IndianaHB 1126First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)House

Watershed development commissions.

Sponsored By: Dave Heine (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Alters the membership of a watershed development commission board that includes the Maumee River basin (Maumee watershed development commission). Provides that a Maumee watershed development commission may take certain actions with respect to certain flood plains. Expands permitted uses for certain funds collected by a Maumee watershed development commission and establishes certain budget limits. Provides that the department of natural resources's division of water shall provide a Maumee watershed development commission with a written summary of the division's review of certain public works projects within 30 days of the review. Makes conforming changes.

natural resourcesthe senatetax and fiscal policy

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Watershed agreements can reduce property assessments

Beginning July 1, 2025, commissions can share watershed duties through agreements with governments already authorized to perform and charge for that work. The other government can give up the work and related collections. Or it can keep both while the commission reduces or ends matching assessments or other support for affected parcels. Before a year of assessments or other support, commissions must hold at least two information meetings in each member county. Commissions with water-quality purposes must explain which water-quality projects the money supports; no assessment reduction amount is set.

Counties can reshape local watershed boards

Beginning July 1, 2025, Maumee basin conversion is optional and requires substantially identical county ordinances naming the watershed and purposes. All participating county executives, most commission voting members, and the Indiana Natural Resources Commission must approve. Board rules provide state, county, city, and conservation district representation, with revised appointment and vacancy rules for other commissions. Members serve four-year terms and must meet residency and work-background requirements. The new commission inherits prior rights and debts; property, records, and money must transfer within 60 days after its executive director’s appointment.

Maumee budgets target floods and water

A commission covering the Maumee basin must divide its annual budget as follows, to the extent reasonably practical. Shares are 25% for flood mitigation, 25% for structural water-quality practices, and 25% for nonstructural water-quality practices. The remaining shares are 5% for stream obstruction removal, 15% for flood hazard mitigation, and 5% for flood warnings. Water-quality practices must follow the local Natural Resources Conservation Service guide dated July 1, 2025, or its updates. Spending outside the budget needs approval from at least 75% of board members present; reallocated money can be a loan or grant.

Maumee can fund local watershed projects

Commissions covering the Maumee basin can use their separate assessment account to pay costs directly tied to installing watershed conservation practices. They can also give governments grants for practices within the watershed that reduce erosion and stormwater runoff. Eligible practices must follow the local Natural Resources Conservation Service guide dated July 1, 2025, or its updates. County drainage boards can receive grants for projects that reduce flood damage or improve water quality. The law sets no grant amount and requires no grant.

Maumee gains limited water quality powers

Beginning July 1, 2025, Maumee watershed purposes include flood reduction, drainage, conservation, and addressing runoff from new construction. They also include voluntary water-quality goals. Additional water-quality purposes or projects require a written plan describing problems and actions, approved by the Indiana Natural Resources Commission. That agency must confirm the problems and assess whether the actions are practical, cost-effective, and likely to work. Approval gives the watershed commission no power to regulate water quality.

Watershed commissions gain flood project tools

Beginning July 1, 2025, commissions must plan for flood reduction and drainage, with activities limited to their designated watersheds. They can stabilize banks, remove trees and sediment, build ditches and access roads, and acquire land interests for flood storage. They can study problems, share findings, and provide advice or coordinate agencies’ work when asked. Commissions can accept public and private funding; appropriations must serve their stated purpose, and no funding amount is set. Cross-state flood and drainage agreements need approval from the affected regional planning commission and Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Water-quality agreements are limited to commissions with water-quality purposes and grant no regulatory power.

Floodplain owners face rules and entry

Beginning July 1, 2025, commissions can acquire property and buy structures or other improvements in 500-year floodplains for removal. They can adopt construction limits in their watershed’s 100-year floodplain, which has a 1% yearly flood chance. A 500-year floodplain has a 0.2% yearly flood chance. Commission agents can enter that land and land needed to reach it for surveys or investigations, including suspected flood-law violations. Affected owners, contract purchasers, or municipal executives must receive 21 days’ oral or written notice stating the purpose and appeal rights. An appeal within those 21 days guarantees a hearing before entry; workers must use care to avoid damage.

County watershed projects face added review

Beginning July 1, 2025, counties need commission approval for construction, drainage, or flood-reduction work in its watershed, except emergency work. Commissions with water-quality purposes must request state review before water-quality public works that may trigger specified state water laws or individual federal wetland permits. When an onsite review is requested, the state division must contact county surveyors and the environmental agency within 14 days to schedule it. Within 30 calendar days after review, county surveyors and Maumee commissions must receive a written summary of location, work, and permit conditions. Review conditions can become required mitigation or water-quality certification conditions.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Dave Heine

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Kyle Miller

    Democratic • House

  • Liz Brown

    Republican • Senate

  • Matt Lehman

    Republican • House

  • Mike Aylesworth

    Republican • House

  • Shelli Yoder

    Democratic • Senate

  • Susan Glick

    Republican • Senate

  • Travis Holdman

    Republican • Senate

  • Tyler Johnson

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 138 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/7/2025

Third reading: passed

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 2/4/2025

Third reading: passed

Yes: 89 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor

    4/22/2025House
  2. Public Law 104

    4/22/2025House
  3. Signed by the President of the Senate

    4/15/2025Senate
  4. Signed by the President Pro Tempore

    4/9/2025Senate
  5. Signed by the Speaker

    4/8/2025House
  6. Returned to the House without amendments

    4/8/2025Senate
  7. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 344: yeas 49, nays 0

    4/7/2025Senate
  8. Second reading: ordered engrossed

    4/3/2025Senate
  9. Committee report: do pass, adopted

    4/1/2025Senate
  10. Senator Yoder added as cosponsor

    3/25/2025Senate
  11. Senator Glick added as second sponsor

    3/25/2025Senate
  12. Committee report: do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy

    3/24/2025Senate
  13. First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources

    2/18/2025Senate
  14. Referred to the Senate

    2/5/2025House
  15. Cosponsors: Senators Brown L and Holdman

    2/4/2025House
  16. Senate sponsor: Senator Johnson T

    2/4/2025House
  17. Third reading: passed; Roll Call 82: yeas 89, nays 0

    2/4/2025House
  18. Second reading: ordered engrossed

    2/3/2025House
  19. Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    1/30/2025House
  20. Representatives Aylesworth and Miller K added as coauthors

    1/30/2025House
  21. Representatives Abbott and Miller K removed as coauthors

    1/27/2025House
  22. First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources

    1/8/2025House
  23. Coauthored by Representatives Lehman, Abbott, Miller K

    1/8/2025House
  24. Authored by Representative Heine

    1/8/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled House Bill (H)

  • House Bill (H)

  • House Bill (S)

  • Introduced House Bill (H)

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