Here’s what survived the Legislature and what didn’t
Tax cuts, employer vaccine mandates and various social issues dominated the 2022 Indiana General Assembly. But a divide between Republican leadership in the House and Senate also set the tone.
Legislature
Articles
Incentive for film production breaks losing streak in Indiana Legislature
Filmmaker Angelo Pizzo, Rep. Bob Morris and lobbyist Tony Samuel explain how an underdog proposal to attract movie business became a new law.
Defensive moves blocked most anti-business legislation, commerce leaders say
Business leaders say they had to play defense with the GOP-dominated state Legislature for most of this year’s legislative session but emerged mostly successful.
Amendment aimed at Indy Democratic chair stripped out of bill
State lawmakers approved an election bill this week after rejecting an amendment targeting Marion County Democratic Party Chair Kate Sweeney Bell, which would’ve required her to choose between her role as chairwoman and elected position as county recorder.
Indiana lawmakers seek possible special session on abortion
The vast majority of Indiana’s Republican state legislators have signed a letter asking the governor to call them back into special session later this year if the U.S. Supreme Court rolls back the limits states can place on abortion.
Legislature ends session by cutting income taxes, not business personal property tax
The plan would cut the income tax rate to 3.15% from 3.23% for 2023, which would amount to a $40 savings for those with $50,000 in taxable income. The tax rate would be cut further in 2025, 2027 and 2029, but only if state tax revenue grows by at least 2% in the previous budget year.
Indiana lawmakers give final OK to economic development updates
The measure heads to Gov. Eric Holcomb, who made modernizing the state’s economic development toolkit a top legislative priority and is expected to sign the bill into law in an effort to help the state be more nimble when recruiting new business.
Indiana lawmakers discuss ‘trigger’ for income tax cuts
The leader of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee said Monday that talks with senators included possibly linking tax rate cuts to whether state tax collections remain strong.
Tax on closed-system vaping products might be reduced
The Indiana House and Senate have both approved a measure that would reduce the tax on disposable e-cigarettes from 25% of the wholesale price to 15%.
UPDATE: Holcomb signs bill to end health emergency, limit vaccine mandates
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a new order Thursday, effectively ending the health emergency. It had been renewed on a monthly basis for nearly two years.
Holcomb makes stronger call for state lawmakers to pass tax cuts
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, in an opinion piece distributed to media outlets on Thursday, solidified his support for legislation that would provide state tax cuts—and went a step further by asking for an even deeper reduction in income taxes than proposed by House Republicans.
Open school board meetings bill heads to Indiana governor
A bill that seeks to require public comment at school meetings advanced to the Indiana governor’s desk after lawmakers gave their final approval Wednesday.
Indiana’s ‘divisive concepts’ education bill dies in Senate
Speaking after the vote, Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray said some Republican lawmakers thought the bill created too much of a burden for educators, while others thought it didn’t go far enough.
Indiana House gives local officials more control in economic development bill
House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, said the reworked Senate Bill 361 now does a lot more to ensure the involvement of local stakeholders in decisions made by the Indiana Economic Development Corp.
Indiana lawmakers pass ‘baby nukes’ bill, send it to governor
The Indiana General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow electric utilities to build small modular reactors, a move that could pave the way for commercial nuclear power in the state for the first time.
Prospects for Indiana tax cuts boosted by governor’s support
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday he now believes the state’s individual income tax rate could be cut while maintaining enough state revenue for additional spending needs in the next state budget to be adopted in 2023.
State lawmakers table IndyGo Blue Line amendment
The House Ways and Means Committee on Monday tabled an amendment that would have conditioned the removal of some public transportation funding requirements on compliance with new lane minimums—which would’ve involved budget-busting redesign and land acquisition over several miles of the proposed 24-mile route.
Senate Republicans strip down key Indiana House bills in second half of session
Republican leaders of the House and Senate say they are optimistic they’ll find compromises before the Legislature adjourns in March.
Indiana House committee strikes Senate’s attempt to ban ‘marijuana light’
Lawmakers in the Indiana House nixed an effort by some Senate Republicans to ban the sale of a popular derivative of hemp at levels that can give users a high.
Proposed change to ‘divisive concepts’ bill would ban fewer ideas
A proposed amendment to Indiana’s so-called “divisive concepts” legislation would drop some of the most controversial parts of the bill, but stop short of completely removing a list of concepts that would be banned from the classroom.