Legislation Page
Veterans Legislation
Veterans Legislation Introduced at the 2023 Indiana General Assembly.
2024 Bills will be added as they receive a Legislative Sponsor (s).
To view the current information on a Veterans Bill below, click on the “Bill #” you want to view.
(Revised 31Oct23 at 1835)
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25 Indiana House Bills introduced for the 2023 Session
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13 Indiana Senate Bills Introduced for the 2023 Session
Additional Renters Deduction for Disabled Veterans. Rep. Torr. Provides an additional deduction of up to $3,000 off Income tax.
Disabled Veterans. Senator Niezgodski. Removes $200K property value cap.
Small Loan Finance Charges. Rep Hamilton. Limits total charges on small loans to 36% APR.
Tuition & Fees Exemptions. Senator JD Ford. Restores remission of fees to 100% for children of disabled Veterans.
Renter’s Deduction for Disabled Veterans. Rep. Aylesworth, Rep. Ledbetter, Rep. Abbott, Rep. Judy. Provides additional deduction of up to $3,000 off Income tax.
Medical Cannabis. Sen. Taylor. Establishes a medical marijuana program and processes.
Income Tax for Military Pay. Rep. Frye. Eliminates Active-Duty military pay over four (4) years from Indiana Income Taxes.
Indiana National Guard Matters. Senator Freeman. Gives TAG courts martial authority. Removes trial by Court-martial as an option in lieu of non-judicial punishment (Article 15). Eliminates confinement as punishment.
State Park Admission to Military Members and Veterans. Rep Bartels, Rep. Judy, Rep Lucas, Rep. O’Brien. Provides free access to state parks and other state facilities.
BMV disclosure of personal information. Senator Tomes. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles (BMV) to disclose to the department of Veterans’ affairs (department) certain personal information included on an application form for a disabled Hoosier veteran license plate, a Purple Heart license plate, a Hoosier veteran license plate, a support our troop’s license plate, and an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plate unless the applicant makes an affirmative statement against the disclosure. Sets forth the purposes for which the personal information may be used by the department.
State Veteran’s Cemeteries. Rep. Frye. Adds Veteran’s Cemetery in Lafayette to state cemetery list. Allows surviving spouses, spouses, children, and parents under certain conditions. Adds “other than dishonorable” category as eligible for this benefit. Adds Reserves, National Guard, and ROTC students to be eligible.
Cannabis Legalization. Senator K Walker. Allows production and sale of Marijuana.
Indiana National Guard Matters. Rep. Jeter. Adds Court martial Authority to The Adjutant General (Tag). Eliminates National Guard Members’ rights to demand a trial by court-martial in lieu of non-judicial punishment. Eliminates Commanding Officer’s authority to confine for eight (8) days a member of their command.
Planning and zoning affecting military bases. Senator Mark Messmer. Allows a unit to establish a military impact zoning district for an area adversely impacted by the effects of military operations. Establishes a state area of interest that is comprised of land within one or both of the following: (1) Within three miles of certain military installations. (2) Within a military impact zoning district. Makes planning, zoning, and development activity (activity) in a state area of interest subject to the military installation commander’s determination regarding the activity’s impact on military operations. Allows a representative of the military installation to serve as a nonvoting adviser to the unit’s plan commission. Requires a lease or real estate sales disclosure form to disclose that the property is within a state area of interest.
Green Alert for Missing “At Risk Veteran.” Rep Gore. Defines “At Risk Veterans” and adds to the existing alert system.
Property tax matters. Senator Rogers. Repeals the property tax deduction for a surviving spouse of a WWI veteran. Makes certain changes to the qualification requirements and amounts for the deduction for individuals who are at least 65 years of age and the additional credit for certain homesteads. Requires the true tax value of a privately owned wastewater facility to be determined by applying the income capitalization approach. Provides that, if the application of the income capitalization method for an assessment year results in a zero or negative assessment, the privately owned wastewater facility is exempt from property taxation for that assessment year. Makes corresponding changes.
Hunting Season for Disabled Veterans. Rep. Abbott, Frye. Adds four (4) day period hunting season for “critically disabled Veterans.
County Service Officers. Senator Ron Alting. Provides that at least 5% of the funds a county receives under the excise tax replacement disbursement to be used to fund county service officers is to be set aside from each individual county’s distribution after the state welfare and tuition support allocation is deducted from the total amount available for apportionment and distribution. Requires a county with more than 2,500 veterans to hire an additional part-time county service officer for every 2,500 veterans.
Military Veterans Teachers. Rep. Frye. Adds military service to a pension of a teacher if the teacher serves as a teacher for at least ten years. Provides temporary teaching license for Veterans if they have no degree for up to four (4) years. Provides mentor for two (2) years to a Veteran teacher under this program.
Childcare for military families. Senator Donato. Allows the family and social services administration to provide grants to assist licensed childcare centers near military bases in obtaining the national accreditation necessary for participating in a federal Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood fee assistance program.
Cannabis. Rep B. Johnson. Establishes a process for the production & sale of Marijuana.
Indiana veteran park entrance authorization. Senators Sandlin and Tomes. Requires the department of natural resources (department) to provide free admission to: (1) members of the armed forces of the United States and veterans of the armed forces of the United States; and (2) the member's or veteran's motor vehicle and passengers; to Indiana state parks, and other department properties. Eliminates provisions that provide that an individual who: (1) is eligible for a disabled Hoosier.
Medical Marijuana. Rep Lucas. Authorizes use of medical Marijuana for seriously ill.
Purple Star Designation. Senator Sandlin and Garten. Requires the commission for higher education (CHE) and the Indiana department of veterans' affairs to develop and implement the higher education purple star designation for the following purposes: (1) To recognize postsecondary educational institutions that are supportive and inclusive of veterans and military connected families. (2) To provide veterans and military connected families with enhanced support for pursuing and finishing a degree or postsecondary credential. Provides that the application for a designation must be made available to interested postsecondary educational institutions on the website of the CHE before May 1, 2024.
Tax Matters Related to Veterans. Rep Pack, Campbell. Eliminates property cap for eligibility. Adds Individual unemployable eligibility adds renter deduction for disabled Veterans.
County or city Service Officers. Senator Pol. Provides that a county executive or mayor of a city may waive certain active duty or residency requirements for a service officer if the unit is unable to find a candidate that meets those requirements.
Taxation of Retired and Active members of USPHS. Rep Pack. Eliminates paying state income taxes for military pay for those serving in USPHS.
Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans. Rep Cherry, Judy. Adds Individually Unemployable to list as being 100% disabled and exempt from Indiana Property Taxes.
Collection of veteran status information. Rep. Chris Campbell. Requires the bureau of motor vehicles (bureau), not later than December 31 of each year, to report to the department of veterans' affairs information maintained in the bureau's data base regarding: (1) an individual's status as a veteran or as the surviving spouse of a veteran; and (2) whether the individual has an indication of the status as a surviving spouse of a veteran on the driver's license, permit, or identification card of the individual. Requires the veterans' affairs commission to provide a list to state and local agencies that interact with the public the following information: (1) Services available to veterans. (2) The names, telephone numbers, websites, and addresses of state agencies that offer services to veterans. (3) The names, telephone numbers, websites, and addresses of other public and private entities that offer services to veterans
Mental health care for veterans with PTSD. Rep. Chuck Moseley. Establishes the returning Hoosier warrior mental health wellness pilot program (pilot program). Provides that the Indiana department of veterans' affairs shall administer the pilot program. Provides that a qualified service member may receive certain financial assistance from the military family relief fund for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Provides that the pilot program is funded by the fund. Requires, for the state fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2023, and ending before July 1, 2024, that the department of insurance deposit $10,000,000 of insurance premium tax collected into the fund.
Mental health care for veterans with PTSD. Rep. Chuck Moseley. Establishes the returning Hoosier warrior mental health wellness pilot program (pilot program). Provides that the Indiana department of veterans' affairs shall administer the pilot program. Provides that a qualified service member may receive certain financial assistance from the military family relief fund for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Provides that the pilot program is funded by the fund. Makes an appropriation to the fund.
Property tax exemption for qualified veterans. Rep. Sheila Klinker. Provides a property tax deduction for an individual or surviving spouse of a veteran who has been rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as individually unemployable.
Tuition and fee exemptions. Rep. Mike Andrade. Provides that certain eligible applicants for higher education cost exemptions are entitled to receive instruction in a state educational institution without the payment of any educational costs. Repeals a provision concerning certain disability ratings, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and educational cost exemptions.
Tax deductions and credits related to military service. Rep. Mike Speedy. Provides a state income tax deduction for a member of an active or reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard who has military income that is attributable to military service while deployed or stationed outside of the United States equal to the amount of income attributable to that military service. Establishes a tax credit for a taxpayer that employs a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard. Requires the taxpayer to submit certain information to the department of state revenue to claim the credit.
Reservist tuition supplement program. Rep. Mike Speedy. Establishes the reservist tuition supplement program (program) and reservist tuition supplement program fund (fund). Requires the commission for higher education to administer the program and fund. Provides that money in the fund is continually appropriated
Finance charges for supervised loans. Rep. Chris Judy. Provides that for a supervised loan that is made under the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) and that: (1) is entered into after June 30, 2023; and (2) is not secured by: (A) an interest in land; or (B) personal property used or expected to be used as the principal dwelling of the debtor; a supervised lender may contract for and receive a loan finance charge not exceeding 36% per year on the unpaid balances of the principal. Retains the current blended loan finance charge (in which different rates apply to different ranges of the unpaid balances of the principal) for the following: (1) A supervised loan entered into before July 1, 2023. (2) A supervised loan that is secured by: (A) an interest in land; or (B) personal property used or expected to be used as the principal dwelling of the debtor; regardless of when the supervised loan is entered into. Provides that, based on information contained in annual composite reports filed with the department of financial institutions (department) by creditors required to be licensed under the UCCC, the department shall publish on the department's website, on an annual basis, a report that contains specified information concerning supervised loans made after June 30, 2023, by no depository licensees during the reporting period covered by the composite reports. Makes conforming amendments to: (1) the UCCC; and (2) the statutes governing: (A) pawnbrokers; and (B) loansharking.
Video gaming terminals. Rep. Chris Judy, Ann Vermilion, Steve Bartels, Justin Moed. Authorizes wagering on video gaming terminals in certain establishments. Establishes a licensing structure for participants in video gaming. Imposes a video gaming wagering tax of 30% of adjusted gross receipts.
Military family occupational licenses. Reps. Chris May and Steve Bartels. Provides that a military service applicant who has held an occupational license, certification, registration, or permit (license) in another jurisdiction for at least one year may qualify for an Indiana license. Removes the requirement that an applicant have a license for at least two of the five years preceding the date of the application. Provides that an applicant may not have a complaint or investigation pending before an occupational licensing board (board) that relates to unprofessional conduct or an alleged crime. Provides that a military member's dependent may apply for an occupational license under the same conditions as a military member's spouse. Requires the board to issue a license to an applicant upon application based on work experience in another state if certain conditions are met. Allows an applicant to appeal a final determination of the board.