Indy Chamber Unveils 2025 Legislative Agenda to Accelerate Regional Economic Growth

Focus on People, Place, and Business Poised to Drive Indiana Forward.

The Indy Chamber announced its 2025 Legislative Agenda today, emphasizing bold steps to position the Indy region and the state of Indiana as leaders in economic growth and innovation. The agenda focuses on addressing critical talent shortages, investing in infrastructure, and fueling entrepreneurial opportunities to ensure Indiana remains competitive on a global scale.

“Our region and state have incredible momentum and are poised to take the next big step,” said Matt Mindrum, President and CEO of the Indy Chamber. “With undeniable success in business investment, but more than 140,000 unfilled jobs across the state we have an unparalleled opportunity to attract, develop, and retain the talent that will define our future. Our agenda offers bold, practical solutions to ensure Indiana’s prosperity for generations to come.”

Three core priorities anchor the 2025 Legislative Agenda:

People: Indiana’s talent pipeline must expand to meet growing workforce demands. To address this, the Indy Chamber supports policies to increase funding for graduate retention programs, incentivize workforce participation, and strengthen pathways between education and employment. With only 39 percent of adults holding an associate degree or higher and declining college enrollment, the agenda also champions post-secondary access and work-based learning programs, such as the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway.

Hoosiers’ health is also critical to economic momentum, but Indiana’s ranking as the eighth-highest smoking rate in the nation holds us back and imposes heavy costs. Raising the cigarette tax by at least $2 per pack is a proven way to reduce smoking rates and associated costs, while also generating up to $356 million annually to help close the state’s Medicaid budget shortfall.

Place: The region’s infrastructure is the backbone of its economic health, yet local governments face a $2.4 billion gap to repair roads and bridges. The agenda calls for sustainable revenue streams, including expanded tolling and regionally based tax mechanisms, to be used alongside increased local investments to fund critical infrastructure improvements. Additionally, the Indy Chamber supports transformative projects like the downtown Indianapolis 65/70 redesign to reconnect communities and catalyze development.

Business: While Indiana boasts a strong foundation for entrepreneurship, the state lags behind its peers in new venture creation and available venture capital. The agenda advocates for continued investment in Hoosier startups and optimizing Indiana’s tax environment to encourage business creation and growth.

“Economic prosperity starts with people—talented, diverse, and engaged,” said Taylor Hughes, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff for the Indy Chamber. “Today, people choose compelling places first, then seek employment opportunities at innovative businesses. The 2025 session represents an opportunity for Indiana to prioritize people, place, and business to accelerate our state’s economic momentum.”

The Indy Chamber will work closely with policymakers and community leaders to advance these priorities during the upcoming legislative session. To learn more about the agenda and the Chamber’s advocacy efforts, visit IndyChamber.com.