This bill amends the Municipal Inland Port Authority Act by changing the maximum number of inland port districts that can be created statewide from five to six. It allows cities that encompass areas greater than three hundred acres to propose the creation of an inland port authority by ordinance, while also permitting counties with populations over twenty thousand to do so by resolution. The bill outlines specific criteria that cities and counties must consider when proposing the creation of an inland port authority, including economic feasibility, technical capability, strategic location, and potential impacts on the area and economy.

Additionally, the bill maintains that no more than one inland port district may be designated within the boundaries of a city of the metropolitan class, and that no inland port authority can designate more than one inland port district. The process for approval of proposed inland port authorities involves submission of the proposal to the Department of Economic Development, which will evaluate it against established criteria. If the proposal meets the necessary requirements and does not exceed the cap on the total number of inland port districts, the authority will be deemed created. The original section of the law is repealed as part of this amendment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13-3304