Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) on Wednesday endorsed Gov. Mike Braun’s decision to extend the state’s gasoline tax suspension for another month, even as the prolonged holiday revives questions about lost road funding and the limits of the governor’s emergency powers.
Braun confirmed Wednesday that he is extending the suspension of both the 7% Gasoline Usage Tax and the Gasoline Excise Tax through July 7. The existing suspension had been set to expire June 7. The governor said the combined relief saves Hoosiers more than 62 cents per gallon.
“Indiana has the cheapest gas in the country because we are using every tool in the toolbox to save Hoosier families money. Affordability is my number one priority,” Braun said. The announcement coincided with AAA figures showing Indiana’s average price for regular at about $3.59 a gallon — the lowest statewide average in the nation and well below the national average of roughly $4.26.
The move marks the latest step in a relief effort that began April 8, when Braun first declared a 30-day suspension of the Gasoline Usage Tax under an energy emergency. He extended the order on May 6, adding the excise tax, and has now extended it again. Huston has said the governor possesses the authority to keep the taxes suspended for additional time before the General Assembly would need to act.
A question of authority
The speaker’s support comes with a legal backdrop that is not entirely settled. Under the energy emergency Braun declared in April, the governor can issue relief for a maximum of 120 days without convening lawmakers. Once that window closes, Braun would have to call a special session of the General Assembly to continue the suspension.
Complicating the picture, state law governing other emergency executive orders bars a governor from renewing or extending a proclamation more than once without legislative approval — a provision that has drawn attention as the suspensions stack up. Huston has suggested the gas tax statute’s wording gives Braun room to continue, but top Republican lawmakers have acknowledged that any further extension beyond the current legal declaration would ultimately require a special legislative session. Leaders have said there has been talk of legislative action but no decisions have been made.
The cost to roads
The relief is not free. Indiana’s gasoline taxes fund road and infrastructure work for state and local agencies, and the suspension represents a loss of more than $100 million a month. Local governments have raised concerns about the impact on roadwork budgets.
Braun has said he would support diverting money from the state’s cash reserves to substitute for the lost revenue, an approach that would protect drivers at the pump while drawing down savings the state has accumulated.
Reaction across the aisle
Republican legislative leaders largely lined up behind the governor. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) said he backed the extension, citing constituent concerns about affordability. “Even though Indiana has one of the lowest costs of living in the country, high gas prices continue to be a major concern for many households across our state, which is why I support the governor’s move to temporarily extend the suspension,” Bray said.
Democrats offered a more critical take. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) said Hoosiers “deserve relief from rising gas prices” but argued the suspension treats a symptom rather than a cause. “Gas prices have risen and continue to rise because of instability in the Middle East and uncertainty in global energy markets,” Yoder said. “Governor Braun is trying to shield Hoosiers from the consequences of policies he and his political allies support. While temporary relief may help today, Hoosiers deserve more than a band-aid after the damage is done.”
What’s next
The current order runs through July 7, and Braun has signaled he is weighing whether to keep the taxes suspended into early August. Whether the relief can continue without lawmakers convening — and how the state will backfill lost road money — are likely to dominate the debate in the weeks ahead. At the federal level, Congress continues to weigh a suspension of the 18-cent federal gas tax, which would deliver additional savings if approved.