HB 1004 – Small Business Restart Grant Program
Authored by Rep. Shane Lindauer (R-Jasper); co-authored by Rep. Sharon Negele (R-Attica) and Rep. Alan Morrison (R-Brazil); sponsored by Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen)

Establishes the Hoosier hospitality small business restart grant program to provide grants to eligible entities to accelerate economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Establishes the small business restart grant fund. Provides that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) administers the program and fund. Provides criteria for grants. Allows the IEDC to award grants from the fund. Makes a $30 million appropriation.

Chamber position: Support

The latest: On Monday, HB 1004 was voted out of the Senate unanimously (48-0) and returned to the House with amendments. The most noteworthy change is that the Senate version calls for a $60 million appropriation from the coronavirus relief fund. The House had a $30 million appropriation from the state general fund. The House will likely concur with what the Senate approved and therefore avoid sending the bill to a conference committee. In fact, Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) predicts that the House will pass HB 1004 next week, which will send the bill to the Governor’s office.

Indiana Chamber action/commentary: Despite the bill mentioning hospitality businesses specifically, businesses eligible to apply for grants include those in any other industry that have suffered economic harm as a result of the coronavirus disease. This would include, for example, theaters. Per the legislation, eligible businesses may receive up to $10,000 per month with a maximum total grant amount of $50,000.

This bill will go a long way to providing businesses with the bridge funding necessary to get through the tail-end of this pandemic; namely, until enough people are vaccinated and life returns to closer to normal. And signs are pointing in the right direction. On Wednesday, Governor Holcomb announced that all Indiana adults 16 and older will be eligible for the vaccine as of March 31.

Resource: Adam H. Berry at (317) 264-6892 or email: aberry@indianachamber.com