Senate to discuss township elimination
INDIANAPOLIS—Sen. Connie Lawson, R-Danville, said that she believes Senate Bill 240, which would eliminate township government, will be discussed Monday in the Senate.
“We didn’t have time to discuss [SB] 240 in caucus today [Thursday]…We’ll have those discussions on Monday…Hopefully I’ll call the bill on second reading, and…we’ll see where it goes,” said Lawson.
The senator said she is confident that her bill will move on to the Indiana House of Representatives upon its third reading in the Senate.
“I think I can get it out of the Senate,” said Lawson.
SB 240 is not the only bill making its way through the General Assembly that has the potential to affect township government.
Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis, sponsored House Bill 1181, which would give Hoosiers the chance to vote township by township on whether or not to keep their local form of government. HB 1181 passed out of the House of Representatives Jan. 14, 55-44, and now moves to the Indiana Senate.
Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, also authored a bill that if made law would change local government. House Bill 1249 could eliminate township government starting in 2013 and would transfer township power to the county level.
