By BLAKE FOGELSONG
Guest Columnist
Running a small business in Noblesville means wearing every hat imaginable. From accountant, marketer, customer-service rep, and sometimes even janitor, I’ve learned to adapt to just about everything.
But one thing I can’t adapt to, no matter how hard I try, is the relentless rise of swipe fees that chip away at every sale we make.
If you own or manage a business, you know exactly what I mean. Every time a customer pays with a card, which is nearly every time, a percentage of that transaction vanishes into a system we don’t control and can’t negotiate. It’s one of the most frustrating, least transparent costs we face, and it hits small businesses the hardest.
That’s why State Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler’s (R-29-Noblesville) House Bill 1215 on swipe-fee practices matters. She listened to the concerns of small business owners, nonprofits, and community leaders who are tired of being squeezed by fees that feel more like a tax on doing business than a service charge. Her bill doesn’t try to overhaul the entire payments industry. Instead, it focuses on fairness and transparency, especially when it comes to charitable contributions, where swipe fees quietly siphon dollars away from the very organizations working to strengthen our communities.
Rep. Shonkwiler deserves credit for stepping into an issue that’s easy for policymakers to overlook but impossible for small businesses to escape. She’s doing exactly what good legislators should do: paying attention to the details that affect everyday Hoosiers.
Now the bill needs a fair hearing.
Speaker Todd Huston has long emphasized Indiana’s commitment to being a great place to do business. Giving this legislation a hearing would be a meaningful extension of that commitment. A hearing doesn’t guarantee passage, but it does ensure that the voices of small businesses, nonprofits, and donors are heard and that the issue gets the thoughtful consideration it deserves.
To my fellow business owners: this is one of those issues that can slip under the radar because we’re all so busy keeping our doors open. But swipe fees hit every one of us, every day, in every transaction. If we don’t speak up, nothing will change.
Pay attention to this bill. Ask questions. Share your experiences. Let lawmakers know how these fees affect your margins, your growth, and your ability to serve your customers. The more they hear from us, the harder it becomes to dismiss this as a niche concern.
Indiana prides itself on being a state that supports small businesses. Addressing swipe-fee fairness is part of living up to that promise. I’m grateful that Rep. Shonkwiler stepped forward, and I hope Speaker Huston will help ensure this legislation gets the hearing it deserves.
If we stay engaged, this is a fight we can win. And with persistence, House Bill 1215 can one day become law.
Blake Fogelsong is the Owner and Director of Operations for Clancy’s Hospitality, as well as an INRLA Board Member.