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Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith on Saturday called on Gov. Mike Braun to veto a bill that would make major changes to Indiana’s property tax system and said the governor needs to call for a special legislative session to find a better plan.
Senate Bill 1, which has undergone several major overhauls since it was introduced, was approved by members of the House last week after the latest round of edits. Under the newly amended bill, two-thirds of Hoosier homeowners will see cheaper property tax bills in 2026 than in 2025. The proposal is expected to provide $1.4 billion in property relief over three years.
SB 1 is awaiting a final nod from the Senate before it heads to the governor’s desk. Braun has already endorsed the latest version of the bill and is expected to sign it.
But his lieutenant governor has other ideas.
“I’ve been on the phone ALL DAY with Hoosiers and government officials alike talking about the SB1 Property Tax Bill that the legislature is sending to the Governor,” Beckwith posted Saturday on his official X account (formerly Twitter). “NOBODY understands this thing … including me! On that basis alone we can’t let this become law.
“The Gov needs to VETO this thing, call a special session and demand the legislature pass something that the average Hoosier can understand without hiring army of lawyers and accountants!!”
The governor and legislative leaders have for weeks gone back and forth on SB 1’s contents. The bill has gone through two major “strip-and-insert” revisions since it was introduced in January.
The most recent version of the SB 1, which was approved by the House last week and was sent back to the Senate for concurrence, includes a 10% tax credit for all homeowners, including those that hit the state’s 1% tax cap.
For example, if a home’s assessed value is $400,000, the new $300 tax credit and the 1% tax cap would mean a homeowner would not pay more than $3,700. (That number may fluctuate slightly depending on other tax credits or additional tax rates approved by voters at a municipal level.) The bill would also raise the cost threshold of the business personal property tax exemption to $1 million in 2026 and $2 million in 2027. It currently sits at $80,000.
The potential property tax revenue in Indiana’s 92 counties over the next three years is expected to be reduced by more than $1 billion under the plan.
Critics of the bill say local governments will raise income taxes to make up the difference. Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said the bill would allow local governments to raise income taxes by three times more than the amount homeowners would save in property taxes.
After weeks of back-and-forth with lawmakers, Braun endorsed the bill in a Thursday social media post and called on the Senate to act quickly.
“SB1 offers meaningful tax relief for Hoosiers. The plan to CUT, CAP, and REFORM means relief now and systemic changes for the future to protect taxpayers,” Braun posted on X. “Thank you to the House for their hard work and I look forward to the Senate sending this to my desk for signature next week!”
In February, Braun threatened to veto SB 1 after major edits pared back some of the more ambitious pieces of his plan.
If Braun were to veto a bill, the General Assembly could override his decision with a simple majority vote in both the House and Senate.
The governor has the power to call a special session if “public welfare shall require it,” according to Indiana Code. Braun could call back lawmakers for a maximum of 40 days outside the typical session calendar to pass property tax legislation.
Indiana’s last special legislative session was in 2022 when former Gov. Eric Holcomb asked legislators to address abortion after a U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v. Wade. Since 1970, Indiana governors have called 14 special sessions, nine of which have been to finish the biennial budget, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
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