INDIANAPOLIS | A House committee did not vote Monday on legislation clarifying the duties of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, but lawmakers did not seem particularly opposed to the idea.
It is common for the House Ways and Means Committee to hear testimony from a proposal's legislative sponsor, along with supporters and opponents, during one meeting, then consider changes and decide whether to advance the measure several days or weeks later.
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, explained to the panel that House Bill 1398 is essential, because it refocuses the RDA on its original missions of developing transportation infrastructure and implementing the Marquette Plan for lakeshore redevelopment.
He said it also ensures the RDA is accountable by requiring State Budget Committee approval of RDA projects, and financially stable by mandating contributing communities pay their RDA dues on time.
Two committee members expressed concern with the potentially exclusionary nature of a provision requiring RDA board members have senior-level financial experience with a large for-profit corporation, nonprofit organization, university or municipality.
Soliday said he is open to requiring other qualifications for board members, but believes these are best if the RDA is to oversee the $591 million expansion of the South Shore commuter rail line into south Lake County.
"The issue is having people with financial expertise who are used to handling large amounts of money," Soliday said.
Two other panel members questioned the point of requiring State Budget Committee review of RDA projects but not permitting the committee to veto them.
RDA President Bill Hanna explained state review will strongly position the RDA to win federal transportation money needed for the South Shore extension and any Budget Committee recommendations almost assuredly would be followed.
"We welcome the accountability," Hanna said. "These oversights and the statutory backing that this bill represents would put us in the highest standing in the competition for federal funds."
Hanna was the only member of the public to testify in favor of the measure. No one spoke against it.
A separate RDA proposal, House Bill 1618, creating a state matching grant program to help pay the local share needed to obtain federal funds for the South Shore project is set for review Wednesday by the House Roads and Transportation Committee.