Indiana House Bill 1639 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: Passed on May 4 2023 - 100% progression
Action: 2023-05-04 - Public Law 251
Text: Latest bill text (Enrolled) [PDF]

Watershed development commissions. Provides that the executives of one or more counties may adopt ordinances designating their counties as members of a proposed watershed development commission and that the proposed watershed development commission is established as a legal entity with the counties as its members if it is recognized by the natural resources commission. Allows a watershed development commission to be established for certain flood damage reduction, drainage, storm water management, recreation, and water infrastructure purposes, but provides that "water infrastructure purposes" excludes any drinking water project in a county or municipality. Requires the natural resources commission, in deciding whether to recognize a proposed watershed development commission, to answer certain questions. Provides that a nonmember county may become a member of an established watershed development commission if its membership is accepted by the member counties and recognized by the natural resources commission. Requires the department of natural resources (department), with the approval of the natural resources commission, to certify the area of a member county that is within a watershed development commission's designated watershed. Provides that a watershed development commission may also have water quality purposes if its board develops a water quality improvement plan that is approved by the natural resources commission. Specifies that a water quality purpose, goal, project, or interstate agreement does not convey water quality regulatory authority to a watershed development commission. Provides for a watershed development commission to be governed by a board that includes: (1) the director of the department or the director's designee; (2) the county surveyor of each county that is a member of the commission and is entitled to membership on the board; (3) an individual other than the county surveyor representing each county that is a member of the commission and is entitled to membership on the board; and (4) either: (A) one individual appointed to represent each second class city that is located in a participating county and within the designated watershed of the watershed development commission; or (B) if a participating county does not include a second class city that is located within the designated watershed of the watershed development commission, one individual appointed to represent the municipality that has the largest population of all municipalities that are located in the participating county and within the designated watershed of the watershed development commission. Requires a watershed development commission to develop a flood damage reduction and drainage plan for its designated watershed. Grants a watershed development commission exclusive authority to perform drainage and flood damage reduction activities within the channel of the river that is the surface water outlet of its designated watershed. Authorizes a watershed development commission to enter into an interlocal cooperation agreement with an existing local governmental authority to apportion flood damage reduction authority and financial support between the two entities. Provides for the funding of a watershed development commission through an annual special assessment that may be imposed against each taxable parcel of real property located: (1) in a member county; and (2) within the designated watershed of the watershed development commission. Establishes maximum assessment levels and allows the board of a watershed development commission to reduce the special assessment to lower levels. Authorizes a member county to adopt any of three alternative methods of funding the watershed development commission. Prohibits the use of money collected from a special assessment for highway bridge repairs or reconstruction. Authorizes a watershed development commission to give preference to an Indiana business over an out-of-state business in contracting for public works. Establishes a procedure under which the Maumee River basin commission, the St. Joseph River basin commission, or the Upper Wabash River basin commission may be transformed into a watershed development commission. Provides that if the St. Joseph River basin commission is transformed into a watershed development commission, the members of the St. Joseph River basin commission become the first members of the St. Joseph River watershed development commission's advisory committee.

Watershed development commissions.

Rep. Micheal Aylesworth [R]	Rep. Cindy Ledbetter [R]	Rep. Carey Hamilton [D]	Rep. David Abbott [R]
Sen. Susan Glick [R]	Sen. Jean Breaux [D]

2023-04-27 - Senate - Senate - Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1 (Y: 44 N: 5 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-04-27 - House - House - Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1 (Y: 95 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 4) [PASS]
2023-04-17 - Senate - Senate - Third reading (Y: 47 N: 1 NV: 1 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2023-02-20 - House - House - Third reading (Y: 97 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 2) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2023-05-04	House	Public Law 251
2023-05-04	House	Signed by the Governor
2023-05-01	House	Signed by the Speaker
2023-04-28	Senate	Signed by the President of the Senate
2023-04-28	Senate	Signed by the President Pro Tempore
2023-04-27	Senate	Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 514: yeas 44, nays 5
2023-04-27	House	Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 528: yeas 95, nays 0
2023-04-26	Senate	CCR # 1 filed in the Senate
2023-04-26	House	CCR # 1 filed in the House
2023-04-24	Senate	Senate advisors appointed: Alexander and Qaddoura
2023-04-24	Senate	Senate conferees appointed: Glick and Breaux
2023-04-18	House	House advisors appointed: Ledbetter, Abbott and Boy
2023-04-18	House	House conferees appointed: Aylesworth and Hamilton
2023-04-18	House	House dissented from Senate amendments
2023-04-18	House	Motion to dissent filed
2023-04-18	Senate	Returned to the House with amendments
2023-04-17	Senate	Third reading: passed; Roll Call 427: yeas 47, nays 1
2023-04-13	Senate	Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2023-04-13	Senate	Amendment #4 (Glick) prevailed; voice vote
2023-04-13	Senate	Amendment #2 (Glick) prevailed; voice vote
2023-04-13	Senate	Amendment #1 (Glick) prevailed; voice vote
2023-04-11	Senate	Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2023-03-14	Senate	Senator Breaux added as cosponsor
2023-03-14	Senate	Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy
2023-03-01	Senate	First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources
2023-02-21	House	Referred to the Senate
2023-02-20	House	Senate sponsor: Senator Glick
2023-02-20	House	Third reading: passed; Roll Call 158: yeas 97, nays 0
2023-02-16	House	Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2023-02-16	House	Amendment #1 (Dvorak) prevailed; voice vote
2023-02-14	House	Committee report: do pass, adopted
2023-02-02	House	Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127
2023-02-02	House	Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2023-01-19	House	First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources
2023-01-19	House	Authored by Representative Aylesworth
2023-01-19	House	Coauthored by Representatives Ledbetter, Hamilton, Abbott

Type	Source
Summary	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/details
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#1.INTR
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#2.COMH
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#3.COMH
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#4.ENGH
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#5.COMS
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#6.COMS
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#7.ENGS
Text	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#8.ENRS
Roll Call	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#H158
Roll Call	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#S427
Roll Call	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#H528
Roll Call	https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1639/#S514