Men and women in the armed forces not only work to protect our freedoms, but are also excellent employees possessing a variety of talents and skills. Our state can always benefit from trained military members settling here, and that’s why I'm supporting legislation to make Indiana even more attractive to call home.
By offering a complete state income-tax exemption for military pay earned by active-duty members, we can incentivize more service members to proudly call themselves Hoosiers. The legislation I co-authored would start with a 25% income tax exemption on military pay in 2024, followed by a 50% reduction in 2025 and a 75% reduction in 2026, and end with a full exemption by 2027. With other states, including Michigan and Kentucky providing tax exemptions, it's time for Indiana to "fall in."
In a state with more than 85,000 unfilled positions, mostly due to the lack of skills to meet the demand, we need to take action now to keep military members and their skills here. Already, Indiana exempts military pay for active reserve members and the National Guard, and It's time to offer this well-earned incentive to these men and women in uniform.
This step would not only incentivize more active-duty military members to call Indiana home, but would also reflect our gratitude to those who put their lives at risk to protect our freedoms. They deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets, where it belongs.
As a former Marine, I will always advocate for our military members, veterans and their families. After receiving unanimous support in the Indiana House of Representatives, House Bill 1034 is now in the Senate's hands, where they will hopefully "fall in."
To learn more and follow legislative proceedings, be sure to visit iga.in.gov. To all of the military members and veterans living, working and raising families here, thank you for your service.
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State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) represents House District 69,
which includes portions of Bartholomew, Jackson, Scott and Washington counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
