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