Bill > HB2096

This bill modifies how state funds are distributed to regional planning commissions, which are organizations that help coordinate planning and development across multiple local governments. Specifically, it changes the matching fund requirement to a one-to-one state and local contribution, meaning for every dollar of state funds a commission receives, it must provide a dollar of its own local funds. The bill also increases the maximum amount of state funds that can be allocated to two specific commissions: the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council and the Mid-America Regional Council, raising their limits from sixty-five thousand dollars to one hundred thirty thousand dollars. For other regional planning commissions, the maximum state funding for each is increased from twenty-five thousand dollars to fifty thousand dollars, with some commissions being added to the list and others removed. Furthermore, starting July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the maximum grant amount for each regional planning commission will be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation, to help maintain their purchasing power.