Local, State, Federal Updates

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House On Monday morning, the House passed SJR 21, Terms of members of Congress , (Sponsor: Rep. Dave Hall, R-Norman) with a bipartisan 66-30 vote. This resolution is an appeal to Congress to authorize a Convention for proposing Amendments under Article V of the Constitution of the United States to limit to the number of terms that an individual may serve in the United States House of Representatives and in the United States Senate. On Tuesday, House Public Health amended, took testimony and voted on Senate Republican priority bill SB 2, Medicaid matters (Sponsor: Rep. Brad Barrett, R-Richmond). The committee passed an amendment to remove the enrollment cap. The amended bill passed committee 8-4 and was recommitted to Ways and Means for further discussion. House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunication amended, took testimony and greatly discussed Senate priority bill SB 4, Water matters (Sponsor: Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso). The amendment specifies that the projects returning 50% of the water are excluded and provides further clarity on sale, leases, and transfers. Ultimately the committee decided to hold the bill for more amendments and further discussion. One Wednesday morning, House Education took testimony, amended, and voted on SB 146 and SB 249 , which both deal with teacher compensation (Sponsor: Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty). For SB 146, Amendment #15 was adopted during committee to restore the bill to its original version. The amended bill passed through the committee unanimously. SB 249 addresses schools’ ability to provide supplemental payments to teachers. The committee did add one amendment to the bill before voting. SB 249 was a bit more controversial amongst committee members, passing with a party line 8-4 vote. Later that day, House Ways and Means took testimony on SB 5, State fiscal and contracting matters (Sponsor: Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne). After a brief discussion, the bill was held for anticipated amendments next meeting. As written, this bill allows state agencies to use AI for budget projections and requires them to report federal funding requests involving state fund transfers. House Ways and Means also took heard SB 306, Film and media production tax credit (Sponsor: Rep. Dave Heine, R-New Haven) on Wednesday afternoon. This bill would take an existing tax credit and make it transferable to move the state into a competitive nationwide marketplace to grow this industry in Indiana. Yesterday, representatives further amended SB 287, School Board Matters (Sponsor Rep. J.D Prescott, R-Union City) with a second reading amendment. This bill creates the framework for partisan school board elections. A committee amendment had removed the primary process for nomination and specified that a straight party vote does not count for a candidate for school board office, making the bill mirror Rep. Prescott’s HB 1230, School board elections , which made it through committee in the first half but died without a final vote on the Third Reading Deadline. Yesterday’s amendment clarified and refined the ballot presentation for candidates who do not wish to declare a political party or run as an independent. In these situations, the amendment states that there will be no identifying mark next to that candidate’s name on the ballot. The amended version of SB 287 will be eligible for a final third reading vote as early as Monday. Yesterday, a few notable bills passed the House on a final third reading vote: SB 74, Extension of lifeline law immunity passed 87-3 SB 424, Small modular nuclear reactor development costs passed 59-30 SB 426, Water utilities passed 76-15 SB 457, Carbon dioxide sequestration passed 55-37 Senate At the beginning of the week, Senate Corrections heard HB 1006, Prosecutors (Sponsor: Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis) and decided to hold the bill after discussion on the proposed amendments. As written, this bill would establish the special prosecutor unit, the prosecutor review board, and the public prosecution fund and guidelines, standards for services under which counties may be eligible for reimbursement for prosecution expenditures. Previously HB 1006 passed the House 72-24 . The committee did, however, amend and vote on HB 1393, Immigration Notice , (Sponsor: Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis). The amendment removes the requirement that the officer is the one required to make the notice and the requirement that an arrest must be occurring. Senators passed the bill out of committee by a 5-3 vote. The bill was heard on the floor on Thursday afternoon and received an additional amendment on second reading which removes the immunity provisions from the bill. Senate Homeland Security and Transportation heard HB 1461, Road funding (Sponsor: Sen. Micheal Crider, R-Greenfield). Following a long discussion, the committee determined that additional revisions and refinements were necessary before proceeding. As a result, members agreed to amend the legislation and will vote on an amended bill during the committee’s next meeting. Senate Health and Provider services Committee heard House Republican priority bill HB 1004, Nonprofit hospitals (Sponsor: Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown), on Wednesday morning. Among its various provisions, HB 1004 will restrict what qualifies as community benefits for certain nonprofit hospitals and will impose stricter reporting and transparency requirements. Furthermore, the bill creates a new excise tax placed on the hospital if their hospital fees exceed 265% of Medicare. Finally, the bill states that a hospital with commercial prices in excess of 300% of Medicare forfeits their nonprofit status. After extensive discussion, the bill passed out of the committee 10-1 and will be recommitted to Senate Appropriations due to its fiscal impact. Also on Wednesday, Senate Education and Career Development passed over House priority bill HB 1002, Various education matters (Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond). Instead, hearing extensive and passionate testimony from both sides of the issue on HB 1041, Student eligibility in interscholastic sports (Sponsor: Sen. Stacey Donato, R-Logansport), which would tighten restrictions regarding transgender athletes. The bill is an expansion of the K-12 transgender sports ban from two years ago and would extend the ban to the collegiate level. Earlier in the week, the Senate Appropriations committee wrapped up budget presentations on HB 1001 , hearing from our statewide officials regarding their offices budgetary desires. Then yesterday, members of the public and various stakeholders provided testimony regarding their desires for the state’s biennial budget. Senators on the Senate Local Government committee took a first look at House Republican priority bill HB 1005, Housing and building matters (Sponsor: Sen. Linda Rogers R-Granger). This bill addresses the lack of housing options available to Hoosiers. HB 1005 seeks to finance infrastructure projects that support residential housing. This will be done by expanding the Residential Housing Infrastructure Assistance Program (RIF). The committee heard testimony on the bill from a variety of groups, but it was ultimately held for amend and vote at a later meeting.

I first met him last year on one of our “Willing to Work Tours.” He was outgoing, funny, and engaging, and he earnestly wanted to greet me and know more about the place we were touring. He asked questions, was thoughtful in his reactions to things he learned, and was just plain enjoyable to be around. His name is Jack, and he is a client of the Arc of LaGrange County.  The Chamber has partnered with the Arc of LaGrange County fairly regularly now for a couple of years, specifically with their Employment Services team. Jack is one of many clients who are pursuing vocational training and education, with his sights set on community employment. Just a couple weeks ago, it was publicly noted that Jack had secured employment with Lakeland School Corporation, where he offers cleaning services in two different buildings on their campus. While cleaning may go unnoticed, it is vital to the sustained success of a place of employment. For Jack, my bet is he’s doing it with a smile on his face because it’s who he is, and it brings added fulfillment in his days and weeks. We support efforts like these–employability awareness and skills training–because the future of LaGrange County workforce is being built today. Whether it's a high school student evaluating their future, or an adult with a disability, there are opportunities for employers to lean in, expand career awareness, and potentially source local talent in labor pools that may go untapped. Today’s workforce is ever-changing. The laws by how we manage and retain employees shift. The goals and needs of employees change from generation to generation (and sometimes, from year to year). The way in which we operate businesses is evolving, especially with the increasing leverage of technology in the workplace. As the Chamber of Commerce, our commitment to “Next-Level Workforce” serves as a “succession plan” for our members, ensuring that workers–often those who are not yet employed, but ready for the opportunity–are prepared, educated, and work-ready. There are many great initiatives growing in the name of Next-Level Workforce, some of which are under the Chamber’s program of work, and others that are supported by the Chamber: The LaGrange County Student Chamber is a brand-new program which serves as a “fast pass” for students to be placed in quality work-based learning opportunities with LaGrange County employers, all while bolstering the pipeline of future workforce to support our members’ businesses. The Field of Dreams Career Expo (happening next Tuesday, March 25 at the Michiana Event Center) is a countywide tradeshow-style event to showcase to 1,200+ students, grades 7-12, that there are valuable, quality career opportunities right here in their own communities. The goal? To plant workforce-ready students for a lifetime in LaGrange County. Willing to Work Tours are a program in partnership with the Arc of LaGrange County to increase career awareness to Arc clients in a variety of industries. The Chamber establishes a local tour itinerary and chauffeurs Arc clients, along with their Employment Services team, to different businesses. The tours have proved to be great connections between industry and local talent, while also leveraging collaboration amongst industry, intermediaries, and advocates like the Arc. Job Club is an additional partnership with the Arc in which Chamber members are invited to speak to Arc clients about their careers, the expectations of the job, and skills necessary to be successful in their field. Career awareness is the name of the game here, building a broader inventory of “what’s out there” for Arc clients. Project Search is a new initiative in which the Chamber is a supporting member. The Arc-led program partners with a local hospitality company and will eventually host Arc interns–age 18 to 35–for workplace skills training and experience to develop a bolstered resume for future community employment. If I have learned anything in my role at the Chamber, it is that collaboration is king. Our community will grow as fast as the collaborative pace we set. When we link arms, come to the table together, and elevate a solution that positively impacts all, we will ALL feel the win in one way or another. Our work with the Arc and our local school systems is just the beginning. If you are a business owner or a team leader and are interested in partnering with us in these efforts, we’d love to hear from you. All it takes is saying “yes” to solution-minded efforts. Together, we can make it happen.

Senate This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee began budget hearings. The committee heard from Chairman Thompson about the House budget and heard presentations from Indiana’s public universities, the Indiana Supreme Court, and the various members of the Governor’s Cabinet. These discussions are the next step in the ongoing discussion of HB 1001, State budget (Sponsor: Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka). On Tuesday, Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy voted unanimously to pass an amended version of HB 1142, Local Income Tax Council (Sponsor: Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle) by a 13-0 vote. HB 1142 would extend the expiration of provisions concerning a county with a single voting bloc and the allocation of votes for a local income tax council. The amendment extended the sunset from 2026 to 2027. This bill will continue to the Senate floor for second reading. Senate Corrections and Criminal Law heard House Republican priority bill HB 1006, Prosecutors, sponsored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis). The committee took testimony and decided to hold the bill for amendments at a later meeting. As written, this bill establishes the special prosecutor unit, the prosecutor review board, and the public prosecution fund and guidelines, standards for services under which counties may be eligible for reimbursement for prosecution expenditures. HB 1006 passed the House 72-24 . House On Wednesday, House and Ways and Means thoroughly discussed a proposed committee amendment for SB 1, Property tax relief, (Sponsor: Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton). This amendment – the same language as HB 1402, Local government finance (Rep. Thompson) - will gradually eliminate business personal property taxes on new equipment and increase the tax exemption threshold from $80,000 to $200,000 over six years. It restructures local income tax (LIT) policies by raising the maximum county LIT rate to 2.9% in 2027, allowing cities to impose their own LIT up to 1.2%, and eliminating LIT for non-residents working in the county. Finally, it also phases out some property tax deductions in favor of a local tax credit, restructures how LIT revenue is distributed, and shifts the decision-making authority over local tax rates to county and city fiscal bodies. The discussion on this amendment was another significant milestone in the legislative process as the House continues to determine the best approach to the ongoing property tax debate. After hearing from many different organizations, the House Education Committee decided to hold SB 146 Teacher compensation, (Sponsor: Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty) for amendments and further discussion. This bill addresses the issue of teacher compensation by raising the minimum salary to $45,000 and requires that school corporations must expend an amount for teacher compensation that is not less than 65% of state tuition support. Secretary of Education Katie Jenner was there to testify on behalf of Governor Braun’s administration, as SB 146 was specifically mentioned in his State of the State address as a priority. House Courts and Criminal Code unanimously passed SB 74, Extension of lifeline law immunity , (Sponsor: Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville) 13-0 . This bill grants individual's immunity from prosecution for certain crimes if they are reasonably believed to have a health condition caused by alcohol consumption and received help from someone who called emergency services on their behalf. House Elections and Apportionment heard testimony SB 10, Voter registration (Sponsor: Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer), and decided to hold the bill to amend and vote on next week. As written, the bill clarifies that school ID is not a valid form of voter identification. Counties must also update voter lists by removing inactive voters and verifying deaths through records shared by local health officers. The committee also amended and voted to pass the heavily debated SB 287, School board matters (Sponsor: Rep. J.D. Prescott, R-Union City). This bill creates the framework for partisan school board elections. Today’s amendment removed the primary process for nomination and specifies that a straight party vote does not count for a candidate for school board office. The bill now mirrors Rep. Prescott’s HB 1230, School board elections , which made it through committee in the first half but died without a final vote on the Third Reading Deadline. After taking testimony last week, the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee discussed the impacts of SB 457, Carbon dioxide sequestration (Sponsor: Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso) and passed the bill unamended 11-2 . Amongst other regulatory provisions, this bill sets regulations for carbon dioxide transmission pipelines, requiring applicants to meet Indiana utility guidelines and prove experience in pipeline construction and operation. This bill passed the Senate narrowly 27-21 . House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications also considered SB 424, Small modular nuclear reactor development costs (Sponsor: Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso). After taking lengthy amount of testimony, the committee amended , discussed, and approved SB 424 by a 10-3 vote. This bill allows public utilities to seek approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to incur and recover development costs for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). It establishes criteria for IURC review, sets timelines for approval, and outlines how utilities can adjust rates to recover costs, including an 80/20 split between immediate and deferred recovery. This bill passed the Senate 34-14 . House Judiciary Committee heard SJR 21, Terms of members of Congress , sponsored by Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman). The resolution passed out of committee 10-2 and has since been engrossed unamended on second reading on the House floor, clearing the way for a final third reading vote as early as Monday. This resolution would have Indiana apply to Congress for a Convention for proposing a term limit Amendment under Article V of the Constitution of the United States. House Roads and Transportation heard emotional testimony on SB 183, Rural intersection safety , (Sponsor: Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie). This bill attempts to solve the issue of clear vision at rural intersections. As written, it requires that owners or lessees of agricultural land at intersections without traffic signals must maintain a clear line of sight. Crops, vegetation, structures, or other obstructions over three feet tall are not allowed, except for trimmed trees with clear vision above six feet. Landowners or lessees who fail to comply may be notified, held liable for accidents, and certain provisions do not apply to critical infrastructure. This bill was held for amendments, with legislators noting that they are confident that they’ll be able to solve this issue. Governor’s Office Governor Braun signed two executive orders on Wednesday, both targeting the state’s environmental policies. These orders streamline regulations, reduce compliance burdens, and ensure environmental policies are based on science rather than social criteria. EO-25-37: Prohibiting the use of environmental justice in permitting enforcement or grant decisions – This executive order prohibits state agencies from using “environmental justice” as a factor in environmental permitting, enforcement, or grant decisions. EO-25-38: Creating opportunity through reduction of excessive environmental regulation – This order prevents the state from adopting environmental regulations stricter than federal standards unless required by state law or deemed necessary by the Governor’s Office. The governor then signed one more executive order this morning targeting antisemitism. The executive order directs the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review the policies of Indiana’s state educational institutions related to antisemitism, and each institution’s response to any acts of antisemitism that have occurred on campus since the October 7 terrorist attack in 2023. When available, the EO can be viewed here .

House Debates Property Tax Redesign HB 1402 / Chamber Supports | SB 1 / Chamber Neutral The House Ways and Means Committee reconvened this week to further examine Senate Bill 1, specifically focusing on a potential amendment incorporating provisions from House Bill 1402, authored by Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton). Representative Thompson presented the committee with an amendment intended to replace SB 1’s original language with that of HB 1402, significantly altering the approach to property tax reform. The chairman acknowledged that the bill required additional refinement but emphasized the necessity of addressing homeowners' concerns regarding the lack of tangible tax relief. House Bill 1402 proposes a phased, five-year plan transitioning Indiana from its current levy-based system to a rate-based model. Under the proposed structure, circuit breaker credit losses will be eliminated due to a combined property tax rate being capped at 3%. Thompson emphasized that this change is intended to resolve inherent conflicts between levy-based calculations and constitutional rate caps. House Bill 1402 also includes an exemption of newly acquired business personal property (BPP) as well as a phased increase in the BPP de minimis exemption and phaseout of the 30% floor on BPP. A study conducted by the Indiana Chamber Foundation estimates these reforms will increase state GDP growth by more than $3 billion and create approximately 24,000 jobs. Several committee members, including Reps. Hal Slager (R-Schererville) and Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), requested further clarification and more detailed fiscal analysis, underscoring the need for clear fiscal modeling to understand the potential consequences of the proposed amendments. Representative Slager explicitly noted concerns about unclear financial implications, suggesting that the committee needed more precise data before proceeding. With many points of contention still unresolved, the committee held the bill for further analysis, signaling ongoing debate over property tax policy. An additional hearing where members will amend and vote on the bill is anticipated in the coming weeks. Film and Media Production Tax Credit Bill a Hidden GemSB 306 / Chamber Supports A bill that the Senate passed 49-0 is flying under everyone’s radar. With no new budget allocation, it makes a meaningful change to an existing statute that will produce (at minimum) a 6:1 return on the state’s investment. In 2022, the Indiana General Assembly established the film and media production tax credit, which offers producing entities up to 30% of their qualified expenditures back in the form of a tax credit against their Indiana-based taxes. However, a problem exists in that many producers/production companies – especially those formed for a single project (i.e., special-purpose entities) – do not have significant tax liabilities to use the credits themselves. This means that producers earn a credit, but cannot use it. Senate Bill 306, authored by Sen. Andy Zay (R-Huntington) and sponsored by Rep. Dave Heine (R-Fort Wayne), allows producer-credit recipients to sell any part of their credit to another Indiana taxpayer. So, if the producer earns a credit for $30,000, it can sell it to another entity for, say, $25,000. It’s a win-win-win: the production company receives cash for a credit it cannot use, a taxpayer pays less for a credit than the taxes it will offset and the state becomes more attractive to producers and taxpayers. At least 24 states have a film and media tax credit that's more attractive than ours because they allow producers to sell their credit to another entity or back to the state. On average, these states see a 6:1 return (tax credits to economic impact). One example is Kentucky. In 2022, its credit attracted 58 projects that had a $158 million economic impact; 2023: 61 projects, $182 million impact; and 2024: 77 projects, $203 million impact. Because Indiana’s credit is nontransferable, we’re simply not competitive. Although not public yet, there are film and media projects waiting on the sidelines watching SB 306’s destiny. Its passage will not only greenlight projects that are teed up, but also serve as a beacon to producers that Indiana wants their business. The bill, which passed unanimously, now sits in the House Ways and Means Committee’s queue for a hearing. Call to action: Please ask members of the committee to hear SB 306 and/or request that the Senate amend its language into the state budget bill (House Bill 1001). Bill to Spur Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Development Moves On SB 424 / Chamber Supports Senate Bill 424, recently advanced by the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee, proposes regulatory clarity for Indiana utilities pursuing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs). The bill creates a framework enabling utilities to recover SMR development costs, addressing significant initial investment barriers. Advocates, including Indiana Michigan Power and Spencer County representatives, emphasize the benefits of substantial job creation, increased tax revenue and energy independence. Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzanne Jaworowski supported the bill in testimony, aligning it with Gov. Mike Braun’s legislative agenda. The Rockport Generating Station, a coal-fired facility in Spencer County operated by Indiana Michigan Power, has been identified as a potential site for SMR deployment. Opponents argue SB 424 could shift financial risks of unproven SMR technology onto ratepayers, highlighting concerns over cost recovery prior to project completion and insufficient consumer protections. Critics also question the economic viability compared to existing renewable energy alternatives. An amendment removed the bill's sunset provision, aligning it with similar provisions in House Bill 1007. The Indiana Chamber continues its support for SB 424, recognizing the importance of facilitating the evaluation and potential implementation of advanced nuclear technology. The bill will now advance to the full House for further consideration. Education, Workforce Progress Tempered by Fiscal Uncertainty This week, House and Senate education committees held hearings on a variety of K-12 and workforce legislation, including measures to reestablish A-F school accountability, increase the minimum compensation for public school teachers and mandate parental leave benefits, require partisan school board elections, strengthen literacy programs and a package of initiatives to focus on improving math instruction and student performance in the state. In the coming weeks, additional workforce-related proposals are expected to receive consideration, including efforts to better align postsecondary education with workforce needs, enhance data collection and expand career coaching programs. Meanwhile, Senate budget hearings have begun to review funding requests from colleges and universities. A common concern throughout these discussions is the overall funding level for education and workforce programs, spanning pre-K, K-12, higher education and workforce training. Lawmakers are working within a particularly constrained budget environment. The House-passed budget includes a modest 2% increase in tuition support for K-12 public schools over the next two fiscal years. A potentially greater, long-term and structural funding change may be coming for public school districts from property tax changes. Approximately 40% of K-12 public school funding in the state comes from local property tax revenues. The likely expansion of school vouchers and potential requirement of sharing of property tax referendum dollars between school districts and charter schools would create even greater funding pressure on urban school districts.

A few years ago, my husband and I moved into one of the biggest projects of our lives–a stick-built homestead that we get to call home. Truthfully, we both learned a lot in the process. I am so fortunate to have a husband who can do just about anything–he rigged the house up with electrical lines and most of the plumbing. He learned how to hang and finish drywall with the help of his skilled father, and he can hang siding like a pro. He’s a self-taught do-it-all man who married a self-taught hire-it-out woman. (Insert chuckling here.)  All kidding aside, I can typically figure out a problem on my own, but I am not usually the one who rolls up my sleeves to build something. It’s never been my strong suit. I can throw a hammer just like anyone else, but more than likely, I’ll hit my thumb (which I’ve done many times in this life). My husband was so patient with me during our home-building project, because he had to teach me about all of the terms, processes, and structures. I cast the vision for our dream home, and he built it. (And really, that’s what makes us so great together!) One piece I learned about was the process of surveying. I was–if I may admit–quite naive when it came to all that had to happen for a house to be built: the permitting, the blueprints, and those three-legged surveying instruments that I only understood to be Hollywood-like cameras on the side of a road or property. Little did I know, that part of the process was vital to our purchasing land and building a new home. In 2020, we met Scott Zeigler, owner and lead surveyor of Hand to the Plow Surveying. I remember thinking, “Wow, that business name seems awfully fitting for our new neighborhood.” We’re blessed to have a neighborhood full of hardworking, generous families within the Amish community, and we often see the hands to the plows–literally! Scott was much like our neighbors, and was very kind and helpful in our project. He got us all squared away (literally and figuratively), and helped us establish the boundaries which we’d call ours. I’ve gotten to know Scott over the past few years as one of our Chamber members, and one of the few active (and very busy, I might add!) surveyors in our area. He has been particularly active in our Field of Dreams Career Expo, and has been one of the frontrunners in speaking with teenagers about local career pathways here in our communities. Even more so, he shares with students about the high demand for professionals like him in the surveying field, and that is a sentiment that I hear from others within the construction industry. The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) designates a National Surveyors Week to commemorate the work and public service that surveyors provide day-in and day-out. March 16, National Surveyors Day, starts the commemoration this year, which runs through the 22nd. Even larger, March 21 celebrates Global Surveyors Day. Why the commemoration? Surveyors provide a service that is significant to the success and sustainability of both public and private projects. They measure and map out land for development, construction, and other purposes. Bridges, roads, residential to industrial construction, and even underwater infrastructure require the help of surveyors, and “geospatial experts” leverage innovative technology and strategies to produce the safest, strongest, and best solutions in all of these areas. In honor of Scott and others like him this National Surveyors Week, allow me to share a few unique facts and statistics about the surveying profession: Today, there are about 90,000 professional licensed land surveyors that work around the world (gonzalez-strength.com). George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were all land surveyors before they took office as the President of the United States (mooreengineering.com). The Mason-Dixon Line is actually a survey line. “Charles Mason, an assistant astronomer at Greenwich Observatory, and Jeremiah Dixon, an astronomer, mathematician, and surveyor, were hired to survey an agreed-upon line to settle a dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland. It took 4 years and cost $75,000 to run the 233 mile line. Modern surveys have shown it to be an accurate survey, within a couple of seconds of latitude” (mooreengineering.com). Surveying is one of the oldest professions, dating back to 3,000 B.C. in which The Egyptian Land Register was created, which shows various land owners and locations of land (mooreengineering.com). While we may not require the help of surveyors on a daily basis, this commemoration allows us the opportunity to appreciate their work from afar. The truth is, our world wouldn’t be quite as measured, square, or calculated if it weren’t for surveyors, and in today’s world, the surveying workforce is short-handed. Thank you, surveyors, for your daily hard work to make LaGrange County what it is! Did you know? In the world of construction and advancement, LaGrange County approved an updated Unified Development Ordinance last year. The 313-page document provides regulatory guidance for land, structures, and more, which touch the lives and work of residents, businesses, and more. To see the final document, visit the Document Center at www.lagrangecounty.org. Want to get on the books at Hand to Plow Surveying? Give Scott and his team a call at (260) 593-0693.

The Week in Review On Tuesday, the House Insurance Committee took testimony on Senate priority bill SB 3, Fiduciary duty in health plan administration (Sponsor: Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne). The bill was ultimately held for amendments and a vote at a later committee meeting. SB 3 seeks to require that health plan intermediaries act in the best interests of Hoosier workers. The bill provides that a third-party administrator, pharmacy benefit manager, employee benefit consultant, or insurance producer acting on behalf of a plan sponsor owes a fiduciary duty to the plan sponsor. Senate Education and Career Development met on Wednesday to consider House Republican priority bill HB 1002, Education matters (Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond), this bill seeks to clean up education language in Indiana Code removing around 35,000 words from Title 20 in the Indiana Code. The hearing was testimony only and will be voted on at the next committee meeting. The sweeping deregulation bill targets expired programs that are no longer being funded and removes multiple may provisions throughout the code in an effort to establish more local control. Later that day, the House Elections and Apportionment committee heard lengthy testimony but ultimately did not vote on SB 287, School board matters (Sponsor: Rep. J.D. Prescott, R-Union City). SB 287 requires a candidate for school board to declare a political party. Candidates must be nominated like all other elected officials, replacing the current nomination process. It also increases school board member pay from $2,000 to up to 10% of the district’s lowest starting teacher salary. This controversial bill narrowly passed the Senate 26-20. Also on Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee which held testimony only hearings on two major taxation bills, SB 1, Property tax relief and SB 518, School property taxes , both sponsored by Committee Chairman Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton. Both bills drew extensive testimony lasting well into the night (10:38 pm to be exact), and the committee is expected to amend and vote on the bills at a later date. SB 1 is a Senate Republican priority bill. It is a property tax reform bill that allows counties to create a program to defer $10,000 in property taxes. It also adjusts tax deductions for seniors and veterans, expands a first-time homebuyer tax credit, and changes how tax referendums are placed on ballots. This bill passed the Senate 37-10 . Notably, Governor Braun has expressed his displeasure with the changes the Senate made to the original version of the bill (which was Gov. Braun’s version of property tax relief). The governor has indicated that if additional relief is not added to SB 1 in the second half of the legislative session, he may use his veto power to attempt to bring legislators back to the drawing board. SB 518 was the second of the two major bills heard. SB 518 would require school districts that approve new property tax levies for projects, school safety, or operating costs after May 10, 2025, to share a portion of that revenue with certain specified charters in their area. In 2028, all school districts must share their operations fund levy with eligible charter schools (some schools are exempt). This bill also adjusts grant funding for charter schools based on the property tax revenue and adds new rules for charter school governance and closures. The bill drew both heavy support and heavy opposition from testifiers in the committee with more than 100 people signing up to speak on the bill.

A READI Alternative in the Works? Absent some miraculous revision in the state’s revenue forecast, there will not be another $500 million appropriation for the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) program. Even if there was newfound cash, the general consensus is that another round of READI would be premature given the amount of READI 1.0 and 2.0 funds that remain unspent. That said, some regions are further along in the execution of their strategic regional growth plans and need creative ways to ensure the economic flywheel continues to spin. The Indiana Chamber was part of a stakeholder group that met with legislative and administration leadership this week to float a concept that may provide such a solution. The simplest way to conceptualize the proposal is as a regional TIF, in which the region uses projected increases in tax revenue to leverage bond financing for infrastructure and construction necessary to drive economic growth. The tax increments that could be collected include commercial and business personal property, as well as state income and sales taxes. Some READI regions already have bonding authority but others, like the Northwest Indiana (NWI) Forum, do not because they are organized as a nonprofit rather than a statutory regional development authority. As such, the proposal would allow the NWI Forum, and others like it, to establish a regionwide finance authority that could issue bonds. As drafted, the proposal has an overwhelming amount of safeguards and requires buy-in from state and local officials before it can be implemented. Lawmakers have long cautioned regions that they should not expect continual funding from the state to support regional economic development projects and have pleaded with regions to find funding alternatives. Feedback from the meetings this week was positive, and legislative leaders were encouraged with the plan because it burdens regions to put more proverbial skin in the game when it comes to financing their economic growth strategies. Whether the proposal is incorporated into legislation this year remains uncertain. But, if our discussions this week are any indication, we are certain that if a regional economic growth measure is passed this year, then this is the most likely vehicle. It is also important to note that nearly every READI recipient has signed a letter supporting the measure as well; a signal that, if passed, the proposal has a realistic chance of gaining local support for implementation.

What is the Corporate Transparency Act and what does it mean for small businesses?