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Indianapolis, IN
Change City

2025 Legislative Halftime Report

Posted on 02/21/25

Legislative Halftime Cover Photo.png

It's halftime for the Indiana General Assembly! It’s been a busy session thus far with the AARP Indiana Volunteer Legislative Team hard at work talking to legislators about bill to help protect the financial future of older Hoosiers. At the same time, Legislative Director, Ambre Marr has been busy testifying on behalf of AARP Indiana in multiple House and Senate committees. See them all in action below!

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With this being a budget year a myriad of bills were filed at the start of the 2025 Legislative Session. Staff and volunteers have kept a close eye on the bills that directly impact older Hoosiers. Below you will find a brief summary of the main bills AARP Indiana has been involved with so far.

Summaries of the bills are provided by the Indiana General Website. For complete information on the bills and to follow the rest of the 2025 Session you can visit the Indiana General Assembly Website.

SENATE BILLS

SB 1 (now includes language from SB 6): Property Tax Relief
Author: Senator Holdman
AARP Indiana Position: Support the SB 6 language and targeted property tax relief portions only.
Status: Passed the Senate: Yeas 37 & Nays 10, Referred to the House.
Summary: SB 1 now includes language from SB 6 that allows counties to establish a program for qualified individuals to defer $100-$500 of their property tax liability annually, up to a total of $10,000. The taxes would be paid back with interest when the home is sold or the estate is settled. Targeted property tax relief (such as the proposed deferral option) can help older residents stay in their homes as they age, preserving housing affordability and stability. A deferral program also offers a balanced approach to the challenge of funding vital community services while providing tax relief to those who need it most.

SB 142: Eviction Issues
Author: Senator Brown
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the Senate: Yeas 49 & Nays 0, Referred to the House.
Summary: This bill mandates that courts must expunge eviction records in certain cases without a hearing. It allows for record clearing if the tenant has paid any money judgment related to the eviction.

SB 317: Health Care Debt and Costs
Author: Senator Qaddoura
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Defeated on Third Reading, Yeas 23 & Nays 26
Summary: The bill requires hospitals to do the following: (1) offer the person who has received health services the opportunity to pay the charges through a payment plan that satisfies certain requirements, (2) develop a written notice about a charity care program operated by the hospital, provide the notice to patients, and post the notice, (3) include certain information concerning financial assistance on a billing statement, (4) requires a hospital that reports an annual gross patient revenue of at least $20 million to provide written notice and information to a person who has requested an eligibility determination concerning a payment plan or charity care.

It provides that the unpaid earnings of a consumer who meets specified income eligibility requirements may not be attached by garnishment in satisfaction of: (1) any amount of health care debt owed or alleged to be owed by the consumer; or (2) any amount of the judgment that represents health care debt determined to be owed by the consumer.

It also provides that: (1) any amount of health care debt owed or alleged to be owed by a consumer; or (2) in an action against a consumer in which a judgment has been entered, any amount of the judgment that represents health care debt determined to be owed by the consumer; does not constitute a lien against the consumer's principal residence for a consumer that meets specified income requirements. The bill provides that in any action filed in Indiana for the recovery of health care debt owed or alleged to be owed by a consumer, the principal residence of the consumer is not liable to judgment or attachment or to be sold on execution against the consumer.

SB 422: Advanced Transmission Technologies
Author: Senator Koch
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the Senate: Yeas 49 & Nays 0, Referred to the House.
Summary: This bill defines "advanced transmission technologies" as tools that improve electric transmission systems. It requires electric utilities to evaluate these technologies in their integrated resource plan (IRP) starting in 2025 and 2029. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) must study these technologies and report findings in 2026. These technologies qualify for cost recovery under certain laws.

SB 513: State Administered Retirement Program
Author: Senator Becker
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Did Not Receive Hearing
Summary: SB 513 establishes the Hoosier Crossroads Retirement Program and creates a board to design and operate it. These retirement savings accounts are for workers of for-profit and non-profit employers with five or more employees who otherwise do not have access to employer-sponsored retirement. Employers would qualify if they have not, in the previous two calendar years, offered a qualified retirement plan to employees. Participating employees would be automatically enrolled at a contribution rate of 5% of wages which would go into a separate account for each member.

HOUSE BILLS

HB 1001: State Budget
Author: Representative Thompson
AARP Indiana Position: Neutral
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 66 & Nays 28, Referred to the Senate.
Summary: The bill appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, K-12 and higher education, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes.

HB 1174: Charges for Supervised Loans
Author: Representative Teshka
AARP Indiana Position: Oppose
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 51 & Nays 46, Referred to the Senate.
Summary: This bill creates new, longer-term loans that are loaded with service fees. For example, on a $4,000 loan, the borrower will pay a $200 service fee every month for the life of the loan, no matter how much has been paid back. This money would be in addition to interest and other charges. The legislation also permits lenders to raise interest rates on very large loans, such as a car loan, up to 36%, compared to the current limit of 25%.

HB 1226: Medicare Supplement Insurance
Author: Representative Dant Chesser
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 94 & Nays 0, Referred to the Senate.
Summary: HB 1226 aims to align Indiana with the 9 other states that have adopted a so-called “birthday rule.” The “birthday rule” in HB 1226 would give Hoosiers a 60-day window, starting on their birthday each year, to switch to another provider without the fear of being turned away due to health conditions.

HB 1297: Motor Vehicle Medical Information Program
Author: Representative Errington
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 94 & Nays 0, Referred to the Senate.
Summary: The bill establishes a voluntary Yellow Dot Program for individuals who wish to have medical information on hand for first responders in case of an automobile accident. Materials include a yellow dot sticker to be displayed on a vehicle and a yellow envelope (including medical information) to be stored in the vehicle’s glove compartment. Other participating states and localities market this program to older drivers. The Yellow Dot program is currently active in 22 states. The cost of a printed packet is between $3.09 and $3.29 each, depending on quantity ordered.

HB 1391: Services for the Aged and Disabled
Author: Representative Clere
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 94 & Nays 0, Referred to Senate.
Summary: This bill amends the definition of "community and home care services" for purposes of Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled Program (CHOICE). This bill prohibits the Division of Aging (Division) from requiring a CHOICE provider to be certified under a Medicaid waiver program. It requires a local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to prioritize CHOICE funding to identify specified individuals and provide community and home care services to these individuals. It requires the Office of the Secretary of Family and Social Services (FSSA), in negotiating reimbursement rates for CHOICE services, to consider the location and availability of service providers.

HB 1587: Insurance Matters
Author: Representative Carbaugh
AARP Indiana Position: Support
Status: Passed the House: Yeas 92 & Nays 0, Referred to the Senate.
Summary: This bill requires health plans to reimburse for emergency medical services that are performed or provided as part of mobile integrated healthcare programs.



Summary
AARP Indiana and the Volunteer Legislative Team will continue to follow these bills as they cross the Statehouse. The upcoming 2025 Legislative Coffee Cart on March 11th is the next time the Volunteer Legislative Team will be back in action at the Statehouse. You can stay up to date on all the legislative happenings by listening to the Legislative Director Talking About Legislative Things Podcast and following AARP Indiana on Facebook, X, and YouTube.

This story is provided by AARP Indiana. Visit the AARP Indiana page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.

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