Sec. 6.5. (a) Upon receipt of information that leads the attorney general to believe an acquisition or lease of agricultural land violates section 4.5 of this chapter, the attorney general shall investigate the alleged violation and may issue subpoenas requiring the:

(1) appearance of witnesses;

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 32-22-3-6.5

  • agricultural land: means land for use in crop farming or timber production or as pasture land. See Indiana Code 32-22-3-1
  • Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • prohibited person: includes :

    Indiana Code 32-22-3-3.5

  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(2) production of relevant records; and

(3) giving of relevant testimony.

     (b) The attorney general shall enforce a violation of section 4.5 of this chapter by commencing a receivership proceeding under IC 32-30-5-1 and selling the agricultural land through the receivership. The following apply to a receivership proceeding under this section:

(1) Proceeds of the sale shall be paid as follows:

(A) The costs of the receivership and sale.

(B) To lienholders, in their order of priority, except for liens which under the terms of the sale are to remain on the property.

(C) No proceeds shall be distributed from the receivership sale to the prohibited person. Any excess proceeds are forfeited and shall be transferred to the state general fund by the receiver.

(2) At the receivership sale, lienholders shall be able to have a credit bid in an amount that is not more than the amount owed to the lienholder on the date of the sale, as established in the court order for the sale of the property.

(3) Upon commencement of an action under this section, the attorney general shall promptly file a notice of lis pendens with the clerk of court. Upon the entry of an order for the sale of the property under this section, the attorney general shall promptly record a copy of the order in the office of the recorder of the county where the property is located.

     (c) The responsibility for determining whether an individual or other entity is subject to section 4.5 of this chapter rests solely with the prohibited person and the attorney general and no other individual or entity. An individual or other entity who is not a prohibited person shall bear no civil or criminal liability for failing to determine or make inquiry of whether an individual or other entity is a prohibited person.

     (d) Divestiture of a prohibited person’s title under this section shall not be a basis to void, invalidate, or otherwise extinguish any bona fide mortgage, lien, or other interest granted by, through, or under the prohibited person.

As added by P.L.168-2024, SEC.6.

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