Weekly Statehouse update: Property tax debate, improving energy transmission, farmer online portal

A House committee kicks off second-half debate on property tax reform. Legislation aims to help improve energy transmission. And a bill to create an online portal for Hoosier farmers nears the governor’s desk.

Here’s what you might have missed this week at the Statehouse.

SB 1: Property tax relief

Debate on major property tax reform legislation, SB 1, started the second half of session much like it ended the first: Gov. Mike Braun said broad relief for homeowners should be the top priority, while local government and school leaders said significant cuts will blow huge holes in their budgets.

SB 422: Advanced transmission technologies

There’s so much proposed wind and solar energy that there’s not enough power lines to get it where it needs to go. And building out new transmission is expensive. A House committee-approved bill, SB 422, requires utilities to consider “advanced transmission technologies” in their long-term plans — tech that can be added to things like power lines to make them more efficient and reduce congestion.
 

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HB 1149: Agricultural online portal

And a Senate committee unanimously approved a bill, HB 1149, that tasks the Indiana State Department of Agriculture with building an online portal for Hoosier farmers. Farmers would be able to search for necessary government information and learn about state and federal funding opportunities.

Find all the measures we're covering this legislative session on our 2025 bill tracker.
 

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.