Veterans Legislative Bills

Veterans Legislation Introduced at the 2023 Indiana General Assembly

Also Search For IGA Veterans Bills Here: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/subject

Indiana Veteran Legislation

As of: Jan 10

Senate Bills

SB 81 – Various Tax Matters

Authored by: Sen. Fady Qaddoura

Committee: Tax and Fiscal Policy

Status:

Provides a property tax deduction for permanently disabled veterans based on the percentage of the permanently disabled veteran’s service connected disability. Increases the maximum renter’s deduction for income tax purposes from $3,000 to $6,000 per taxable year.  (Total 82 pages)

SB 136 – Assistance in obtaining veteran benefits.

Authored by: Sen. Jim Tomes

Committee: Veterans Affairs and the Military

Status:  Withdrawn by the Author.  See SB 231

SB 163 – Various Property Tax Matters

Authored by: Sens. Linda Rogers and Sen. Brian Buchanan.

Committee: Tax and Fiscal Policy

Status:

Eliminates the assessed value cap that applies to the property tax deduction for a veteran who: (1) has a total disability; or (2) is at least 62 years of age and has at least a 10% disability. etal

SB 166 – Eligibility for veteran’s benefits

Authored by: Sen. Mark Spencer

Committee: Veterans Affairs and the Military

Status:

Changes references relating to military discharges to require discharges under honorable conditions. (Current law provides that a veteran is eligible for benefits except under certain conditions designated by the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs.) Excludes references used to determine eligibility for grants from the military family relief fund. 

SB 192 – Military Protection Orders

Authored by: Sen. Cyndi Carrasco.

Committee: Judiciary

Status:

Requires a party to a protective order proceeding to inform the court of any military protective orders issued by a military commander in effect between the parties. Allows a party to file a military protective order as evidence in a protective order proceeding and provides that the court may issue an ex parte protective order based upon this evidence. 

SB 231 – Assistance in obtaining veterans’ benefits.

Authored by: Sen. Jim Tomes

Committee: Veterans Affairs and the Military

Status: Hearing scheduled – Jan 13

Provides that a person may not receive compensation for: (1) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of; or (2) advising, consulting, or assisting an individual regarding; a veterans’ benefits matter, except as permitted under federal law. Provides that a person may not receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to provide services related to veterans’ benefits matters. Provides that a person may not receive excessive or unreasonable fees for services related to veterans’ benefits matters. Provides that a person may not condition the repayment of fees: (1) upon the opening of a joint account with the recipient of veterans’ benefits from which the person may make withdrawals; (2) upon the use of electronic funds transfers; or (3) by requiring an individual to act, in any manner, in violation of federal requirements relating to preauthorized transactions. Provides that a person may not collect, or attempt to collect, any fee for services rendered after receipt of benefits by a veteran or any other individual eligible for the benefits, if the person participated in the veterans’ benefits matter prior to the issuance of veterans’ benefits, and if the transaction was structured with an intent to avoid prohibited acts. Provides that a person seeking to receive compensation for services related to veterans’ benefits matters must, before rendering any services, enter into a written agreement that is signed by both parties and that complies with federal regulations, including all terms regarding the payment of fees for services rendered. Requires a person to provide certain disclosures when entering into a business relationship with an individual or advertising for compensation services. Provides that a violation constitutes a deceptive act under the law concerning deceptive consumer sales and senior consumer protection provisions.

House Bills

HB 1015 – Indiana National Guard

Authored by: Rep. Mitch Gore

Committee: Veterans Affairs and Public Safety

Status:

Provides that the governor may not, with certain exceptions, order a member of the Indiana National Guard to perform any law enforcement duty that may result in the surveillance, apprehension, detention, or arrest of an individual.

HB 1023 – Deduction for surviving spouses of WW I veterans

Authored by: Reps. Cherrish Pryor and Craig Snow

Committee: Ways and Means

Status: 

Restores the property tax deduction available to a surviving spouse of a World War I veteran that was limited to property taxes imposed for an assessment date before January 1, 2025, by SEA 1-2025

HB 1109 – Homeless veterans initiative shelter program

Authored by: Rep. Craig Haggard

Committee: Veterans Affairs and Public Safety

Status:

Establishes the Hoosier homeless veteran initiative for the purpose of providing a means for homeless veterans to have access to temporary shelter during the veteran’s rehabilitation. Provides that the initiative shall be coordinated and administered by the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs (department) in consultation with the Indiana department of health. Requires each homeless shelter with at least 25 beds to reserve at least one bed out of every 25 beds for a homeless veteran. Provides that a homeless shelter or other entity may apply to the department to become a participating shelter. Provides that a participating shelter shall receive grants from the department. Provides that a participating shelter shall provide food and housing and other services prescribed by the department for a participating veteran for a period consisting of the lesser of: (1) two years; or (2) the period necessary for the veteran to complete the requirements necessary for the participating veteran to receive a housing voucher in accordance with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HUD-VASH program. Provides that a homeless veteran who is not married may request to become a participating veteran in a manner prescribed by the department. Provides that the homeless veteran shall not be required to test negative on a drug or alcohol test to obtain initial placement in a participating shelter. Requires that a participating veteran receive services and meet certain requirements to remain eligible for placement in a participating facility. 

HB 1126 – Military family relief fund.

Authored by: Rep. Renee Pack

Committee: Veterans Affairs and Public Safety

Status:

Provides that, for purposes of receiving a grant from the military family relief fund, eligibility criteria shall be based on the financial need of the applicant regardless of the 

applicant’s income or assets. 

HB 1127 – Stay of certain eviction actions against veterans.

Authored by: Rep. Renee Pack

Committee: Judiciary

Status:

Provides that a court shall stay certain eviction actions for defendants who qualify and have applied for housing assistance from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs. 

HB 1128 – Prohibited discrimination in housing.

Authored by: Rep. Renee Pack

Committee: Financial Institutions

Status:

Expands the Indiana fair housing statute to prohibit discrimination on the basis of a person’s: (1) source of income; (2) military active duty status; or (3) veteran status. Defines “source of income”, “active duty”, and “veteran” for purposes of the statute. 

HB 1156 – Veterans property tax deduction

Authored by: Rep. Heath VanNatter

Committee: Ways and Means

Status:

Eliminates the assessed value cap that applies to the property tax deduction for a veteran who: (1) has a total disability; or (2) is at least 62 years of age and has at least a 10% disability.

HB 1168 – Property tax exemption for qualified veterans.

Authored by: Rep. Sheila Klinker

Committee: Ways and Means

Status:

Provides a property tax deduction for an individual, or the surviving spouse of an individual, who has been rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as individually unemployable. 

HB 1187 – Property tax credits for certain veterans.

Authored by: Rep. Chris Judy

Committee: Ways and Means

Status:

Increases the property tax deduction for a veteran who is totally disabled to an amount equal to 100% of the assessed value of the individual’s real property (instead of $14,000). Expires property tax deductions for certain veterans, and, beginning with property taxes imposed for the 2026 assessment date and thereafter, instead provides a property tax liability credit against local property taxes for veterans who previously claimed a deduction. Includes a mechanism to establish an additional maximum property tax liability credit for a veteran who previously claimed a deduction. 

HB 1216 – Hyperbaric oxygen treatment program.

Authored by: Rep. Carey Hamilton

Committee: Veterans Affairs and Public Safety

Status:

Requires the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs to establish and administer a hyperbaric oxygen treatment program (program) to make grants to certain providers to provide diagnostic testing and hyperbaric oxygen treatment to qualified service members. Establishes program requirements. Requires the Indiana department of health to: (1) issue a request for proposals to offer treatment under the program; and (2) adopt rules to implement these provisions, including rules concerning program eligibility, treatment plan requirements, criteria for approving payments for treatment, and confidentiality. Provides that funding for the program is paid from the military family relief fund. Makes conforming amendments related to the sunset of the hyperbaric oxygen treatment pilot program.

HB 1286 – Military protective order.

Authored by: Rep. Ryan Lauer

Committee: Judiciary

Status:

Specifies that a party to a protective order proceeding has a duty to inform the court of any military protective orders issued by a military commander in effect between the parties. Requires the court to consider evidence of a military protective order in effect against a respondent for the protection of the petitioner and allows the court to grant an ex parte order for protection based upon this evidence. 

HB 1343 – Military and veteran matters.

Authored by: Rep. David Bartels

Committee: Veterans Affairs and Public Safety

Status:  Committee Hearing Jan 8. Do Pass

Makes changes to the employment eligibility requirements for employees of the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs (department). Makes changes to the purpose of the military family relief fund (fund). Etal plus 61 pages

HB 1380 – Women veteran recognition day.

Authored by: Rep. Renee Pack

Committee: Government and Regulatory Reform

Status: 
Provides that the governor shall issue a proclamation annually setting apart and designating June 12 as Women Veteran Recognition Day. 

HB 1383 – Military health care personnel pathways.

Authored by: Rep. Chris Judy

Committee: Education

Status:  

Provides that an institution may develop academic career pathways and integrated academic bridge programs (program) for military health care personnel that are designed to enable current and former military health care personnel to achieve credentialing outcomes in reduced time. Creates program parameters and requirements. Requires a participating institution to submit certain program information to the legislative council. Requires an institution that participates in a program to coordinate with the United States Department of Labor and the Indiana department of veterans’ affairs. Provides that the Indiana professional licensing agency shall collaborate with participating institutions to integrate academic career pathways and academic bridge programs for military health care personnel into the agency’s licensure requirements.