HB 1461 Indiana House · 2025 Regular Session

Road funding.

Summary
Makes various changes to provisions concerning roads and transportation. Allows a taxpayer to claim a credit against state income tax liability for certain qualified railroad expenditures and qualified new rail infrastructure expenditures. Specifies the amount of the credit. Limits the total amount of credits that may be allowed in a state fiscal year and provides for the expiration of the credit. Increases the maximum rate a county containing a consolidated city (consolidated city) may impose for the county wheel tax and the county vehicle excise tax and specifies the purposes for which the proceeds of those taxes must be appropriated. Beginning in 2026, lowers the percentage of funds distributed to counties, cities, and towns (local units) from the motor vehicle highway account that must be used for construction, reconstruction, and preservation of a local unit's highways if certain conditions related to pavement quality are satisfied. Amends provisions pertaining to the Indiana finance authority's authorization to issue revenue bonds or notes, including grant anticipation revenue bonds or notes, to finance highway and road construction projects. Allows the Indiana department of transportation (department) to submit a request to the Federal Highway Administration for a waiver to toll lanes on interstate highways. Provides that, if a request for a waiver to toll lanes on interstate highways is granted, the general assembly is not required to enact a statute before tolling may occur. Allocates responsibility for bridges in a county between that county and a municipality based on the size and location of the bridge. Allows a local county road and bridge board to undertake low water crossing projects. Requires the department to ensure that information regarding funding sources for low water crossing projects is made available to county boards of commissioners and county highway departments. Provides that money in the local road and bridge matching grant (matching fund) must be allocated, transferred, and distributed for specified purposes. Specifies the timing of those allocations, transfers, and distributions. Imposes conditions on the allocations, transfers, and distributions made from the matching fund, including, in state fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2027, limitations on the ability of a local unit to apply for a grant in certain circumstances. Allows local units to use grants from the matching fund for low water crossing projects. Reduces the required local matching amounts and increases the population thresholds that apply to certain local units, if the department approves a grant from the matching fund. Restates a provision allocating 50% of the amount available in the matching fund to local units with a population of less than 50,000. Increases the speed limit on Interstate Highway 465. Requires all townships to annually adopt a capital improvement plan, which must include the balance of all unrestricted funds that exceed the township's budget for the following year. Provides that a township must transfer 30% of the amount of the balance of all unrestricted funds that exceed the township's budget for the following year to the township roads and infrastructure fund. Requires a township board to adopt a resolution if favor of providing money for the improvement and maintenance of roads and infrastructure within the township before a township transfers money for such projects. Provides, for purposes of the provisions regarding township capital improvement plans and township roads and infrastructure funds, that unrestricted funds are cash reserves that are not obligated, committed, encumbered, or restricted for specified purposes. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on roads and transportation the study of appropriate road funding formulas. Makes conforming changes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed May 1, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

House Bill (H) House Bill (S) · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill was amended to add a new tax credit for railroad and rail infrastructure expenditures, adjust effective dates for certain taxes, and significantly expand funding provisions for local road and bridge projects. The changes reflect a shift from primarily focusing on county transportation taxes to also supporting rail infrastructure investments while clarifying how tax revenues are distributed between municipalities and counties.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include new tax credit provisions for railroad expenditures and clarified applicability of vehicle excise taxes based on when municipal taxes were implemented.
FISCAL

Added a new tax credit allowing taxpayers to claim credits against state income tax for qualified railroad expenditures and new rail infrastructure expenditures, with annual limits of $9.5 million and $10 million respectively.

Added specific funding allocations including $100 million for matching grants to local units and $50 million transfer to Marion County for secondary street improvements.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date for county vehicle excise tax provisions from July 1, 2025 to January 1, 2025 (retroactive), and updated the bill date from February to March 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that vehicles registered in municipalities where municipal vehicle excise tax was implemented after June 30, 2025 are exempt from county vehicle excise tax.

REQUIREMENT

Changed requirements for local matching amounts and added new provisions requiring townships to adopt annual capital improvement plans.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 15, 2025 · House Feb 20, 2025

How they voted

3810
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 50
Apr 15, 2025
D Democratic10
7 Yea 3 Nay
70% Yea
R Republican40
31 Yea 7 Nay 2
77% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
17
Committee
5
Amendments
11
May 1, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor
executive
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President of the Senate
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President Pro Tempore
upper
Apr 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by the Speaker
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 496: yeas 68, nays 17
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 442: yeas 38, nays 10
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment #8 (Brown L) prevailed; voice vote
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment #2 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment #1 (Crider) prevailed; voice vote
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Amended
Amendment #10 (Pol) failed; Roll Call 414: yeas 15, nays 33
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Amended
Amendment #12 (Young M) failed; voice vote
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Amended
Amendment #11 (Pol) failed; Roll Call 415: yeas 12, nays 35
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Amended
Amendment #9 (Young M) failed; Roll Call 416: yeas 2, nays 47
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment #5 (Young M) prevailed; voice vote
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 249: yeas 72, nays 21
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Amended
Amendment #1 (Andrade) motion withdrawn
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment #2 (Pressel) prevailed; voice vote
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment #7 (Pressel) prevailed; voice vote
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3
lower
4 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors