House Bill 1404 Summary

• Allows a municipality to reorganize with a township located within its corporate boundaries, creating a unified government where the municipal government also serves as township government effective July 1, 2017.

• Residents of the unincorporated township area gain voting rights in municipal elections and can vote at designated vote centers or by absentee ballot, but are prohibited from holding local office per Indiana Constitution Article 6, Section 6.

• The unincorporated township area remains outside the municipality's corporate boundaries and continues receiving county services; the reorganized municipality must provide township services throughout the entire reorganized township.

• Requires the municipal legislative body to adopt a resolution initiating reorganization, prepare a comprehensive plan including fiscal impact analysis, conduct public hearings, and submit the plan to voters; reorganization is approved if at least 51% of combined voters from the municipality and unincorporated township approve.

• Excludes Marion County municipalities and townships, and townships with retained township assessors; applies existing municipal-township reorganization statutes (IC 36-1.5-4-41, 44, 45, 46) to the process.