INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Hundreds of townships could be eliminated under a bill an Indiana House panel approved Tuesday morning.

The bill marks the latest chapter in a long-running debate at the Statehouse, dating back to at least the Mitch Daniels administration, over the future of township government.

The bill would dissolve all townships that have a population of less than 6,700 or if at least 80% of their land area is located within the boundaries of a municipality. It specifically exempts townships that operate a fire department as well as the nine townships of Marion County.

According to analysis by the Legislative Services Agency, the bill could affect as many as 700 of Indiana’s roughly 1,000 townships.

Townships in Indiana most commonly provide some forms of public assistance through the township trustee’s office. The bill directs townships to transfer any services they provide to a city or to their county. Christina Neeley, the former trustee of Harrison Township in Fayette County, said even in her own county, townships varied wildly in terms of services provided.

“There are townships, not just in my county, that haven’t helped a family in years. Some trustees don’t even answer their phones. Some don’t fully understand their job responsibilities,” she said. “Others don’t just have have the budget for basic technology and they still rely on paper checks and vouchers. I’m not saying the system is broken beyond repair but it allows too much inconsistency.”

Supporters of township government said they provide critical services tailored to a specific community’s needs, even in a built-up area. Carmel almost entirely overlaps Clay Township but Carmel City Council President Matthew Snyder said Clay Township has remained a critical partner for the city, including building a fieldhouse and seven roundabouts. He said the presence of township government has never held the city back.

“Township government is one of the most Hoosier ideas imaginable. It is government closest to the people. It’s accountable to neighbors, not bureaucrats. Grounded in community knowledge, not distant mandates,” he said. “Eliminating it does not shrink government, it centralizes power.”

The bill was approved on a 9-3 vote and now goes to the full House.

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