The 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly must finish no later than April 29. (Abigail Ruhman / IPB News)
Indiana lawmakers returned to the statehouse this week for the second half of the 2025 legislative session. They still have to finish crafting a two-year budget and address a number of bills that advanced out of committees.
Read more: Indiana’s legislative session hits halfway point
Property tax reform has been a major priority of Governor Mike Braun – and the assembly. Senate Bill 1 would provide some relief to homeowners while seeking to be “responsible” with local governments and schools, which could lose millions of dollars in revenue from the state.
Language in the budget would also create a universal school voucher system. That would mean any Indiana family, regardless of income, could use state funds through the Choice Scholarship Program to attend private, parochial or non-religious schools.
Other education-related bills – there’s more than 30 – would require school districts that have at least 100 students attending a charter school to share their operating funds with that school; require schools to report when students miss more than 10 days of school; revamp the A-to-F grading system; add chaplains to schools; and require school board candidates to declare a political party.
Read more: Senate bill bans DEI in state government, schools
There’s also legislation pertaining to social issues.
Senate Bill 289 would ban any agency or educational institution that receives money from the state from requiring employees to take part in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, training and hiring.
Read more: Advocates say Braun EOs tell transgender Hoosiers: 'You don't belong here'
And House Bill 1041 would ban transgender women from playing in collegiate athletics. Braun signed an executive order this week that lines up with moves at the federal level to ban transgender women and girls from playing sports.
The session must wrap up by April 29.
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