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SB 242INDIANASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Senate Bill 242 Authorizes New Haven Innkeeper's Tax and Updates Hamilton County Tourism Funds

Original title: Innkeeper's tax.

Last action · January 28, 2026: First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and MeansSponsors: Travis Holdman and 4 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Senate Bill 242 authorizes the city of New Haven to levy an innkeeper's tax of up to $5 per night on short-term lodging and restructures tourism and capital funds for Hamilton County and specific cities effective July 1, 2026.

Background
  • Innkeeper's taxes are local option lodging excise taxes levied on short-term rentals and used primarily to fund local tourism and convention promotion. context
  • The Indiana General Assembly considers various county and municipal tax amendments during its regular legislative sessions. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

New Haven Lodging Operators

Hotels, motels, and other lodging providers in New Haven must collect and remit the new flat-rate nightly innkeeper's tax.

Directly affected

Hamilton County Municipalities (Noblesville, Carmel, Fishers, Westfield)

Directly affected

Department of State Revenue

The department is required to collect the local tax if applicable and provide summary tax data to local officials within ten business days.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is subject to the new innkeeper's tax in New Haven?
Anyone renting a room, lodging, or accommodation for less than 30 days in a hotel, motel, inn, or similar facility within New Haven, unless exempted as a student or long-term guest.
How are excess innkeeper tax revenues distributed in Hamilton County?
Revenues generated by a tax rate exceeding 5% are distributed in equal 25% shares to the city fiscal officers of Noblesville, Carmel, Fishers, and Westfield.
What is the maximum flat rate allowed for New Haven's innkeeper's tax?
The flat rate amount per night cannot exceed $5.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the Senate · in House committee.

Procedural history

14 actions
  1. Jan 28, 2026HouseIntroduced
    First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and Means
  2. Jan 27, 2026Senate
    Referred to the House
  3. Jan 26, 2026Senate
    Cosponsor: Representative Lopez
  4. Jan 26, 2026Senate
    House sponsor: Representative Judy
  5. Jan 26, 2026SenateFloor
    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 81: yeas 37, nays 7
  6. Jan 22, 2026Senate
    Amendment #5 (Baldwin) prevailed; voice vote
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. Jan 22, 2026Senate
    Amendment #2 (Holdman) prevailed; voice vote
  2. Jan 22, 2026Senate
    Amendment #1 (Holdman) prevailed; voice vote
  3. Jan 22, 2026SenateFloor
    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
  4. Jan 20, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
  5. Jan 15, 2026Senate
    Senator Ford J.D. added as coauthor
  6. Jan 13, 2026Senate
    Senator Baldwin added as second author
  7. Jan 8, 2026SenateIntroduced
    First reading: referred to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy
  8. Jan 8, 2026Senate
    Authored by Senator Holdman

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Travis HoldmanSenate · District 19RepublicanAuthor
Scott BaldwinSenate · District 20RepublicanAuthor
Chris JudyHouse · District 83RepublicanSponsor
J.D. FordSenate · District 29DemocraticCoauthor
Danny LopezHouse · District 39RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Municipal Lodging Tax Authority

The legislation grants New Haven direct authority to levy a flat-rate lodging tax and updates distribution mechanisms for Hamilton County tourism revenues.

New HavenHamilton CountyDepartment of State Revenue

Connected Entities

Hamilton County, Department of State Revenue, New Haven and 9 more
locationHamilton County“County with revised innkeeper's tax distribution rules”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of State Revenue“State agency tasked with tax collection and data provision”Map →
locationNew Haven“City authorized to impose a new innkeeper's tax”Map →
PersonChris Judy“Representative co-author for Senate Bill 242”Map →
locationCarmel“City receiving a share of excess innkeeper's tax revenue”Map →
locationNoblesville“City receiving a share of excess innkeeper's tax revenue”Map →
locationWestfield“City receiving excess innkeeper's tax revenue”Map →
PersonJ.D. Ford“Senate co-sponsor”Map →
PersonScott Baldwin“Co-author Senator for Senate Bill 242”Map →
locationFishers“City receiving a share of excess innkeeper's tax revenue”Map →
PersonDanny Lopez“Representative co-sponsor”Map →
PersonTravis Holdman“Senator who authored Senate Bill 242”Map →

Sources

Open source document

iga.in.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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