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Braun says no decision yet on gas tax holiday extension

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WRTV) — Gov. Mike Braun on Monday said he won’t make a decision on whether to extend Indiana’s gas tax holiday until just before his current executive order expires.

The current gas tax holiday runs through July 7. Braun said he is still monitoring the situation in the Middle East and will decide just before that date whether the gas tax will be put back in place.

“With what we saw happening in the Middle East, it did catapult prices down, although there have been a few breaches of the kind of ceasefire, so we’ll see,” he said. “I’ll make that decision right before I need to do it, extend it before the deadline would expire.”

Both Indiana’s use tax and excise tax on gasoline are currently suspended. Data from AAA shows a gallon of regular gasoline costs $3.21 on average statewide, down 12 cents per gallon from one week ago. Braun suspended first the use tax and then the excise tax in April and May, respectively, due to the ongoing war with Iran.

Although a ceasefire is officially now in place, Iran and the United States continue to exchange fire sporadically. One-fifth of the world’s oil is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway separating Iran from Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Braun has previously said if he decides to extend his gas tax order this week, it will be the last time he can do so without legislative approval.