Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that shifts federal transportation funding, including Indiana's apportionment of grants available to the states under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Stimulus Bill"), to counties and localities, amends requirements for the funding of public works projects, and establishes a community infrastructure assistance program and a workforce training grant program.

Highlights:

-Appropriates $250 million in federal transportation funding, including Indiana's apportionment of grants available to the states under the "Stimulus Bill," to counties to be used only for the purposes for which the designated federal funds may be used (Sec. 20). -Appropriates $250 million in federal transportation funding, including Indiana's apportionment of grants available to the states under the "Stimulus Bill," to cities and towns to be used only for the purposes for which the designated federal funds may be used (Sec. 20). -Appropriates $20 million from Indiana's apportionment of grants available to the states under the "Stimulus Bill" to the Department of Transportation to establish a community infrastructure assistance program, of which $10 million shall be available for fiscal year 2009-2010 and fiscal year 2010-2011 respectively (Sec. 21). -Establishes a workforce training grant program which authorizes the Department of Transportation, subject to the availability of funds, to award grants for scholarships to Indiana residents who are unemployed or underemployed because their most recent full-time employer ceased operations or reduced their labor force. Grants may not exceed $3,000 per student, per year, and students are limited to no more than two grants (Sec. 25). -Appropriates $500 million from the Next Generation Trust Fund, of which $250 million shall be apportioned to counties and cities and towns respectively, for the following transportation projects (Sec. 27):

-The extension of Interstate Highway 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville; and -The construction of new Ohio River bridges on Interstate Highway 65 and Interstae Highway 265.

-Appropriates a sufficient amount of Indiana's apportionment of grants available to the states under the "Stimulus Bill" for the following projects related to higher education (Sec. 29):

-Indiana University South Bend: Education and Arts Building (Associates) Renovation (A-8-03-2-11); -University of Southern Indiana: General R&R Projects (G-0-09-2-02); -Indiana State University: General R&R Projects (C-1-09-2-01); -Purdue University: General R&R Projects (B-0-09-6-07); -Indiana University Bloomington: General Infrastructure R&R Projects (A-1-09-2-02); -Indiana University Bloomington: Wright School of Education Roof Replacement (A-1-09-2-15); -Purdue University West Lafayette: Campus Wide Utility Tunnel Repairs and Waterproofing Phase 1-C (3rd Street) (B-1-09-2-20); and -Vincennes University: General R&R (E-1-07-2-02).

-Specifies that when the state awards a contract to a contractor or subcontractor for a public works project, the goal is to have 90 percent of their workforce be Indiana residents. Contractors and subcontractors that are awarded a such contracts are required to provide the state with information on the number of Indiana residents they will employ (Secs. 1-3). -Requires every contract for a public works project to stipulate that all materials, equipment, or other durable goods used shall be made in Indiana, unless the head of the public agency determines, in writing, that the cost of Indiana products is considered unreasonable (Sec. 8). -Specifies that for materials, equipment, or other durable goods to be considered unreasonable, the cost must exceed the sum of the bid or offered price of products of foreign origin plus a differential of 15 percent of the bid or offered price. However, the 15 percent differential may be elevated to 25 percent if the head of the public agency determines that use of products made in Indiana would benefit the local or state economy (Sec. 8).

Full Bill Text