The Indiana General Assembly adjourned three days before deadline and very early last Saturday, March 10 at around 2:00 a.m. We were able to pass multiple pieces of legislation that will greatly benefit all Hoosiers and their families. In order to help low income families contend with rising energy costs, House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1141 will restore the tax credit for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP helps disadvantaged households pay heating bills by exempting them from having to pay the state sales tax on energy consumption. When temperatures dip below zero, having enough money to pay the utility bill literally saves lives. Although the tax exemption for LIHEAP expired in 2009, HEA 1141 reestablishes the credit for fiscal year 2012. Federal appropriations fund the program, which helped nearly 200,000 Hoosiers in 2010, by reimbursing the state for the loss in tax revenue. To qualify for assistance, a family of four must have an annual household income of $33,075 or less. The benefit applies only to energy costs related to the heating or cooling of residences. The purpose of this legislation is to help Hoosiers and their families stay warm in their homes. To help Hoosiers with delinquent property taxes avoid a tax sale, HEA 1090 will allow county treasurers to set up a payment plan with a taxpayer. If a taxpayer complies with the agreement to pay off overdue taxes, the county auditor will remove the property from a tax sale. Many people have had trouble keeping up with their taxes due to the difficult economy. This plan helps the government collect the property taxes it needs to offer vital services, while allowing people keep their homes and businesses. HEA 1090 further gives county councils the option to establish an amnesty period for fees on late property taxes that were due prior to 2012. If a taxpayer catches up on all delinquent property taxes by July 1, 2013, penalties and interest will be forgiven. The bill also states a county may sell a property in a tax sale once the minimum bid reaches 75 percent of the property’s assessed value. This helps alleviate the burden on counties to maintain properties where overdue taxes exceed the value of the property. The goal of this legislation is to give Hoosiers the breathing room they need to hold onto their house and businesses. The General Assembly also took a hard stance against synthetic drugs with HEA 1196. Recently, criminal drug manufacturers have taken advantage of a loophole in Indiana’s drug laws by selling certain chemical compounds known as ‘bath salts’. The sole purpose of these designer drugs is to circumvent our laws and sell dangerous compounds legally. HEA 1196 closes the loophole by defining additional compounds as synthetic drugs. To avoid similar situations in the future, the ban also includes substances with a similar chemical structure to synthetic drugs. Compliance is encouraged by increasing the penalties for dealing in synthetic drugs and by revoking the retail license of a business owner convicted of selling synthetic drugs. The Indiana House of Representatives addressed many issues facing Hoosiers this year. I’m looking forward to researching additional problems and finding possible solutions in the months ahead. I value your input and can be reached by phone at 317-232-9769 or by email at h78@in.gov. Thank you for your support as we work together to improve southwest Indiana.
-30- Crouch Capitol Connection, Strong finish to session benefiting all Hoosiers, 3-16-12.doc |
