Indiana 2025 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HB1645 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	Introduced Version
3	3	HOUSE BILL No. 1645
4	4	_____
5	5	DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
6	6	Citations Affected: IC 5-28-25.5.
7	7	Synopsis: Rural utility infrastructure. Establishes the rural utility
8	8	infrastructure grant fund (fund) for the purpose of providing grants to
9	9	specified eligible entities to use in obtaining the utility infrastructure
10	10	required to meet the growing demand for utility service in rural areas
11	11	in Indiana. Provides that the fund shall be administered by the Indiana
12	12	economic development corporation (corporation) or its successor.
13	13	Requires the corporation to adopt rules to implement these provisions.
14	14	Effective: July 1, 2025.
15	15	Isa
16	16	January 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities, Energy and
17	17	Telecommunications.
18	18	2025 IN 1645—LS 7703/DI 101 Introduced
19	19	First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
20	20	PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
21	21	Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
22	22	additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
23	23	Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
24	24	provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
25	25	word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
26	26	a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
27	27	Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
28	28	between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
29	29	HOUSE BILL No. 1645
30	30	A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning state
31	31	and local administration.
32	32	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
33	33	1 SECTION 1. IC 5-28-25.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
34	34	2 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
35	35	3 JULY 1, 2025]:
36	36	4 Chapter 25.5. Rural Utility Infrastructure Grant Fund
37	37	5 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "corporation" refers to the
38	38	6 Indiana economic development corporation established by
39	39	7 IC 5-28-3-1 or its successor.
40	40	8 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "eligible entity" means any of the
41	41	9 following that constitutes, is or will be located in, or provides
42	42	10 services or economic opportunities to a rural area:
43	43	11 (1) A county.
44	44	12 (2) A municipality (as defined in IC 36-1-2-11).
45	45	13 (3) A person that:
46	46	14 (A) is a current or prospective customer of a utility; and
47	47	15 (B) requires new or increased utility service in connection
48	48	16 with:
49	49	17 (i) an economic development project; or
50	50	2025 IN 1645—LS 7703/DI 101 2
51	51	1 (ii) a new or expanded facility;
52	52	2 in a rural area.
53	53	3 (4) An economic development organization serving a rural
54	54	4 area.
55	55	5 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the rural utility
56	56	6 infrastructure grant fund established by section 8 of this chapter.
57	57	7 Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "rural area" means:
58	58	8 (1) an unincorporated area; or
59	59	9 (2) a small municipality, as defined by the corporation in rules
60	60	10 adopted under section 10 of this chapter;
61	61	11 in Indiana.
62	62	12 Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "utility" means a utility, however
63	63	13 organized, that provides utility service to customers in Indiana,
64	64	14 regardless of whether the utility is under the jurisdiction of the
65	65	15 Indiana utility regulatory commission for the approval of rates and
66	66	16 charges.
67	67	17 Sec. 6. As used in this chapter, "utility infrastructure" means
68	68	18 any facilities, equipment, or infrastructure used in the generation,
69	69	19 transmission, distribution, storage, or treatment of:
70	70	20 (1) electricity;
71	71	21 (2) natural gas;
72	72	22 (3) water; or
73	73	23 (4) wastewater;
74	74	24 for purposes of furnishing, directly or indirectly, utility service.
75	75	25 Sec. 7. As used in this chapter, "utility service" means:
76	76	26 (1) electric;
77	77	27 (2) natural gas;
78	78	28 (3) water; or
79	79	29 (4) wastewater;
80	80	30 service that is provided by a utility to the public.
81	81	31 Sec. 8. (a) The rural utility infrastructure grant fund is
82	82	32 established for the purpose of providing grants to eligible entities
83	83	33 to use in obtaining the utility infrastructure required to meet the
84	84	34 growing demand for utility service necessary to:
85	85	35 (1) ensure the welfare and enhance the quality of life for
86	86	36 present and future residents of rural areas; and
87	87	37 (2) attract and retain businesses and provide economic
88	88	38 development opportunities for rural areas.
89	89	39 The fund shall be administered by the corporation.
90	90	40 (b) The fund consists of the following:
91	91	41 (1) Gifts, grants, and contributions from public and private
92	92	42 sources.
93	93	2025 IN 1645—LS 7703/DI 101 3
94	94	1 (2) Money from any other source.
95	95	2 (c) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from
96	96	3 money in the fund.
97	97	4 (d) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
98	98	5 currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
99	99	6 manner as other public money may be invested. Interest that
100	100	7 accrues from these investments shall be deposited in the fund.
101	101	8 (e) Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not
102	102	9 revert to the state general fund.
103	103	10 Sec. 9. Grants may be made from the fund to eligible entities in
104	104	11 accordance with rules adopted by the corporation under section 10
105	105	12 of this chapter. Any amount awarded to an eligible entity under
106	106	13 this chapter and used in the construction or deployment of utility
107	107	14 infrastructure that is used by a utility to provide utility service may
108	108	15 not be:
109	109	16 (1) included in a regulated utility's rate base; or
110	110	17 (2) otherwise recovered through a utility's rates and charges.
111	111	18 Sec. 10. The corporation shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to
112	112	19 implement this chapter, including rules governing the following:
113	113	20 (1) Standards establishing population parameters or another
114	114	21 appropriate metric for defining a community that qualifies as
115	115	22 a small municipality for purposes of section 4(2) of this
116	116	23 chapter.
117	117	24 (2) The form and content of applications for grants under this
118	118	25 chapter.
119	119	26 (3) Standards for determining the types and categories of
120	120	27 expenses that are:
121	121	28 (A) directly related to the construction or deployment of
122	122	29 utility infrastructure in rural areas; and
123	123	30 (B) eligible to receive funding under this chapter.
124	124	31 (4) Standards for assigning weight to funding priorities for
125	125	32 awarding grants under this chapter.
126	126	33 (5) Other rules and standards necessary to carry out the
127	127	34 purposes set forth in section 8(a) of this chapter.
128	128	2025 IN 1645—LS 7703/DI 101