Voters May Eliminate Remaining Township Assessors
HB 1035 / Chamber Supports

Representative Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) and Rep. Karen Engleman (R-Georgetown) team up again to revive a bill that was heard but didn’t receive a vote during the 2021 legislative session. The House narrowly approved a similar bill in 2020, but the legislation wasn’t advanced out of the Senate committee. This year’s version features language that would place the question on the ballot in 2024 for the nine Indiana counties that have a township assessor. A similar vote took place in 2008 and voters across the state whittled the number down to 13 from the original 43 prior to the referenda.

The bill passed out of the House committee and is on the third reading calendar for Monday, January 23, where a strong show of support is needed to spur action in the Senate. Of the 53 “aye” votes during the 2020 session, approximately 16 of them have left the Legislature due to retirement or electoral defeat. An equal proportion of the 44 “no” votes have also been replaced in the General Assembly.

Movement on Township Merger Legislation
SB 182 / Chamber Supports

Senator Eric Koch (R-Bedford) offers a solution to a problem in his district. Indiana has laws on the books dealing with township mergers, but what if a neighboring township has no elected trustee or advisory board? This bill answers that question by providing a means for a neighboring township and the county executive to enact a merger agreement. The bill passed its Senate committee unanimously.

State Board of Accounts May Receive New Tools
HB 1040 / Chamber Supports

Representative Matt Lehman (R-Berne) has introduced a list of reforms that were discussed in 2022 by the Audit Subcommittee of the Legislative Council. Among them will be additional training for local elected officials and new audit tools for the State Board of Accounts (SBOA). The SBOA would be required to maintain a list of local units which they have identified as being “unauditable” due to poor record keeping or mismanagement. These units would then be given 90 days to get their books in order. In addition to the sticks in the bill, there are plenty of carrots that might be helpful to local elected officials.

Resource: David Ober at (317) 264-6887 or dober@indianachamber.com