Could Indianapolis get a casino? Lawmakers signal very early signs of support.
The Indiana Legislature would have to approve moving any existing gaming licenses or creating new ones.
The Indiana Legislature would have to approve moving any existing gaming licenses or creating new ones.
Senate Bill 1, which previously carried Gov. Mike Braun’s ambitious property tax relief plan, was pared down significantly in committee following outcry from local government leaders.
With the committee deadline over, lawmakers are now working with fewer bills in the 2025 session.
The Senate-approved tax bill would limit total growth in property tax revenue, which could reduce individual bills. But the Republican governor said the legislation lacks “meaningful tax cuts.”
Income taxes drove the overall increase, with collections up 4.7% more than the agency anticipated.
The two-year spending plan funds many of Gov. Mike Braun’s agenda items—including additional funding for private school vouchers—but doesn’t include several state tax cuts the new governor proposed.
Senate Bill 377 introduces a new framework and requirements for regional development funding, shifting the focus from place-aligned projects to more industry-focused development.
The 93-page amendment to Senate Bill 1 introduced Tuesday scrapped an expanded homestead deduction and tax bill caps, which offered the bulk of the plan’s homeowner relief but threatened local government funding.
Indiana lawmakers advanced road-funding legislation Monday morning without a provision that would have allowed Indianapolis to pose a referendum to its residents to pay for road improvements.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30% of private-sector workers do not have access to a defined-contribution retirement plan through their employer.
While many chairs are winding down hearings on the bills assigned to their committees, one of the most anticipated pieces of legislation for the 2025 session had its first committee hearing this week.
Republicans and Democrats testified the bill would decrease local governments’ revenues significantly and affect the quality of some public services.
The House Ways and Means Committee began budget hearings with members of Braun’s cabinet this week. The House will amend its version of the budget into HB 1001 closer to the session’s halfway point in February.
House and Senate Republicans rank this session’s top priorities as tax reform and health care reform—and several bills key to achieving their vision had their first hearings this week.
Advocates say the legislation will help reduce the harm eviction filings can have on renters seeking housing, particularly in Marion County where the eviction rate is high.
Many of Indiana’s largest law firms find it imperative to offer government lobbying for their clients in order to provide a full line of services, especially true in Indianapolis, home to all of state government and the Legislature.
IBJ is watching key bills that could impact the state’s economic development, health care and workforce efforts.
One of the bills—which made the Senate Republican agenda—would require permits for projects that move significant amounts of water from one area of the state to another.
Policymakers have proposed at least 12 bills seeking to create or adjust property tax credits or deductions and institute freezes.
Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Chair Travis Holdman, R-Markle, said his caucus is ready to introduce between 12 and 15 bills that will affect property taxes.