Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1103
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 5-28-6-2.
Synopsis: Foreign trade offices. Prohibits the Indiana economic
development corporation from establishing a trade office in the
People's Republic of China. Makes a technical correction.
Effective: Upon passage.
Commons
January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Commerce, Small Business
and Economic Development.
2025 IN 1103—LS 6596/DI 129 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1103
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
economic development.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 5-28-6-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.197-2021,
2 SECTION 7, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 2. (a) The corporation shall develop and
4 promote programs designed to make the best use of Indiana resources
5 to ensure a balanced economy and continuing economic growth for
6 Indiana, and, for those purposes, may do the following:
7 (1) Cooperate with federal, state, and local governments and
8 agencies in the coordination of programs to make the best use of
9 Indiana resources, based on a statewide study to determine
10 specific economic sectors that should be emphasized by the state
11 and by local economic development organizations within
12 geographic regions in Indiana, and encourage collaboration with
13 local economic development organizations within geographic
14 regions in Indiana and with the various state economic
15 development organizations within the states contiguous to
16 Indiana.
17 (2) Receive and expend funds, grants, gifts, and contributions of
2025 IN 1103—LS 6596/DI 129 2
1 money, property, labor, interest accrued from loans made by the
2 corporation, and other things of value from public and private
3 sources, including grants from agencies and instrumentalities of
4 the state and the federal government. The corporation:
5 (A) may accept federal grants for providing planning
6 assistance, making grants, or providing other services or
7 functions necessary to political subdivisions, planning
8 commissions, or other public or private organizations;
9 (B) shall administer these grants in accordance with the terms
10 of the grants; and
11 (C) may contract with political subdivisions, planning
12 commissions, or other public or private organizations to carry
13 out the purposes for which the grants were made.
14 (3) Direct that assistance, information, and advice regarding the
15 duties and functions of the corporation be given to the corporation
16 by an officer, agent, or employee of the executive branch of the
17 state. The head of any other state department or agency may
18 assign one (1) or more of the department's or agency's employees
19 to the corporation on a temporary basis or may direct a division
20 or an agency under the department's or agency's supervision and
21 control to make a special study or survey requested by the
22 corporation.
23 (b) The corporation shall perform the following duties:
24 (1) Develop and implement industrial development programs to
25 encourage expansion of existing industrial, commercial, and
26 business facilities in Indiana and to encourage new industrial,
27 commercial, and business locations in Indiana.
28 (2) Assist businesses and industries in acquiring, improving, and
29 developing overseas markets and encourage international plant
30 locations in Indiana. The corporation, with the approval of the
31 governor, may establish foreign offices to assist in this function.
32 However, the corporation may not establish, and the governor
33 may not approve the establishment of, a foreign office in the
34 People's Republic of China.
35 (3) Promote the growth of minority business enterprises by doing
36 the following:
37 (A) Mobilizing and coordinating the activities, resources, and
38 efforts of governmental and private agencies, businesses, trade
39 associations, institutions, and individuals.
40 (B) Assisting minority businesses in obtaining governmental
41 or commercial financing for expansion or establishment of
42 new businesses or individual development projects.
2025 IN 1103—LS 6596/DI 129 3
1 (C) Aiding minority businesses in procuring contracts from
2 governmental or private sources, or both.
3 (D) Providing technical, managerial, and counseling assistance
4 to minority business enterprises.
5 (4) Assist the office of the lieutenant governor in:
6 (A) community economic development planning;
7 (B) implementation of programs designed to further
8 community economic development; and
9 (C) the development and promotion of Indiana's tourist
10 resources.
11 (5) Assist the secretary of agriculture and rural development in
12 promoting and marketing of Indiana's agricultural products and
13 provide assistance to the director of the Indiana state department
14 of agriculture.
15 (6) With the approval of the governor, implement federal
16 programs delegated to the state to carry out the purposes of this
17 article.
18 (7) Promote the growth of small businesses by doing the
19 following:
20 (A) Assisting small businesses in obtaining and preparing the
21 permits required to conduct business in Indiana.
22 (B) Serving as a liaison between small businesses and state
23 agencies.
24 (C) Providing information concerning business assistance
25 programs available through government agencies and private
26 sources.
27 (8) Establish a transparency portal on its current Internet site on
28 the world wide web. website. The page must provide the
29 following:
30 (A) By program, cumulative information on the total amount
31 of incentives awarded, the total number of companies that
32 received the incentives and were assisted in a year, and the
33 names and addresses of those companies.
34 (B) A mechanism on the page whereby the public may request
35 further information online about specific programs or
36 incentives awarded.
37 (C) A mechanism for the public to receive an electronic
38 response.
39 (D) Access to the following:
40 (i) Any information or report that is required by statute to be
41 included in the economic incentives and compliance report
42 submitted under IC 5-28-28.
2025 IN 1103—LS 6596/DI 129 4
1 (ii) Final offer of public financial resources to which the
2 corporation is a party.
3 (iii) Reports that the corporation submitted to the general
4 assembly.
5 (c) The corporation may do the following:
6 (1) Disseminate information concerning the industrial,
7 commercial, governmental, educational, cultural, recreational,
8 agricultural, and other advantages of Indiana.
9 (2) Plan, direct, and conduct research activities.
10 (3) Assist in community economic development planning and the
11 implementation of programs designed to further community
12 economic development.
13 SECTION 2. An emergency is declared for this act.
2025 IN 1103—LS 6596/DI 129