From the Indiana House Republicans:
New state laws supporting Hoosiers and backed by State Rep. Bruce Borders (R-Jasonville) during the 2023 legislative session are now in effect.
“I’ve met with many constituents who were shocked when they received their local property tax bills this year, and it was clear the legislature needed to act,” Borders said. “We gave flexibility for locals to take action now to save property owners money, and we also made changes that will provide much-needed relief moving forward.”
Most legislation passed during the recent session took effect at the beginning of the state’s new fiscal year on July 1st.
Under the state’s newly passed state budget, taxpayers are expected to save an estimated $430 million over the next two years via tax relief passed during the legislative session. Borders said thanks to the acceleration of individual state income tax cuts, hardworking Hoosiers will have one of the lowest rates in the nation by 2027. Indiana’s K-12 spending makes up about half of the state’s $44.6 billion budget, and lawmakers supported increasing student funding by 10% over the next two years. In addition, parents will no longer pay textbook and curricular fees.
Borders also highlighted the following new laws:
Providing Tax Relief for Homeowners<https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1499/details>
Property tax dollars are collected and spent locally, and help pay for schools, police and fire protection, and other local government services. Borders said to help counter the rise in local property tax bills, the state took action to provide about $100 million in property tax relief for homeowners beginning next year. Hoosiers can expect a temporary increase to the supplemental homestead tax deduction and additional limits on property tax levy growth.
Supporting a Diverse Energy Plan<https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1007/details>
Borders said Indiana’s new statewide energy plan is based on five pillars, including reliability, resiliency, stability, affordability and environmental sustainability. To ensure the dependability of future energy sources, utilities will also have to increase their electric generating capacity to cover demand within their territory even in extreme weather events.
Protecting Children from Harmful Material<https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1447/details>
Hoosier children would not be able to access obscene and harmful content at K-12 public school libraries. Borders said parents and local community members can request content be reviewed for reshelving or removal, and school boards will review requests during their next public meeting. Parents could also appeal a decision.
Visit iga.in.gov<https://iga.in.gov/> to learn more about these and other new state laws now in effect.