Baird ready for second half of General Assembly

With the halfway point already in the rearview mirror, Greencastle Republican Beau Baird is ready for the second half of the 2025 Indiana General Assembly session. 

"The first half of the session has gone well. A large percentage of my bills have passed, most with unanimous or near unanimous support, and I was honored to be appointed as chairman of the Environmental Affairs Committee," Baird told The Putnam County Post. 

Much of the first half was spent working on passing a "strong, responsible budget," according to Baird, while the Senate worked on Senate Bill 1, which addresses property tax relief. 

"Now that Senate Bill 1 has come over to us, we will spend much of the second half reviewing and refining it," Baird said.

Property tax relief is something he has heard a lot about from constituents, while he has met with mayor of various towns and cities, including Greencastle Mayor Lynda Dunbar about what potential cuts in property taxes could do to local municipalities. 

"Last week, I met with the mayors of Greencastle and Crawfordsville to discuss how SB1 could impact our local communities. That was my first look at the Senate's final version, and I expect we will have plenty of discussion and adjustments as we work through it in the House. Property taxes are a top concern for Hoosiers, and we want to make sure any relief is both meaningful and sustainable," Baird said. 

Will the General Assembly provide a win for both residents and local governments when it comes to property taxes?

"I think we can take an important first step this session by addressing the unexpected spikes in property taxes and creating more consistency for homeowners. That, alone, would be a win for residents. However, a full, meaningful overhaul of the system is going to take more time than one session allows," Baird said.

The veteran lawmaker said the biggest thing that needs to happen is a stop to "sharp, unforeseen increases," and then using summer study committees to take a deeper dive into long term relief. 

"With more time to hear from experts and fully evaluate the impacts, we can craft a solution that provides relief while ensuring local governments have the resources they need to serve their communities," he said. 

As for the budget, Baird, who no longer serves on the Ways and Means Committee due to becoming a committee chair, said there were "significant" challenges in this year's budget process. 

"I know the committee worked tirelessly to craft a responsible budget despite significant challenges. Ensuring we fund essential services, including addressing issues at FSSA, was a top priority. There's always more we wish we could do, but maintaining a balanced budget and protecting Indiana's AAA bond rating is critically important. Fiscal responsibility has been a key part of our state's success, and this budget reflects that commitment while still investing in the services our communities rely on," Baird said. 

With the second half underway, Baird said he is focused on getting pieces of legislation given to him by the Senate passed through the committee process. 

"Then, secondly, focus on property tax reform," Baird said.