Ways and Means roundup: committee clears several bills, holds Gary hold-harmless discussion and advances quantum corridor measure

The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee considered a broad set of bills affecting local government finance, scholarships, property-tax technical changes and a proposed quantum research corridor, taking votes on several measures and deferring further action on a high-profile hold-harmless set of payments for the City of Gary.

Notable committee actions

- House Bill 1113 (fire protection district purposes): Passed out of committee 23–0. The bill expands the permissible purposes for which a fire protection district may be established, to include fire-based emergency medical services and hazard prevention.

- House Bill 1142 (technical date change): Passed out of committee 23–0. The bill makes a single-date change from 2025 to 2026.

- House Bill 1326 (scholarship and transition-to-teaching adjustments): Passed out of committee 14–9. The bill lowers the age eligibility for a school scholarship program from 4 to 3 and removes an income eligibility requirement for an…