Sec. 7. The ports of Indiana is authorized and empowered to do the following:

(1) To adopt an official seal which shall not be the seal of the state of Indiana.

(2) To maintain a principal office and sub-offices at such place or places within the state as it may designate.

(3) To sue and be sued, and to plead and be impleaded in the name of the ports of Indiana. However, actions at law against the ports of Indiana shall be brought in the circuit court, superior court, or probate court of the county in which the principal office of the ports of Indiana is located or in the circuit court, superior court, or probate court of the county in which the cause of action arose, if the county is located within the state. All summonses and legal notices of every kind shall be served on the ports of Indiana by leaving a copy thereof at the principal office of the ports of Indiana with the person in charge thereof or with the secretary of the ports of Indiana. However, no such action shall be deemed commenced until a copy of the summons and complaint, cross complaint, petition, bill, or pleading is served upon the attorney general of Indiana.

(4) To acquire, lease, construct, maintain, repair, police, and operate a port or project as provided in this chapter, and to establish rules and regulations for the use of the port or project, and other property subject to the jurisdiction and control of the ports of Indiana.

(5) To issue both taxable and tax exempt revenue bonds of the state, payable solely from revenues, as herein provided, for the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of a port or project.

(6) To acquire, lease, and operate tug boats, locomotives, and any and every kind of motive power and conveyances or appliances necessary or proper to carry passengers, goods, wares, merchandise, or articles of commerce in, on, or around the port or project.

(7) To fix and revise from time to time and to collect fees, rentals, tolls, and other charges for the use of any port or project.

(8) To acquire, obtain option on, hold, and dispose of real and personal property in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties under this chapter.

(9) To designate the location and establish, limit, and control points of ingress to and egress from a port or project.

(10) To lease to others for development or operation such portions of any port or project, on such terms and conditions as the ports of Indiana shall deem advisable.

(11) To make and enter into all contracts, undertakings, and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter. Except as provided in section 29 of this chapter, when the cost of any such contract for construction, or for the purchase of equipment, materials, or supplies, involves an expenditure of more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), the ports of Indiana shall make a written contract with the lowest and best bidder after advertisement for not less than two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the construction will occur and in such other publications as the ports of Indiana shall determine. The notice shall state the general character of the work and the general character of the materials to be furnished, the place where plans and specifications therefor may be examined, and the time and place of receiving bids. Each bid shall contain the full name of every person or company interested in it and shall be accompanied by a sufficient bond or certified check on a solvent bank that if the bid is accepted a contract will be entered into and the performance of its proposal secured. The ports of Indiana may reject any and all bids. A bond with good and sufficient surety as shall be approved by the ports of Indiana shall be required of all contractors in an amount equal to at least fifty percent (50%) of the contract price conditioned upon the faithful performance of the contract. A contract for construction or a contract for the purchase of materials or supplies requires only the approval of the commission. Upon the ports of Indiana's approval of a contract, the ports of Indiana may immediately proceed with the construction or purchase.

(12) To construct, assemble, or otherwise build, own, lease, operate, manage, or otherwise control any project throughout Indiana for the purpose of promoting economic growth and development throughout Indiana, retaining existing employment within Indiana, and attracting new employment opportunities within Indiana.

(13) To employ a chief executive, consulting engineers, superintendents, and such other engineers, construction and accounting experts, attorneys, and other employees and agents as may be necessary in its judgment, and to fix their compensation and title, but no compensation of any employee of the ports of Indiana shall exceed the compensation of the highest paid officer or employee of the state.

(14) To receive and accept from any federal agency grants for or in aid of the construction of any port or project, and to receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of either money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions may be made.

(15) To provide coverage for its employees under the provisions of IC 22-3-2 through IC 22-3-6, and IC 22-4.

(16) To do all acts and things necessary or proper to carry out the powers expressly granted in this article.

(17) To hold, use, administer, and expend such sum or sums as may herein or hereafter be appropriated or transferred to the ports of Indiana.

Formerly: Acts 1961, c.11, s.7; Acts 1963, c.395, s.3. As amended by Acts 1977, P.L.108, SEC.1; P.L.18-1987, SEC.8; P.L.56-1994, SEC.1; P.L.224-2003, SEC.207 and P.L.271-2003, SEC.7; P.L.98-2008, SEC.15; P.L.156-2013, SEC.1; P.L.84-2016, SEC.49.