The Chicago Bears and Indiana officials announced a potential deal Thursday for the NFL franchise to cross the state line and build a new stadium in Hammond.

Indiana lawmakers released a package including new restaurant and hotel taxes in northwest Indiana to help finance infrastructure work connected to the project.

House Speaker Todd Huston said the Bears would invest $2 billion toward the stadium.

The Bears said in a statement that passage of Indiana’s Senate Bill 27 “would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.”

“We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana,” the team’s statement said.

The Bears called the proposal a “critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe.”

Bears officials have for several years proposed a new stadium in the northwestern Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights and have remained in negotiations with Illinois state officials over the possible project. But talks had broken down there and Indiana officials saw an opportunity.

Huston told the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee that work remained to bring the Hammond stadium project “to fruition” but that the Bears have shown the franchise is ready to make a “significant investment.”

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott called the project transformational for northwest Indiana.

“If this opportunity becomes a reality, Indiana will become one of the very few states in America with two National Football League franchises,” McDermott said. “Think about that, two NFL teams, Indianapolis and Hammond, two global brands, two engines of economic growth, two sources of pride.”

The bill passed unanimously out of committee and now moves to the floor.

Gov. Mike Braun said the measure puts forward the “essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.”

“The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers,” he said. ” We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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The countdown clock is ticking louder for a potential deal locating the new Chicago Bears stadium in northwest Indiana.

Indiana General Assembly leaders say they expect any financial agreement for a football stadium project will need to be finalized ahead of the scheduled Feb. 27 adjournment of this year’s legislative session.

“I think I made it pretty clear,” Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston said Thursday. “If this is going to happen, we need to get done before we leave. That is the deadline.”

That declaration comes as the House Ways and Means Committee faces a Feb. 19 deadline to advance Senate Bill 27 that would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority enabling state involvement in the project.

Legislative leaders have said Gov. Mike Braun’s administration is taking the lead on negotiations with the Bears and are revealing little about the status of those talks.

Neither the governor’s office nor a Bears spokesman replied Friday to messages from the Capital Chronicle seeking comment.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said this week that his administration was making progress in negotiations for a new Bears stadium in the northwestern Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.

No details on Indiana offer

Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray told reporters Thursday that the negotiations were “dictated by the timing of this legislative session.”

Bray said state officials are “not really taking a look at what Illinois is providing and trying to be in an open competition with them.”

“We just think we have an offer and a template that we’ve used down here in Indianapolis that’s really competitive and an attractive offer, that works both for the taxpayers of Indiana and, maybe, for the Chicago Bears and is a great benefit to northwest Indiana,” Bray said.

Public financing covered most of the $720 million cost of building Lucas Oil Stadium that opened in 2008 for the Indianapolis Colts, with the team contributing about $100 million. The public money comes from a variety of taxes that include food and beverage sales taxes in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties.

Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia said during a Wednesday event that he was confident Illinois officials are “wide awake right now” in responding to the possibility of the Bears reaching an Indiana stadium deal.

Tinaglia said he believed the “Bears want to come to Arlington Heights.”

“That is, in my opinion, in my heart of hearts, that’s truth,” Tinaglia said. “They didn’t buy 326 acres because they thought it was a great idea to just hang on to an investment. They have wanted to come here for 40 years.”

Indiana’s bid “totally worth the effort”

The pending Indiana legislation would give the new stadium authority the power to acquire land, issue long-term bonds and finance the construction of a stadium and related facilities.

The bill, however, does not specify how much taxpayer money would go toward the project and which local taxes might be tapped. It also doesn’t include details of what, if anything, the Bears would contribute to the new stadium.

Bears officials have not specified the Indiana sites they are considering. Leaders of Hammond, Gary and Portage have all pitched locations in their cities.

Huston said he was “optimistic” about an Indiana deal with the Bears and brushed aside apprehension that the team’s ownership was using Indiana to gain leverage for a better Illinois agreement.

“We pursue a lot of different businesses on a daily basis,” Huston said. “So there’s always effort, especially one of these types of high profile (projects.) These are long discussions and those types of things, but totally worth the effort.”

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A year ago, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston wanted to annex some counties from Illinois. Now, he’s diving into Indiana’s bid to snatch away the Chicago Bears.

The Republican speaker announced Thursday that he’s taking the unusual step of becoming the lead House sponsor on the bill aimed at luring the planned new stadium for the National Football League team into northwest Indiana.

Huston told reporters he was focusing on discussions about a possible deal for the stadium.

“I’m going to spend the next two days up in Lake County and Porter County having conversations with local elected officials to do everything we can,” Huston said.

The state Senate last week endorsed Senate Bill 27 that would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority.

That state body that would have the power to acquire land, issue long-term bonds and finance the construction of a professional football stadium and related facilities.

The bill, however, does not specify how much taxpayer money would go toward the project and which local taxes might be tapped. It also doesn’t include details of what, if anything, the Bears would contribute to the new stadium.

Huston said he didn’t have any meetings set with Bears officials, indicating that Gov. Mike Braun’s staff has “done a fantastic job. It’s been a cooperative effort.”

Hammond mayor calls site evaluation “advanced”

Bears officials have publicly explored relocating to northwest Indiana amid stalled negotiations in Illinois over a proposed stadium development in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that he would be meeting with Huston and the speaker would tour a possible stadium site in the city that’s being evaluated by Bears and state officials.

McDermott said Thursday he believed Indiana’s bid for the Bears' relocation is “extremely serious.”

“I think it’s advanced,” he said. “I could confirm that a huge amount of money has been spent by the state of Indiana and by the Chicago Bears.”

McDermott said millions of dollars have been spent by the team and the state so far.

“Environmental research, all kinds of consultants and attorneys and engineers,” he said. “If the Bears are going to make a move of this magnitude, they’ve got to know full well what they’re getting themselves into. They want to make sure that it’s a good situation.”

Braun not detailing negotiations

Braun’s office did not answer questions on Thursday about the status of the negotiations with the Bears.

But the governor told the Indiana Capital Chronicle on Tuesday that he wanted to see a deal reached with the Bears before the end of this year’s legislative session, which is expected to conclude Feb. 27.

“We’re getting down to a point where there’s been enough due diligence, and when it comes to who’s going to pay for what, I think that’s going to be worked out in a model, maybe similar to the Colts, may vary a little bit. It’ll depend on how we flesh that out,” Braun said. “Some of it will need to be done just through negotiations.”

Public financing covered most of the $720 million cost of building Lucas Oil Stadium for the Indianapolis Colts but the team contributed about $100 million. The stadium opened in 2008, with the money coming from a variety of taxes that include food and beverage sales taxes in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties.

Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said many details are still to be sorted out but called the discussions productive.

“We don’t have any idea if this is going to happen. I don’t have any details to give you,” he said. “We want to put our hand forward and said, we’d love to do business with you. We’d love to have them. And I think, frankly, we’ve got a really, really, really good product here in Indiana and northwest Indiana to to house them that would be more advantageous than Illinois.”

Huston sponsored a bill last year establishing a commission to consider shifting several rural southern Illinois counties into Indiana. Illinois officials have refused to take part, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker dubbing the effort “a stunt.”

Huston said he has great interest in getting a stadium deal done.

“I think it’s an incredible economic opportunity for northwest Indiana and for the state of Indiana,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll be moving something forward soon.”

McDermott said the cooperation of the governor’s office and legislative leaders was “impressive” in pursuit of the stadium project.

“I’ve been mayor 23 years and I’ve never seen any project as advanced as this, in as much detail as this, but that makes sense, because we’re talking about a multibillion-dollar investment,” he said. “It’s transformational for my city.”

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post Indiana officials keeping up push on Bears stadium bid appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post Indiana House returning next week to address redistricting; Senate to join Dec. 8 appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

The following story was written by Niki Kelly, Casey Smith and Leslie Bonilla Muniz.

INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Mike Braun on Friday condemned a wave of threats against state lawmakers — including ones he said targeted him and his family — shortly after Republican Sen. Andy Zay confirmed a bomb threat at his Huntington vehicle rental business.

Sen. Linda Rogers revealed on Friday that she’s also been a “victim of several intimidation incidents.”

The threats came amid a week of swatting attempts and other harassment aimed at Senate Republicans.

“Enough is enough,” the governor said in a Friday afternoon post on X. “These threats to lawmakers, including those received by me and my family in recent days, need to stop.”

Braun said Indiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies have been working “around the clock all week” to protect lawmakers and investigate the string of incidents.

The governor’s office said state police are investigating more than one “credible” threat made against the governor but did not provide details about the nature of those threats.

“Rest assured — if you threaten or attempt to carry out acts of violence against Indiana’s elected officials, we WILL bring you to justice,” Braun wrote.

Zay’s business targeted

Hours before Braun’s announcement, Zay shared about his experience.

“Yesterday, my business in Huntington was targeted with a bomb threat, which is part of the recent troubling pattern against lawmakers in Indiana,” Zay said in a news release.

“It’s unfortunate that my family and I continue to be threatened for my work as a public servant and state senator,” he added. “This is no way to weigh in on any public issue, even if you do not agree with my stance. My office is always open, and I encourage constituents with any concerns to reach out.”

Zay is supportive of a controversial proposal to redistrict Indiana’s congressional boundaries — and make Indiana’s two blue districts red — ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“Sometimes you’re not ‘yes’ enough for some of our friends on the right, and when you get this mob mentality going, you know, it’s a little challenging,” Zay told the Capital Chronicle.

He said he has been quietly working behind the scenes with the Trump administration to move redistricting forward.

Zay pushed for an aggressive marketing campaign to explain why the new map is needed to the public. He said the pressure and influence needed to come more from constituents.

“Obviously, the administration has chosen an entirely different tactic, which I don’t agree with, which has kind of turned into this, this ugly, threatening, demeaning, bashing thing. I’m not surprised. It’s certainly not uncharacteristic of the administration, but I think we all would have been better served to have a stronger groundswell of support to bring it to a vote.”

Zay said he is hopeful that vote can still happen.

Other senators receive threats

Another Republican senator, Linda Rogers of Granger, said Friday she’s also been targeted. Rogers has not said publicly where she stands on redistricting.

“I can confirm I have been the victim of several intimidation incidents, but the St. Joseph County Police Department and the Indiana State Police are working diligently to get to the bottom of it,” Rogers said in a statement.

She commended both agencies for their “timely response and assistance,” but said she would not provide further details while the investigation continues.

Earlier, fellow Republican Sen. Kyle Walker of Lawrence said Thursday that “attempts have been made to intimidate me and threaten violence at my home.” A spokesperson clarified Friday that it was a bomb threat. Walker is against early redistricting.

Four other GOP senators, all of whom oppose redistricting or are undecided, have been targeted in attempted swattings this week.

“Swatting” involves hoax calls or reports to emergency services intended to trigger armed responses — and can have lethal consequences for unwitting victims at the swatted location.

The spate of harassment prompted bipartisan condemnation from leaders in the Indiana House.

House Speaker Todd Huston and House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta denounced the threats in a joint Friday statement.

“The threats, swatting attempts and other criminal activity being directed at our colleagues in the Senate are abhorrent and completely unacceptable. This is no way to express political disagreement, and it must stop,” the duo said.

“We thank our local, state and federal law enforcement for responding to and investigating these crimes, and for keeping our elected officials and their families safe,” they continued. “This is incredibly harmful to those being directly impacted and to our entire state. We’re praying for our colleagues, their families and neighbors, and our law enforcement partners. We hope to see swift justice for anyone responsible for these crimes.”

Zay also thanked police and said he’s “hopeful that state and local law enforcement will be able to find those responsible and hold them accountable for their actions.”

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post As threats escalate against Indiana lawmakers, Braun says his family also targeted appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

From the White House to the Statehouse, mid-cycle redistricting took center stage Tuesday as dozens of GOP legislators talked with Trump officials about a variety of topics, including the controversial map do-over.

Meanwhile, Democrat lawmakers called out their colleagues and Hoosiers gathered to protest the maneuver.

One staunch opponent, Rep. Jim Lucas, said his stance softened after hearing from Vice President JD Vance. Previously a “hard no,” Lucas said he isn’t yet a yes but he is worried about the paralyzing effect a Democratic House majority would have on President Donald Trump’s agenda.

“I’m open minded to it,” Lucas summarized. “… we’ve seen what happens when the Democrats have the House. President Trump spent his first four years fighting off attack after attack after attack.”

In particular, he pointed to the potential of nuclear facilities proposed under Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, saying that his constituents were battling increased utility costs.

“If the Trump administration is bogged down fighting Democrat attacks for the next two years after the midterms, then all Hoosiers lose out,” Lucas said.

Much of the conversation with White House officials on Tuesday confirmed that Indiana “is on the right track,” he added, stressing that redistricting wasn’t the only topic.

“The biggest takeaway is how genuinely nice and down to earth everybody in that administration is,” said Lucas, a Republican from Seymour. “There was absolutely zero pressure applied on us. No threats, nothing like that.”

He emphasized that much of the discussion centered on how Indiana leads in comparison to other states, including its ban on using food benefits to purchase soda and candy. He pointed to concerns about the state fiscal impacts of chronic health conditions like obesity and diabetes, especially for the Hoosiers enrolled on Medicaid.

“We’re already doing a lot of those things,” said Lucas about agenda items like school vouchers and immigration. “… It was really nice. A lot of that meeting, they basically praised Indiana for the great job we’re doing.”

House Speaker Todd Huston and Sen. Pro Tem Rodric Bray reportedly had a private meeting with Trump, according to Politico reporters, who said “more than” 55 lawmakers attended. Huston’s daughter, Liz, is an assistant to Trump’s press secretary.

Another Indiana Liz — Sen. Liz Brown of Fort Wayne — had some choice words on redistricting following the meeting, citing curses from prominent national Democrats about redistricting.

“The rhetoric coming out of Democrats’ mouths right now as they call for liberal states to gerrymander in Democrats’ favor is violent and disgusting,” said Brown on Facebook.

“I attended because Hoosiers know our conservative values could be at stake if states like California are allowed to have a louder liberal voice in Congress. I support President Trump in his efforts and I look forward to returning to Indiana and discussing next-steps to ensure our conservative values are fairly represented in D.C.,” she concluded.

At least three lawmakers, including Lucas, said they didn’t use taxpayer dollars to fund the trip. All lawmakers are allowed to claim one trip annually, though communications staff with the Republican caucuses said they didn’t know who might file for that reimbursement.

From the airport

Earlier Tuesday morning, as Republicans potentially caught flights to the nation’s capital, Democrats urged their counterparts to resist Trump’s redistricting push at a “Sayonara, Sellouts” press conference held at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, shared that lawmakers would receive roughly $213 per day for a special session, a higher rate than their typical non-session pay. Across all 150 legislators, that would be a nearly $32,000 daily expense for food and housing. That doesn’t include mileage.

Hunley called on her Republican colleagues to forgo not only their travel stipend for the Washington D.C. trip, but also their allowances during a special session.

“It’s time to put your money where your mouth is, not just the taxpayers’ dime,” Hunley said. “At a time when our state budget is already crunched, it is so irresponsible to ask our taxpayers to foot the bill.”

Additionally, outside legal counsel might be needed if the maps are challenged in court. Attorney General Todd Rokita vowed to defend any new maps in a Tuesday release.

The gathered Democrats seemed confident that a lawsuit would be necessary if proposed maps divvy up Marion County’s 7th Congressional District. It’s the state’s most racially and ethnically diverse district, with less than half of residents identifying as white.

“I don’t see that Republicans will be able to get nine Republican districts without carving up the minority votes in the minority districts,” said Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis.

Pryor asserted that District 7 was already drawn in a way to advantage Republicans, who shaped the district to include the upper two-thirds of Marion County, rather than the bottom two-thirds, in 2021. She said that was done to shore up Republican support in the 5th District north of Indianapolis, which was turning purple prior to the change.

Democrats openly wondered if Hoosier Republicans felt financial pressure, noting that Indiana is the third-most reliant state on federal funding. They also referenced newly released polling indicating that most Hoosiers oppose mid-decade redistricting.

But Pryor didn’t think it would be enough.

“I think we will go into a special session; I think that Republicans will fall in line; and I think that we will have to have a lawsuit,” Pryor said. “… (but) I hope that they have backbone, and I hope that they can come up with the courage to say no to Donald Trump.”

At the Statehouse

Hundreds of irate Hoosiers rallied behind the Indiana Statehouse Tuesday evening, booing Indiana’s Republican U.S. representatives — all seven professed their support last Monday — and cheering for the smattering of GOP state lawmakers who’ve come out in opposition.

“We want to thank the elected officials who are actually standing up to incredible pressure from D.C. to change these maps mid-decade,” Indiana Conservation Voters Executive Director Megan Robertson said, to cheers from the crowd.

“We’ve had about 10, 11 Republicans come out publicly, too, saying they don’t want it, so we need to thank them — and keep that backbone! Be strong!” She continued. “They’re doing what’s right, and we need them to know that we’ve got their backs.”

Speakers repeatedly denounced the effort as “cheating.”

The president and his supporters “know that they can’t run on merit because their ideas are terrible,” MADVoters Indiana Executive Director Amy Courtney said. “… If you can’t win on merit, what do you do? Well, if you’re Donald Trump or his sycophant, (Gov.) Mike Braun, or any of the MAGA Republicans, apparently, the answer is, you cheat!”

Courtney called on attendees to “resist,” adding, “Don’t give them the privilege of your apathy. Don’t tune out. Take action today to use your voice and demand fair elections, because there can be no cheaters in a democracy.”

The Rev. David Greene, president of the Concerned Clergy of Greater Indianapolis, noted the effort may target Indiana’s only Black member of Congress — Democratic Rep. André Carson — and the votes of those he represents.

“We must call it what it is: modern day voter suppression,” Greene said. “It’s being done with software instead of segregation. It’s being done with district lines instead of a poll tax. … Sixty years ago, the Voting Rights Act was signed because people marched; they bled and died for the right to be counted. Now, in 2025, some want to reverse that progress.”

He, like other speakers and attendees, blamed out-of-state influences.

“Gov. Braun, let me speak clearly and directly to you,” Greene said. “This is not Texas. This is not Florida. This is Indiana. We don’t need Washington insiders telling us how to draw our lines or silence our neighbors.”

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post Indiana Republicans go to Washington D.C., critics rebuff redistricting push appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

The majority of Statehouse Democrats opposed the 2025 budget — crafted over four months and passed by Republicans early Friday morning — decrying unvetted last-minute additions and cuts.

For chief House budget architect Rep. Jeff Thompson, the budget was one that “lives within our means” following a grim financial forecast the week before.

House Speaker Todd Huston gave a robust defense — and rare floor appearance — in favor of the legislation after nearly two hours of debate.

“This budget does so much. It continues to invest in K-12 education in every way. Even with a surprise shortfall in revenue, we made sure we protected K-12 and we did that,” said Huston, R-Fishers. “… House Bill 1001 builds on … what’s taking place in Indiana. It builds on that success. When we see a challenge — and when we get a challenge — we meet it and we excel through it.”

Democrats largely opposed the measure, citing the lack of funds for child care and Medicaid waiver waitlists while wealthy Hoosiers get tax dollars to send their children to private schools.

“This budget doesn’t just keep our government running, it impacts the real people — the Hoosiers — that are depending on us. They’re counting on us to pass a budget that, yes, will get balanced. But, more importantly, one that reflects their needs and values,” said Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton. “… Unfortunately, this budget falls short of that.”

Included in the last version of the budget is an expansion of school choice voucher eligibility, meaning that even families earning more than $220,000 — an estimated 3,000 students — will qualify.

One member from each party crossed caucus lines in the House, but it moved out of the chamber on a 66-27 vote.

The bill fared roughly the same in the Senate, where two Republicans voted against the proposal but one Democrat supported it, for a final vote of 39-11.

It now moves to Gov. Mike Braun for his signature.

Democrats lament funding shortfalls

The budget didn’t only impact K-12 education, but also the state’s various higher education institutions.

Rep. Matt Pierce, a Democrat from Bloomington, railed against last-minute language, slipped in without public testimony, that would give Braun complete control over the Indiana University Board of Trustees.

Other provisions would require reviews of tenured professors for productivity and publicly posted syllabi.

“April 24, 2025, is a date that will live in infamy,” said Pierce, who is employed by IU. “The faculty of our state universities were suddenly and deliberately attacked by the Republican supermajority.”

Rep. Chris Campbell highlighted another $1 million budget cut to a housing first program. Those dollars caused homelessness rates to drop by 14% in 2017, she said.

“Without this program our communities rely on to assist the unhoused, we should expect homelessness to not only continue but to likely increase,” said the West Lafayette Democrat. “I don’t understand how a legislature that has spent a lot of this session trying to criminalize homelessness is now trying to eliminate the one tool we have been using since 2017.”

The latter portion refers to an effort that would crack down on homelessness by making “street camping” on public property a crime. That language appeared in a handful of different bills but didn’t cross the finish line before the legislators left Indianapolis.

Rep. Carey Hamilton, D-Indianapolis, criticized the elimination of public broadcasting and trails funding. She said she would have supported cuts to the line items in light of the state’s finances, but “zeroing out these programs is a mistake that tells us they may never come back.”

But the narrowed eligibility for subsidized child care would make the shortage of options for parents worse, not better, she said.

“We can’t afford to make that cut in this budget. This is actually, exactly the moment we should be stepping up our investment in child care. Or, at least maintaining it,” she said. “But, instead, this budget steps back, choosing to invest in the wealthiest who don’t need it instead of those who do.”

In response to Democratic concerns in the Senate, Sen. Ryan Misher, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure builds for the future.

“I know there’s really no one going home feeling like they had a big win here — not a year that anybody would feel like it’s a big win,” concluded the Mishawaka Republican. “I think the best way to look at it is that it could have been much worse.”

Republicans add their concerns

While no House Republicans other than Thompson and Huston spoke on the budget, a handful of Senate Republicans chimed in — including two with several qualms.

Sen. Mike Young criticized his fellow Republicans for adding “14 pieces of language that have nothing to do with the budget,” including language on carbon sequestration. He also bemoaned individual line item increases while taxes on gas continue to grow.

“There’s all kinds of things in this current budget,” said Young. “… I think I would’ve looked at more of the cutting than I would about more of the spending which they did.”

Additionally, cigarette taxes will increase by $2 per pack, with proportional increases for other forms of tobacco. Those dollars will bring in an estimated $850 million in the next biennium.

Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said he was struggling to support that tax increase but focused on the positives.

“There’s too much good in there to not vote for this budget,” he said.

While Young voted against the measure, Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, supported it — despite her reservations.

“We don’t have enough money for health care and for Medicaid, but we can give a millionaire a voucher to send their kids to private school. It’s unconscionable,” said Becker. “… But the biggest thing I’m disappointed in is the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the fact that we didn’t fund it.”

That line item was $6 million in the last budget cycle. First Lady Maureen Braun has vowed to raise those funds.

The post Republicans finalize $44 billion budget, while Democrats point to missed opportunities appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

After days of silence, Gov. Mike Braun gave a thumbs up on a significant property tax amendment minutes before Republican leaders brought it to the House floor.

The measure passed on a 70-27 vote along party lines.

Braun made property taxes a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, and had been conspicuously quiet after House leaders unveiled their plan Friday.

“I am grateful for the leadership of (House) Speaker Todd Huston and (Senate) President Pro Tem Rod Bray and for the ways they have partnered with us to deliver this meaningful tax relief to Hoosiers,” Braun said in a statement shared to X. “I encourage House members to support this amendment and urge the Senate to then take action quickly to get it to my desk for signature.”

The new version of  Senate Bill 1 will increase a credit applied to all homeowner bills to 10% or a maximum of $300, cumulatively saving homeowners $1.4 billion over the next three years. An earlier version had a $200 cap and saved homeowners $1.1 billion over three years. Additionally, the amended property tax bill softens its business personal property tax cuts and further drops local income tax limits.

“This amendment makes a good bill even better and provides even more relief to homeowners,” said Lizton Republican Rep. Jeff Thompson, who authored the amendment.

Thompson, who also sponsored the underlying Senate motion, said that two-thirds of homeowners will see reduced bills in 2026 when compared to 2025.

But Democrats again urged caution when voting on the large bill without knowing the full fiscal impact. The Legislative Services Agency doesn’t release fiscal notes on amendments until they are adopted.

“I just can’t vote on something that has so many uncertainties,” said Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis.

Democratic pushback

A handful of Democrats spoke against the amended bill, many of whom mentioned the changes to the business personal property tax as a major concern. Currently, small businesses with less than $80,000 in such property — which can include equipment, billboards and more — are exempt.

Before Wednesday, Senate Bill 1 would have halted the charge on purchases after this year, meaning the revenue to municipalities would gradually fall.

A 2024 study from the Indiana Chamber found that exempting the tax on new business personal property would reduce revenue by $1.2 billion for the state while eliminating the depreciation floor would shave away another $35 million.

In the amended property tax bill introduced on Wednesday, that $80,000 benchmark increases to $1 million next year and $2 million the year after.

“The government officials in our cities and towns (who) are going to be affected have not been in this conversation. There’s still concerns with what we have, even though this amendment does make a little bit better than what we had in committee,” said Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster. “… a lot of elected officials are concerned that they’re going to not be able to have this tool.”

House Speaker Todd Huston made a rare appeal from the floor, urging his colleagues to advance the motion to amend.

“This is historic taxpayer relief. Historic,” said the Fishers Republican. “… This is a complex system. We are making it a better, more transparent system for all — whether you’re a homeowner, a business or a farm. But we are, most of all, making it great for Hoosier families.”

After accepting Thompson’s edit, Republicans batted away over a dozen Democratic attempts to amend the bill, including ones that would grant more relief to renters, a first-time home buyer’s credit and one restricting the personal property tax language to only American corporations.

“The money is tight,” Thompson repeatedly told Democrats, referencing the state’s slim revenue growth predictions for the next two years.

In a statement, House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta called Senate Bill 1 “a tax hike in disguise.”

“Paying up to 4.1% in income taxes to your city and county on top of state and federal taxes is much more than the $300 max in ‘credit’ you could receive off your property tax bill in 2026,” said GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne. “Businesses still get a break, but working Hoosiers get crumbs. This is a bad deal for working Hoosier families, which is why House Democrats voted no on this plan.”

The bill must pass through the House one more time before the Senate takes action. That chamber can opt to accept the amended property tax bill or dissent, which would go against Braun’s wishes for a quick resolution.

Dissenting would send the bill back to a conference committee, where lawmakers would hammer out a final negotiation that both chambers could agree upon.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post Braun gets more savings for homeowners in amended property tax plan appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

Whitney Downard
Indiana Capital Chronicle

Lawmakers introduced yet another plan for property taxes this week, pitching a proposal to save homeowners $1.1 billion over three years.

In comparison, homeowners would have seen nearly $1.3 billion in relief in 2026 alone under Gov. Mike Braun’s previous proposal.

In the atypical Friday afternoon press conference, Rep. Jeff Thompson said that 93-94% of homeowners would see lower property tax bills than they would with no action. But the majority of homeowners would pay less in 2026 than they did in 2025.

“We have two main goals in crafting this bill: deliver immediate relief to homeowners and reform the system to prevent the dramatic spikes in property taxes that we’ve seen in recent years,” said House Speaker Todd Huston. “Our amendment accomplishes both.”

The amendment to Senate Bill 1, set to be introduced on Monday, isn’t yet publicly available. Once adopted by a committee, the Legislative Services Agency will release an estimated fiscal note.

According to the two Republican leaders, all homestead property tax bills will get a 7.5% credit in perpetuity, up to $200, based on a calculation performed after accounting for property tax caps. Fixed-income seniors will see an additional $150 credit while disabled veterans will get an additional $250 credit.

“Now, every single veteran and every single senior will get a benefit if they qualify,” said Thompson, R-Lizton.

But one of the biggest benefits for the average homeowner, Huston said, would be improved transparency for taxpayers, who would be able to assess their bills on a Property Tax Transparency Portal.

“When we do a rate-based and non-levy-based system … I think the normal Hoosier homeowner can understand what their bill looks like. It’s not some algebraic equation,” said Huston, R-Fishers.

The plan for property taxes joins a handful of other efforts, including one from Gov. Mike Braun, Senate Republicans, a House Democrat and a previous Thompson pitch. Each proposal has varying impacts to homeowners and local units of government, which rely on revenue from property taxes to fund public safety, infrastructure and schools.

For instance, Braun’s plan would save homeowners the most money on their property taxes going forward but be a heavy hit to the budgets of school corporations, counties, cities and towns. Alternatively, plans that reduce that revenue loss have a small, nearly negligible impact on homeowner property taxes.

It’s not yet clear what the total estimated impact of those credits will be to local governments. Thompson, the chief budget architect in the House, said most units will still see additional revenue but smaller increases than they would without Senate Bill 1.

“They’re still going to be gaining dollars. If I recall, it’s about a 5.6% gain (under) current law. This will roughly cut that down to a little over 3%,” Thompson said. “So they’re still adding more dollars, just not as many new dollars.”

But Huston cautioned that some units, depending on their circumstances, could see losses simply because of the “complexity of the system,” pointing to local referendums and debt.

Similarly, homeowner tax bills vary significantly depending on a home’s value, the local tax rate and other factors.

“You could have the same home in the same county  — and built in the same year — and you’d have two wildly different property taxes,” Huston said. “… I wish I could stand up here and give you all the bare-bone specifics. I’d love to know what my property tax bill is going to look like in ‘26.”

The proposed amendment would also “rein in” locally held debt, though it’s not yet clear how the General Assembly would accomplish that. House Republicans reported that the state’s 2,000-plus local units of government hold a combined $53.4 billion in debt.

Such calculations will impact local schools, which would get a double-whammy revenue hit with the incorporation of Senate Bill 518 into the plan for property taxes. The current version would require schools to split their revenue with certain charter schools.

Under the new language for sharing property taxes, which isn’t yet available, Huston said changes for schools wouldn’t kick in until 2028 and would be phased in over four years.

Thompson also alluded to changes in the state’s personal business property tax, including a “very, very slow, gradual phase down” for purchases made after Jan. 1, 2025.

It’s uncertain whether the plan will be enough for the Hoosiers calling for relief. Last month, hundreds rallied to push lawmakers to adopt a plan closer to Braun’s proposal, pointing to tax jumps in recent years during the economic fallout of COVID-19.

Democratic Rep. Greg Porter said that big business would still be the winners in a Friday press release, criticizing the plan for not addressing home assessments that increase faster than business assessments.

“With roughly $1.1 billion saved over three years and about 1.9 million homesteads, each homeowner will save an average of close to $575 from 2026 to 2028,” Porter said in a statement. “… With an average property tax bill ranging from $1500 to $3000, a yearly credit of only $200 will fail to make a difference.”

He also denounced the lack of relief for renters as well as an increased reliance on local income taxes for municipalities to backfill losses.

“Our schools will lose money, especially with Senate Bill 518 rolled into the plan diverting property tax dollars to charter schools so the state can pay even less. This plan encourages local governments to raise their local income tax rate, so you’ll get more money in your right pocket but have to pay more out of your left,” Porter continued.

Braun threatened to veto earlier versions of the proposal, citing the need for homeowner relief. Still, Huston seemed comfortable with the current package.

“We feel very good about the trajectory that we’re on and we will continue to work with our partners on this and figure out where the best place to land the plane is,” said Huston.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post House Republican plan for property taxes to save homeowners $1.1B appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

By Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

A bill that could help Indiana absorb nearly three dozen Illinois counties breezed through committee Monday — although a border shakeup appears unlikely.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston’s proposal would create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission tasked with exploring the secession and transfer of counties that have already voted to leave the state of Illinois.

See a detailed map of the Illinois plan below article

Huston said House Bill 1008, part of the majority caucus’ priority agenda, seeks to show disgruntled Illinois residents that Indiana “welcomes” those counties “to consider joining our state.”

“We don’t want to see our neighbors to the west languish. Ultimately, their success or failure affects our own success or failure. But it’s up to them to change their course,” Huston said before the House government committee on Monday. “In the meantime, to Illinois counties and residents feeling unheard and underrepresented, we hear you. We’d like to invite you to come back home again to Indiana.”

A push for Illinois counties to separate has been ongoing for at least a decade but is gaining traction. Since 2020, 33 Illinois counties have passed “advisory referenda” to secede from the Prairie State — with seven of those votes occurring in the November general election.

Local officials — many from rural counties in southern and central parts of Illinois — cited frustrations over high taxes, as well as the wide cultural divide between rural Illinois and urban Chicago.

The referenda language involved the counties splitting off to create a new, 51st state — not joining Indiana. Some who testified at Indiana’s Statehouse still preferred a new state, but several were open to Huston’s idea.

“Our biggest grievance is that we are not represented,” said Gina Merritt, chair of the nonprofit New Illinois, a group that aims to form an entirely new state. “We don’t have government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Our governor accuses us of wanting to kick Chicago out of Illinois. Not so. We want to kick ourselves out of Illinois.”

Huston offering a bill is novel because the House Speaker usually doesn’t author legislation.

‘More in common with Indiana’

The proposed commission would have five appointed Hoosier lawmakers and five appointees from Illinois.

After naming Indiana’s members, Gov. Mike Braun would have to notify Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker that he’s appointed members. The group would hold its first meeting within two months of Prtizker picking members to represent Illinois.

Swapping states isn’t guaranteed — or likely, however.

Illinois would lose federal funding and Republicans would see their bicameral superminorities further shrink, among other potential Prairie State quibbles. But Illinois would need to approve the move, alongside Indiana. Then, it’d head to the U.S. Congress for approval.

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

The post Indiana’s Illinois secession bill passes first hurdle appeared first on News Now Warsaw.