Budget & Taxes

Authorizes the city of New Haven to impose an innkeeper's tax at a flat rate that does not exceed $5 per night. Amends provisions regarding distribution and uses of the Hamilton County innkeeper's tax. Makes corresponding changes to statutes concerning innkeeper's tax administration.

Allows a county to adopt an ordinance to impose a county option gasoline tax. Specifies procedures for imposition and collection of the county option gasoline tax. Provides that a county may not concurrently impose a county option gasoline tax and a: (1) county wheel tax; and (2) county vehicle excise tax. Specifies requirements for a municipality within a county that wishes to receive a distribution of revenue from the county option gasoline tax.

Allows the legislative body of a county and certain cities to adopt a resolution to place a referendum on the ballot to impose a local preschool referendum tax levy (levy) to fund administration of a preschool program and provide tuition and other assistance. Allows a unit to impose a levy if approved by a majority of the voters. Provides that voters may not approve a levy that is imposed for more than eight years. Specifies procedures for the referendum. Provides that a unit that imposes a levy must establish a preschool education program and a local preschool education referendum tax levy fund.

Provides that a county board or assessing official shall not enter a property to conduct a physical inspection without first receiving the permission of the taxpayer to enter the property. Provides that under specific circumstances, that an individual may serve as a tax representative of any taxpayer concerning property subject to property taxes. Changes the expiration date for the county option circuit breaker tax credit. Describes elements that must be included in a report that must be prepared by the department of local government finance and presented to an interim study committee regarding automated valuation systems.

Specifies additional conditions pertaining to the use of secret ballot elections in unionization efforts and employee personal contact information that an employer must comply with to be eligible to receive a tax credit, tax deduction, grant, loan, or loan guarantee (job creation incentive) from the Indiana economic development corporation (IEDC). Requires the IEDC to enter into a separate agreement with a recipient of a job creation incentive to recover the value of the job creation incentive if the recipient does not comply with the conditions added by the bill. Specifies the term of the separate agreement in relation to the value of the job creation incentive. Requires the IEDC to investigate reports of noncompliance with the conditions added by the bill during the period when the separate agreement is in effect and to provide those findings to the office of the attorney general for the initiation of proceedings for recovery of job creation incentives.

Cancels a 2023 loan or loans from the state of Indiana from the counter-cyclical revenue and economic stabilization fund for the purpose of providing funds to be applied to refunding certain bonds of the city of Hobart and the city of Hobart redevelopment district and offsetting property tax revenue shortfalls incurred and to be incurred by the city of Hobart. Provides that the city of Hobart is not required to make any further payments to the state of Indiana in satisfaction of the loan or loans.

Requires the legislative services agency to perform a fiscal impact analysis for all executive orders issued by the governor within seven days of an order's issuance. (Under current law, this requirement only applies to a governor's declaration of a disaster emergency by executive order.) Provides that if the implementation and compliance costs of a proposed rule are expected to exceed $500,000 (instead of $1,000,000) over a two year period, the publisher may not publish the proposed rule until the budget committee has reviewed the rule. Amends the Pokagon Indiana Education Fund to allow payments to be made to both public and private Indiana institutions of higher learning for the purposes of the fund. Makes the following changes (effective July 1, 2028) regarding community mental health centers (CMHC): (1) Allows a county to meet CMHC funding requirements from any funding source in lieu of or in combination with property taxes but excluding federal funds. (2) Adds provisions concerning the location where certain CMHC services may be provided. (3) Specifies additional items that are required to be reported by a CMHC in its annual report. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on courts and the judiciary the task of undertaking a comprehensive study of all court fees and fines. Allows the budget agency, subject to budget committee review, to use the appropriation to the financial responsibility and opportunity growth fund (fund) in HEA 1001-2025 or augment the fund for the purpose of providing funding to the Child Care and Development Fund voucher program in addition to the uses for the appropriation as authorized in HEA 1001-2025.

Requires a money transmitter (entities licensed under the Money Transmission Modernization Act) to collect and remit an international money wiring fee from senders of a money transmission transaction to a location outside of the United States. Provides an income tax credit to an individual who is a citizen or national of the United States, or an alien who has lawful permanent resident status or conditional permanent resident status, and paid an international money wiring fee during the taxable year. Requires the revenue from the international money wiring fee to be deposited in the state general fund. Includes the international money wiring fee under the definition of "listed taxes" that the department of state revenue is required to collect and administer.

Provides that if the implementation and compliance costs of a proposed rule, provisional rule, or interim rule exceed $100,000 (instead of $1,000,000) over a two year period: (1) the rule cannot be published in the Indiana Register until the budget committee has reviewed the rule; (2) the budget agency and the office of management and budget may not approve any part of the proposed rule prior to review by the budget committee; and (3) in the case of a provisional rule or an interim rule, the governor may not approve a rule prior to the budget committee's review of the rule. Provides that an agency may adopt a rule only if the agency has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the governor that certain circumstances exist. Specifies that provisional and interim rulemaking may be used only under specified circumstances if the combined implementation and compliance costs would not exceed $500,000 for businesses, units, and individuals if effective over a two year period.

Provides a refundable child and dependent care tax credit to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income for the taxable year is not more than 250% of the federal poverty level. Provides that the credit is equal to the lesser of: (1) an amount ranging from $200 to $1,000, depending on the extent to which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds the federal poverty level; or (2) 20% of the taxpayer's employment related expenses.