notice lists Grants.gov October 9 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern and JustGrants October 16 at 8:59 p.m. Eastern. The separate state JAG allocation is $3,578,941; ICJI manages the state pathway.

IDHS SHSP requires a terrorism-preparedness rationale and state approval. Secured School Safety is a school-applicant matching program, currently closed. TSIP targets data-backed traffic safety and is currently closed for FY 2027. CHIRP funds enforcement and administrative overtime, not equipment. For cyber projects, SLCGP planning is a cybersecurity pathway, not a general aircraft budget.

Practical Indiana UAS Procurement Checklist

1. 1Map the funding and mission. Identify the applicant, award, federal and local funding shares, project purpose, and written equipment approval required by the grantor.
2. 2Classify each purchase. Determine whether it is a UAS, covered communications equipment or service, surveillance system, LiDAR, AI, information system or cloud offering; different Indiana and federal rules apply.
3. 3Screen the supplier and components. Request entity ownership, headquarters, manufacturer and subcontractor information, plus radio, camera, controller, firmware, software, cloud and telemetry details.
4. 4Check contract attestations. For covered technology contracts, include the IC 1-1-15.3 contractor and subcontractor confirmation; recognize the statute expressly excludes unmanned aerial systems from that definition.
5. 5Assess cybersecurity. Map live feeds, storage location, remote support, updates, encryption, access, incident response and data deletion. Seek IOT approval for in-scope cloud offerings.
6. 6Document flight authority and privacy. Obtain FAA authority and apply IC 35-33-5-9 warrant and consent rules for law-enforcement use on or over private property, including any applicable exception.
7. 7Keep an auditable file. Retain award terms, supplier evidence, legal and security reviews, procurement approvals, FAA authority and operational records.