Under IC 4-22-2-24, notice is hereby given that on June 25, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EDT, at the Indiana Government Center South, 302 West Washington Street, Conference Center Room 4, Indianapolis, Indiana, the Department of Homeland Security will hold a public hearing on a proposed rule concerning severe weather warning sirens.

The reason for the proposed rule is to assist counties in evaluating and augmenting their severe weather warning siren systems by identifying the following: (1) minimum technical standards, including a minimum range, for any siren that is to be acquired and installed in a county under a county's siren coverage plan; (2) a specification of any permissible storm, weather condition, or emergency, other than a tornado, for which a severe weather warning siren may be activated; (3) requirements for any test, activation, or failure rate data; (4) the number, location, and condition of existing severe weather warning sirens in each county in Indiana; and (5) determining the need for additional sirens in order to ensure comprehensive severe weather warning siren coverage for all Indiana residents. The Department of Homeland Security has the authority to adopt the rule under IC 36-8-21.5-9. The proposed rule does not impose any requirement or cost on a regulated entity that is not expressly required by IC 36-8-21.5-9, the statute authorizing the agency to adopt the rule or any other state or federal law. The only fiscal impact of the proposed rule upon local governments will be to Indiana counties that voluntarily choose to engage in a formal severe weather siren planning process in accordance with the proposed rule.

Public comments are invited and may be directed to George Thompson, General Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Government Center South, 302 West Washington Street, Room W246, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or gthompson@dhs.in.gov.

A copy of the proposed rule is also available on the Department of Homeland Security's website at:

Copies of these rules are now on file at the Indiana Government Center South, 302 West Washington Street, Room W246 and Legislative Services Agency, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N201, Indianapolis, Indiana and are open for public inspection.