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Indiana bill passes to establish drainage task force

A bill authored by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would establish a drainage task force passed the Senate this week by a vote of 45-2.

Senate Bill 85 would establish a drainage task force of 19 members. This task force would be required to do three things:

• Review the responsibilities of landowners and state and local authorities according to current laws relating to the drainage of land;
• Make determinations concerning drainage and regulatory matters based on their findings; and
• Determine whether the balance between state and local authority over drainage of agricultural land is comparable to neighboring states.

This task force would also be allowed to make recommendations through a report based on their findings.

“We need more information to review in order to find the best way to tackle this issue,” Leising said. “I am glad to see my fellow legislators supporting this bill. We need to work on bettering drainage in Indiana, especially in our rural areas.”

SB 85 will now move to the Indiana House of Representatives for further consideration.

To learn more about SB 85, visit iga.in.gov.