Bill Commons

IN SB 270

enacted

Township mergers.

Indiana · 2026 Regular Session (2nd Regular Session, 124th General Assembly) · upper

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Quick answers

Did IN SB 270 pass?

Yes. IN SB 270 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-03-05): Public Law 134

What is IN SB 270 about?

Requires the department of local government finance (department) not later than December 31, 2026, to compile data on each township (excluding townships in Marion County) and assign points based upon the township government's performance. Requires a township government that is assigned at least four points (designated township), with certain exceptions, to: (1) merge; or (2) for a township in which (A) at least 80% of the township's boundaries coincide with a municipality's boundaries; and (B) at least 51% of the township's population resides within the corporate boundaries of a municipality, reorganize with the municipality. Requires a merger to satisfy the following requirements: (1) A designated township must merge with at least one township that has less than four points (recipient township). (2) The merger must satisfy contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that if all townships in a county have at least four points, the county executive must designate two townships to act as the recipient townships. Requires the county executive to designate which townships will merge taking into consideration: (1) the wishes of the designated townships and recipient townships; and (2) the contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that all mergers in a county are effective not later than January 1, 2029. Establishes provisions for an interim township government for the new merged township government until a new township trustee and township legislative body are elected during the 2030 general election. Requires a designated township that is required to reorganize to adopt a resolution not later than October 1, 2027, that designates the municipality (recipient municipality) that will reorganize with the designated township. Requires the appointment of a joint board consisting of representatives of the designated township and the recipient municipality to prepare a plan of reorganization. Requires the county fiscal body to approve the budget, tax rate, and tax levy imposed by the recipient municipality within the boundaries of the rural township services district. Provides that a recipient municipality has all of the powers of the government modernization act in reorganizing the township. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Provides that a township merger does not affect the office of township assessor of a township participating in the merger. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Requires townships to annually provide certain information relating to fire protection to the department in a manner prescribed by the department using the department's computer gateway. Requires the department to share the information with the department of homeland security. Allows the county council, before January 2, 2027, to adopt a resolution to transfer the duties of a township assessor to the county assessor if: (1) the office of township assessor has been vacant for at least 90 days; (2) a caucus was held but failed to fill the vacancy; (3) the township board adopts a resolution approving the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor; and (4) the township trustee has approved, in writing, the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor. Prohibits the legislative body of a county from unilaterally requiring a unit participating in a reorganization that commenced after November 1, 2025, and before November 30, 2025, from being added to an existing fire protection district: (1) during negotiations regarding the reorganization among the participating units; (2) after the date on which a plan of reorganization is finally adopted by all participating units; or (3) as part of a reorganization in a finally approved plan of reorganization. Establishes requirements for the transfer of duties. Repeals a law that allows township governments to dissolve a merger.

Who sponsors IN SB 270?

Harold Slager, Greg Walker, James Buck and 1 others are the primary sponsors of IN SB 270, joined by 2 cosponsors.

Description

Requires the department of local government finance (department) not later than December 31, 2026, to compile data on each township (excluding townships in Marion County) and assign points based upon the township government's performance. Requires a township government that is assigned at least four points (designated township), with certain exceptions, to: (1) merge; or (2) for a township in which (A) at least 80% of the township's boundaries coincide with a municipality's boundaries; and (B) at least 51% of the township's population resides within the corporate boundaries of a municipality, reorganize with the municipality. Requires a merger to satisfy the following requirements: (1) A designated township must merge with at least one township that has less than four points (recipient township). (2) The merger must satisfy contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that if all townships in a county have at least four points, the county executive must designate two townships to act as the recipient townships. Requires the county executive to designate which townships will merge taking into consideration: (1) the wishes of the designated townships and recipient townships; and (2) the contiguity requirements under the township merger law. Provides that all mergers in a county are effective not later than January 1, 2029. Establishes provisions for an interim township government for the new merged township government until a new township trustee and township legislative body are elected during the 2030 general election. Requires a designated township that is required to reorganize to adopt a resolution not later than October 1, 2027, that designates the municipality (recipient municipality) that will reorganize with the designated township. Requires the appointment of a joint board consisting of representatives of the designated township and the recipient municipality to prepare a plan of reorganization. Requires the county fiscal body to approve the budget, tax rate, and tax levy imposed by the recipient municipality within the boundaries of the rural township services district. Provides that a recipient municipality has all of the powers of the government modernization act in reorganizing the township. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Provides that a township merger does not affect the office of township assessor of a township participating in the merger. Amends the government modernization act to require a political subdivision to respond to a resolution that names the political subdivision as a participant in a proposed reorganization. Requires townships to annually provide certain information relating to fire protection to the department in a manner prescribed by the department using the department's computer gateway. Requires the department to share the information with the department of homeland security. Allows the county council, before January 2, 2027, to adopt a resolution to transfer the duties of a township assessor to the county assessor if: (1) the office of township assessor has been vacant for at least 90 days; (2) a caucus was held but failed to fill the vacancy; (3) the township board adopts a resolution approving the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor; and (4) the township trustee has approved, in writing, the transfer of duties of the township assessor to the county assessor. Prohibits the legislative body of a county from unilaterally requiring a unit participating in a reorganization that commenced after November 1, 2025, and before November 30, 2025, from being added to an existing fire protection district: (1) during negotiations regarding the reorganization among the participating units; (2) after the date on which a plan of reorganization is finally adopted by all participating units; or (3) as part of a reorganization in a finally approved plan of reorganization. Establishes requirements for the transfer of duties. Repeals a law that allows township governments to dissolve a merger.

Introduced
—
Latest action
2026-03-05 — Public Law 134
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Harold Slagersponsor
  • Greg Walkerauthor
  • James Buckauthor
  • Rick Niemeyerauthor
  • Timothy Wescocosponsor
  • Alaina Shonkwilercosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-03-05

    Public Law 134

    became-law

  2. 2026-03-05

    Signed by the Governor

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-02-27

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

    passage

  4. 2026-02-27

    Signed by the President of the Senate

    passage

  5. 2026-02-27

    Signed by the Speaker

    passage

  6. 2026-02-26

    Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 301: yeas 34, nays 15

  7. 2026-02-25

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

    receipt

  8. 2026-02-25

    Motion to concur filed

    filing

  9. 2026-02-24

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 353: yeas 62, nays 35

    passage,reading-3,reading-3

  10. 2026-02-24

    Representative Wesco added as cosponsor

  11. 2026-02-23

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

    reading-2

  12. 2026-02-23

    Amendment #1 (Slager) prevailed; voice vote

    amendment-passage

  13. 2026-02-18

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    committee-passage

  14. 2026-02-18

    Representative Shonkwiler added as cosponsor

  15. 2026-02-17

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    committee-passage

  16. 2026-02-17

    Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3

  17. 2026-02-02

    First reading: referred to Committee on Local Government

    reading-1,referral-committee

  18. 2026-01-29

    Referred to the House

    referral

  19. 2026-01-28

    House sponsor: Representative Slager

  20. 2026-01-28

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 128: yeas 39, nays 9

    passage,reading-3,reading-3

  21. 2026-01-26

    Senator Walker G added as third author

  22. 2026-01-26

    Senator Buck added as second author

  23. 2026-01-26

    Senator Walker G removed as second author

  24. 2026-01-22

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

    reading-2

  25. 2026-01-20

    Committee report: do pass, adopted

    committee-passage

  26. 2026-01-15

    Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  27. 2026-01-14

    Senator Walker G added as second author

  28. 2026-01-08

    Authored by Senator Niemeyer

  29. 2026-01-08

    First reading: referred to Committee on Local Government

    reading-1,referral-committee

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • SB 270 - Niemeyer - 3rd Reading

    2026-01-28 · pass · 39-9

    Member-level votes (49)
    • Alexander: yes
    • Clark: yes
    • Hunley: yes
    • Raatz: yes
    • Alting: yes
    • Crider: yes
    • Jackson, L: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Baldwin: yes
    • Deery: yes
    • Koch: yes
    • Schmitt: yes
    • Bassler: yes
    • Dernulc: yes
    • Leising: yes
    • Spencer: yes
    • Bray: yes
    • Doriot: yes
    • Maxwell: yes
    • Taylor: yes
    • Buchanan: yes
    • Ford J.D.: yes
    • Mishler: yes
    • Tomes: yes
    • Buck: yes
    • Gaskill: yes
    • Niemeyer: yes
    • Walker G: yes
    • Busch: yes
    • Glick: yes
    • Niezgodski: yes
    • Yoder: yes
    • Carrasco: yes
    • Goode: yes
    • Pol: yes
    • Young: yes
    • Charbonneau: yes
    • Holdman: yes
    • Qaddoura: yes
    • Bohacek: no
    • Donato: no
    • Garten: no
    • Randolph: no
    • Brown: no
    • Freeman: no
    • Johnson: no
    • Walker K: no
    • Byrne: no
    • Becker: excused

  • SB 270 - Slager - 3rd Reading

    2026-02-24 · pass · 62-35

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Andrade: yes
    • Garcia Wilburn: yes
    • King: yes
    • Pierce, K: yes
    • Aylesworth: yes
    • Genda: yes
    • Lauer: yes
    • Pierce, M: yes
    • Barrett: yes
    • GiaQuinta: yes
    • Lawson: yes
    • Pressel: yes
    • Bascom: yes
    • Gore: yes
    • Ledbetter: yes
    • Rowray: yes
    • Behning: yes
    • Goss-Reaves: yes
    • Lopez: yes
    • Shonkwiler: yes
    • Borders: yes
    • Greene: yes
    • May: yes
    • Slager: yes
    • Burton: yes
    • Haggard: yes
    • Mayfield: yes
    • Smith, V: yes
    • Campbell: yes
    • Hall: yes
    • McGuire: yes
    • Snow: yes
    • Clere: yes
    • Hamilton: yes
    • McNamara: yes
    • Soliday: yes
    • Commons: yes
    • Harris: yes
    • Miller, D: yes
    • Thompson: yes
    • Dant Chesser: yes
    • Heaton: yes
    • Miller, K: yes
    • VanNatter: yes
    • Davis: yes
    • Heine: yes
    • Moseley: yes
    • Wesco: yes
    • DeLaney: yes
    • Ireland: yes
    • Novak: yes
    • Yocum: yes
    • DeVon: yes
    • Isa: yes
    • O'Brien: yes
    • Mr. Speaker: yes
    • Engleman: yes
    • Jeter: yes
    • Olthoff: yes
    • Errington: yes
    • Karickhoff: yes
    • Payne: yes
    • Abbott: no
    • Hatcher: no
    • Manning: no
    • Pryor: no
    • Baird: no
    • Hostettler: no
    • Meltzer: no
    • Shackleford: no
    • Bartels: no
    • Jackson, C: no
    • Moed: no
    • Smaltz: no
    • Bartlett: no
    • Johnson, B: no
    • Morris: no
    • Steuerwald: no
    • Bauer: no
    • Jordan: no
    • Pack: no
    • Summers: no
    • Cash: no
    • Judy: no
    • Patterson: no
    • Sweet: no
    • Criswell: no
    • Klinker: no
    • Pfaff: no
    • Teshka: no
    • Culp: no
    • Lehman: no
    • Porter: no
    • Zimmerman: no
    • Dvorak: no
    • Lindauer: no
    • Prescott: no
    • Carbaugh: not voting
    • Lucas: not voting
    • Smith, H: not voting

  • SB 270 - Niemeyer

    2026-02-26 · pass · 34-15

    Member-level votes (50)
    • Alexander: yes
    • Clark: yes
    • Jackson, L: yes
    • Spencer: yes
    • Alting: yes
    • Crider: yes
    • Maxwell: yes
    • Taylor: yes
    • Baldwin: yes
    • Deery: yes
    • McKinley: yes
    • Tomes: yes
    • Bassler: yes
    • Dernulc: yes
    • Mishler: yes
    • Walker G: yes
    • Bray: yes
    • Doriot: yes
    • Niemeyer: yes
    • Walker K: yes
    • Buchanan: yes
    • Ford J.D.: yes
    • Niezgodski: yes
    • Yoder: yes
    • Busch: yes
    • Garten: yes
    • Qaddoura: yes
    • Young: yes
    • Carrasco: yes
    • Glick: yes
    • Randolph: yes
    • Charbonneau: yes
    • Hunley: yes
    • Rogers: yes
    • Becker: no
    • Byrne: no
    • Goode: no
    • Leising: no
    • Bohacek: no
    • Donato: no
    • Holdman: no
    • Raatz: no
    • Brown: no
    • Freeman: no
    • Johnson: no
    • Schmitt: no
    • Buck: no
    • Gaskill: no
    • Koch: no
    • Pol: not voting

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/sb0270

Attribution

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