Bill Text: IN HB1353 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Representation of rural areas on county councils.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-13 - First reading: referred to Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform [HB1353 Detail]

Download: Indiana-2010-HB1353-Introduced.html


Introduced Version






HOUSE BILL No. 1353

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DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL



Citations Affected: IC 36-2-3-4.

Synopsis: Representation of rural areas on county councils. Provides that in certain counties, the county executive shall divide the county into at least four single member county fiscal body districts. (Under current law, the fiscal body has four single member districts.) Requires a county executive, in determining how many single member districts to have for the county fiscal body and in drawing those districts, to consider how communities of interest in the county can best be represented and to draw the districts to provide at least one representative to each distinct community of interest to the extent practicable and not inconsistent with other applicable law. Requires the county executive to consider rural and agricultural communities in the county to be a distinct community of interest. Provides that if a county executive converts an at large seat on the county fiscal body to a single member district seat, the first election under the new plan occurs at the first election at which at large members would have been elected under the previous plan.

Effective: July 1, 2010.





Ruppel, Cherry, Battles




    January 13, 2010, read first time and referred to Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform.







Introduced

Second Regular Session 116th General Assembly (2010)


PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
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HOUSE BILL No. 1353



    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

SOURCE: IC 36-2-3-4; (10)IN1353.1.1. -->     SECTION 1. IC 36-2-3-4, AS AMENDED BY P.L.230-2005, SECTION 83, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 4. (a) This subsection does not apply to a county having a population of:
        (1) more than four hundred thousand (400,000) but less than seven hundred thousand (700,000); or
        (2) more than two hundred thousand (200,000) but less than three hundred thousand (300,000).
The county executive shall, by ordinance, divide the county into at least four (4) contiguous, single-member districts that comply with subsection (d). (f). If necessary, the county auditor shall call a special meeting of the executive to establish or revise districts. One (1) member of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of each of the four (4) single-member districts. Three (3) The remaining at-large members of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of the whole county.
    (b) In determining how many single member districts to have

for the county fiscal body and in drawing those districts, the county executive shall do the following:
        (1) Consider how communities of interest within the county can best be represented.
        (2) Draw the districts to provide at least one (1) representative to each distinct community of interest to the extent practicable and not inconsistent with other applicable law.
The county executive shall consider rural and agricultural communities in the county to be a distinct community of interest.
    (c) If the county executive converts at large representation to representation by a single member district under this section, the first election under the new plan occurs at the first election at which at large members of the fiscal body would have been elected under the previous plan.

    (b) (d) This subsection applies to a county having a population of more than four hundred thousand (400,000) but less than seven hundred thousand (700,000). The county redistricting commission established under IC 36-2-2-4 shall divide the county into seven (7) single-member districts that comply with subsection (d). (f). One (1) member of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of each of these seven (7) single-member districts.
    (c) (e) This subsection applies to a county having a population of more than two hundred thousand (200,000) but less than three hundred thousand (300,000). The fiscal body shall divide the county into nine (9) single-member districts that comply with subsection (d). (f). Three (3) of these districts must be contained within each of the three (3) districts established under IC 36-2-2-4(c). One (1) member of the fiscal body shall be elected by the voters of each of these nine (9) single-member districts.
    (d) (f) Single-member districts established under subsection (a), (b), or (c) this section must:
        (1) be compact, subject only to natural boundary lines (such as railroads, major highways, rivers, creeks, parks, and major industrial complexes);
        (2) not cross precinct boundary lines;
        (3) contain, as nearly as possible, equal population; and
        (4) include whole townships, except when a division is clearly necessary to accomplish redistricting under this section.
    (e) (g) A division under subsection (a), (b), or (c) this section shall be made:
        (1) during the first year after a year in which a federal decennial census is conducted; and


        (2) when the county executive adopts an order declaring a county boundary to be changed under IC 36-2-1-2.
    (f) (h) A division under subsection (a), (b), or (c) this section may be made in any odd-numbered year not described in subsection (e). (g).

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