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Committee advances broad SB 4: utilities, hospital exemptions, HCBS asset limits and local tax items
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Summary
The committee approved Amendment 38 to Senate Bill 4 with a range of cleanups and policy changes (utilities floor, tax credits, library thresholds, local food‑and‑beverage tax authority), adopted Representative Green's amendment raising HCBS asset limits, and passed the bill unanimously.
The Ways and Means Committee advanced a broad, multipart amendment to Senate Bill 4 that includes revenue, local‑government and policy cleanups and also adopted a separate amendment raising asset limits for certain home‑and‑community‑based‑services (HCBS) recipients.
Representative Snow described Amendment 38 as a cleanup package: it addresses certified tech‑park designation changes, library budget review thresholds, consolidation authority for Delaware County hospitality funds, disannexation procedures, administrative‑rule review by the budget committee, reporting changes for community mental health centers, commitments from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for redevelopment tax credits, targeted allocations to a small‑town opportunity initiative, a proposed 1% food‑and‑beverage tax for the city of Bedford for economic development, student attendance adjustments from the February snowstorm, SNAP vendor app requirements and a restoration of a 30% floor for certain utilities. "This is simply clean up language," Snow said.
Representative Green offered Amendment 10 to raise HCBS asset limits. Green said existing limits ‘‘are cripplingly low’’ and described the increase from $2,000 to $5,000 for individuals and from $4,000 to $10,000 for married couples as removing a marriage penalty and improving financial stability for recipients. "So what this amendment does is raises that to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a married couple," Green said. Members asked whether the change affects the primary‑residence exemption; Green said it does not, and the amendment was taken by consent.
Members pressed Snow on the utilities language and whether rate savings would be passed to ratepayers; Snow said utilities requested the 30% floor and that, in time, costs should be reduced and could pass through in rate cases, but precise mechanics (and IURC involvement) require follow up. Other members pressed why nonprofit hospitals were singled out for a proposed change to property‑tax exemption rules; sponsors responded that the bill targets large systems as an incremental first step.
The committee moved to pass SB 4 as amended; the chair announced the bill "passes out 24 to 0." The amendment package and the HCBS asset‑limit adjustment will now move with the bill to the next stage of the process.
Provenance: summary based on Representative Snow's description of Amendment 38, Representative Green's Amendment 10 presentation and the final roll call announcing unanimous passage (transcript evidence listed in provenance).
