Legislation aimed at broadening the eligibility criteria for rural aviation board membership in Indiana has been signed into law. State Representative Tony Isa (R-Angola) introduced the bill, which eases the previous requirement that aviation boards allocate an equal number of seats to each political party for communities with populations of 38,000 or fewer.
“This law allows for smaller Hoosier communities to focus on selecting the most qualified individuals for their aviation boards, regardless of political affiliation,” Isa explained. He described House Enrolled Act 1196 as “a common-sense approach to ensure effective governance at a local level.”
Isa highlighted that the previous political affiliation requirement posed a challenge in rural areas with smaller populations by limiting the pool of qualified candidates. With this new legislation, emphasis can be placed on experience and qualifications in appointing members to airport boards.
The act received bipartisan support in both the Indiana House and Senate before being signed into law. Further details and access to live session and committee meetings can be found by visiting iga.in.gov.
