HEA 1144 Summary

• Establishes a rail transit development corridor in northwest Indiana within 0.5 miles of Chicago-South Bend and Hammond-Dyer railway lines, including the West Lake corridor project once alignment is determined.

• Authorizes the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to establish transit development districts around train stations, with initial area not exceeding 0.5 square miles but expandable to maximum 1 square mile, terminating by June 30, 2047.

• Permits non-member counties to participate in rail projects as associate members (paying $2.5 million annually) or cash participants (paying $18.25 million lump sum or $2 million annually) with access to incremental tax revenues.

• Creates funding mechanisms using property tax increment revenue, local income tax increment revenue, gross retail tax increment revenue, and state income tax increment revenue to finance development projects within districts.

• Effective July 1, 2017; defines "double tracking" as bidirectional railway with signaling capability and establishes oversight structures including steering committees and conflict-of-interest provisions for development board members.