Indiana governor signs bill to give taxpayers $200 refund aimed at providing inflation relief

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law Friday aimed at providing Hoosiers relief from inflation.

Senate Bill 2 will give Hoosier taxpayers a $200 refund and will allow Hoosiers who didn't file taxes to claim the credit on next year's taxes.

The taxpayer refund was originally proposed by Holcomb in June. He wanted to give taxpayers a $225 refund using about $1 billion of the state's $6 billion reserves.

He called a special session for legislatures to take action on his proposal starting July 6.

The bill will also put $1 billion toward the state's teacher pension fund.

Senate Bill 2 also caps the state's gas tax at $0.29 through the end of June 2023 and provides a sales tax exemption for children's diapers.

The bill also creates the Hoosier Families First Fund with $45 million. This aims to provide social services for expecting mothers.

“The exemplary teamwork and seriousness of purpose put into each element of SEA 2 is a testament to the elected leaders who helped shape it," Holcomb said in a statement. "I would like to thank Senator Travis Holdman, Chairman Doc Brown, and Representative Sharon Negele and the many other members from both sides of the aisle who contributed to the strength of the final product."

State Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, said while he made an amendment to fund other areas, like K-12 education and maternal health, he voted for the bill to provide some help to Hoosiers.

"While I'm disappointed that my proposals were voted down by the Republicans, I'm proud to always champion real solutions to chronic challenges impacting Hoosier families. I will always prioritize Hoosiers' best interest at the heart of every piece of legislation," Qaddoura said in a statement.

House Speak State Rep. Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said House lawmakers "did what's right by taxpayers" to pass the bill.

"Our state's economy continues to outperform expectations, and we’ve shown that we can pay down debt, make critical investments, and responsibly return tax dollars to hard-working Hoosiers," Huston said. "We look forward to continuing this positive momentum as we head into the next legislative session in January."