LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington St., Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 6916 NOTE PREPARED: Jan 3, 2024
BILL NUMBER: HB 1251 BILL AMENDED:
SUBJECT: Adjusting County Portion of NIRPC Budget.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Slager BILL STATUS: As Introduced
FIRST SPONSOR:
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
DEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: This bill requires the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
(NIRPC), beginning with NIRPC's 2026 budget and for each year thereafter, to annually adjust each
participating county's portion of the budget for the ensuing year by the greater of the following: (1) The
annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all Urban Consumers. (2) The participating
county's maximum levy growth quotient for the ensuing year.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024.
Explanation of State Expenditures: Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF): This bill requires
the DLGF to provide to the NIRPC by no later than August 1 of each year the value of each participating
county’s maximum levy growth quotient for the ensuing budget/calendar year. This requirement may result
in a minor increase in the DLGF’s administrative workload but falls within the overall functions of the
agency and should be able to be implemented with no additional appropriations, assuming near customary
agency staffing and resource levels.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures:
Explanation of Local Revenues: This bill revises the methodology for how the participating counties -
Lake, LaPorte and Porter - are apportioned the revenue that they contribute to help fund the NIRPC’s annual
budget. Currently, the county revenues used to fund the NIRPC’s annual appropriations is based on a pro rata
per capita basis. The rate is currently capped at not more than $0.70 per capita for each participating county.
HB 1251 1 For CY 2025, that rate is adjusted to not more than $1.50 per capita for each participating county. The table
below shows the revenue contributions from each participating county as included in the NIRPC’s annual
budget for CY 2024, adopted on December 7, 2023. The table also shows an estimated revenue contribution
amount from each county for CY 2025 based on the updated $1.50 per capita limit.
County
CY 2024 Revenue
Contributions ($0.70
per capita)
CY 2025 Estimated
Revenue Contributions
($1.50 per capita)
Lake $349,090 $748,050
LaPorte $78,692 $168,626
Porter $121,251 $259,824
Total $549,033 $1,176,499
Starting with CY 2026, each participating county’s revenue contribution will be adjusted annually based on
the greater of the following: 1) the annual percentage change in the CPI for all Urban Consumers as
published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the year preceding the ensuing year or 2) the
participating county's maximum levy growth quotient for the ensuing year as determined under IC
6-1.1-18.5-2.
Additional Information: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI for all Urban Consumers
grew at 3.1% from November 2022 to November 2023. Additionally, per HEA 1499-2023, the maximum
levy growth quotient for CY 2024 and CY 2025 for civil taxing units and school corporations may not exceed
the lesser of 1.04 or 80% of the maximum levy growth quotient.
State Agencies Affected: Department of Local Government Finance.
Local Agencies Affected: Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission; Lake County; LaPorte
County; Porter County.
Information Sources: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index -
November 2023 News Release; Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission’s Budget website:
https://nirpc.org/people-and-leaders/business/budget/
Fiscal Analyst: James Johnson, 317-232-9869.
HB 1251 2