10/14/2025

House Bill 445

Lead Sponsors: Representative Mike Dovilla and Representative Brian Stewart

Status: Introduced (September 15, 2025)

Description: The bill amends the composition of regional councils of government and metropolitan planning organizations.

If a regional council of governments also serves as a metropolitan planning organization, it is prohibited from including a majority of voting members from a single county. Additionally, the CEO of such a regional council of governments is prohibited from holding employment in another state.

Metropolitan planning organizations cannot adopt policies, regulations, or standards that are more stringent than corresponding state and federal policies, regulations, or standards.

If a county is a member of a metropolitan planning organization and at least 25% of its workforce population commutes to an adjoining county in a different metropolitan planning organization, the board of county commissioners may request that the governor redesignate the county into a different planning organization. The governor has sixty days to make a redesignation determination.

CCAO Position: No position (as of October 2025)