Bill limiting short term rental regulation approved by House

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana House has approved a bill that would limit regulation of short term rentals.

The measure by Republican Rep. Matt Lehman, of Berne, is significantly scaled back from his bill last year. That measure would have drastically curtailed local governments' authority in the matter.

Lehman's current bill would guarantee homeowners the ability to rent out their primary residence on websites like Airbnb.

But it allows for more restrictive regulation on secondary properties. Local governments could create a number of restrictions like setting zoning restrictions, or requiring a permit to rent.

Governments that approved stronger limitations before the start of this year would also be grandfathered in.

Lehman's bill was approved Monday on a 74-19 vote.