Indiana House roads chairman pledges to rework Tesla bill

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – A House committee will make changes to a bill after critics charged that the measure would have blocked car maker Tesla from doing business in Indiana.

House transportation committee Chairman Ed Soliday sponsored the measure. The Valparaiso Republican said Wednesday that he will hash out an agreement with supporters and critics and hold a Thursday committee vote on an amended proposal.

Critics of the current bill say it would force Tesla out of the state. That’s because Tesla sells cars directly to consumers, cutting out third-party auto dealerships.

Tesla says it would have felt an immediate impact from the bill. But Soliday insists that his proposal wasn’t meant to target them.

He says it’s an effort to ensure consumer protections amid massive market changes wrought by the internet.