INDIANAPOLIS— Indiana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders assesses the first half of activity as we reach the midpoint of the 2025 legislative session:
“We are encouraged that there is consensus to take additional action to make Indiana an even more attractive climate for employers and the workforce and for simply a better life for Hoosiers. Policies such as making childcare and housing more affordable and accessible, along with initiatives to better align credentials with employer needs, are all moving forward.
“There has been progress on infrastructure legislation to ensure necessary road funding and an adequate supply of reliable energy. There are increased efforts to lift up small businesses and entrepreneurs by establishing the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as critical investments in statewide economic development. Providing further business personal property tax relief will make the state a more attractive destination for investments and new jobs, plus support further investment by Hoosier companies. The Indiana Chamber supports all these efforts and more to bring about economic prosperity and opportunity.”
Property taxes
“The Indiana Chamber commissioned a two-part study last year to assess the state’s tax landscape and then to offer practical recommendations. We will keep working with lawmakers and the Braun administration in the second half of the session to prioritize transparent property tax reforms that balance relief for all taxpayers with the need for strong, sustainable communities.”
While much of the 2025 legislative action has been positive, the Indiana Chamber highlights two missed opportunities:
Cigarette tax increase
“Indiana is an unhealthy state, and one of the big culprits is Hoosiers’ high tobacco usage. This impacts the productivity of our workforce, healthcare costs and future economic prosperity in our state. So, it’s disappointing that raising the state’s very low cigarette tax is again not getting the buy-in needed, especially when you consider that the tax rate hasn’t changed in 17 years and the state has the 11th highest adult smoking rate in the nation. This is something that we should all be able to agree on.”
Energy siting (determining the location and design of clean energy -generating facilities)
“Legislation addressing energy siting unfortunately was sidelined or greatly weakened. Finding a path forward to address local objections that frequently stall development is going to be vital to Indiana maintaining a robust, reliable energy grid. The Indiana Chamber will continue to advocate for a balanced framework that supports the state’s long-term energy and economic goals.”
The Indiana Chamber’s public affairs team is available for interviews and to provide background. Please reach out to Matt Ottinger at mottinger@indianachamber.com or 317-264-7541 with requests.
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