Author: Scott Pelath
LINK TO DOCUMENTARY
State Rep. Mike Aylesworth asked that this link to a documentary of the draining of the Everglades be posted on our website.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/swamp/
Indiana HB 1270 (2019) Summary
| Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development. Abolishes the Kankakee River basin commission and repeals its statute. Establishes the Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development commission (commission) as a public body corporate and politic. Authorizes the commission to participate in the flood control program operated by the Indiana finance authority. Requires certain state agencies to assist each other in simplifying the permitting process with respect to the flood control. Introduced Session: 2019 Regular Session Bill Summary: Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development. Abolishes the Kankakee River basin commission and repeals its statute. Establishes the Kankakee River basin and Yellow River basin development commission (commission) as a public body corporate and politic. Authorizes the commission to participate in the flood control program operated by the Indiana finance authority. Requires certain state agencies to assist each other in simplifying the permitting process with respect to the flood control activities of the commission. Provides that there is imposed in each calendar year beginning after December 31, 2020, an annual special assessment against each taxable parcel of real property that is located within any part of the basin within an Indiana county. Requires the default special assessments to be paid to be paid to the commission. Specifies the amount of the default special assessment by parcel category and the commission’s permissible uses of the special assessments. Provides that a county fiscal body may adopt a resolution opting to implement one of the following methods of supporting the commission instead of collecting the default special assessments: (1) Paying direct support to the commission in lieu of the default special assessments. (2) Supplementing reduced special assessments with direct support payments. (3) Imposing special assessments that exceed the amount that could be raised through the default special assessments. Provides that direct support must equal at least 90% of the amount that could be raised through the default special assessments. Specifies the amounts that a county may retain in calendar years beginning after December 31, 2022, from special assessments imposed instead of the default special assessments. Establishes an advisory committee to the commission. Requires the commission to coordinate its flood control activities with other public agencies to ensure that undeveloped public land is used for providing flood storage to the greatest extent feasible before other lands are used. Authorizes an Indiana business preference if certain conditions are met. Establishes an Indiana employment goal with respect to contracts for public works awarded by the commission. Bill Subjects: Not specified Sponsors (7): Ed Charbonneau (R)*, Doug Gutwein (R)*, Rick Niemeyer (R)*, Lonnie Randolph Jr. (D)*, Mike Aylesworth (R), Jim Pressel (R), Mara Candelaria Reardon (D) Last Action: Public Law 282 (on 5/6/2019) Official Document: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1270/ |