FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kellyn Harrison, Press Secretary
Kellyn.Harrison@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
STATEHOUSE (July 24, 2023) — State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) will serve as a member of the Drainage Task Force in preparation for the 2024 legislative session.
The task force was created by Senate Enrolled Act 85, authored by Raatz, during the 2022 legislative session to study the regulatory matters of agriculture land drainage.
The 2022 Drainage Task Force found a provision in state law that required local floodplain administrators to use state floodplain mapping data. This created mounting frustration from landowners struggling to develop or sell their homes because their land was labeled a state floodplain even though it was not identified as a federal floodplain.
Raatz authored Senate Enrolled Act 242 during the 2023 legislative session to repeal this provision and allow landowners to choose whether they want a floodplain administrator to use state floodplain mapping data or an engineering study when making permit determinations.
This year, the task force will:"The state is responsible for providing effective, respectful, and transparent services to all Hoosiers," Raatz said. "Last session, we worked to protect property owners' rights to build and develop on their own land while protecting the environment. However, we need to study how our state can better accommodate property owners' needs and rights by comprehensively reviewing drainage regulations and the responsibilities of state and local authorities under current drainage laws in this year's Drainage Task Force meetings."
The task force will consist of 19 members including six members of the Indiana Senate, six members of the Indiana House of Representatives and seven governor-appointed individuals.
Governor-appointed individuals will include an employee of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, an employee of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, a member of a county drainage board, a member of the governing body of a soil and water conservation district, a representative of the Indiana chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, a representative of a statewide farm organization and a county surveyor.
To view study committee agendas and stream hearings online, visit iga.in.gov. To view a list of topics that will be examined by the committees, click here.
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State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) represents Senate District 27, which includes
Henry, Union and Wayne counties, and portions of Franklin County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
