US Treasury Guidance for the American Rescue Plan Act 

• US Treasury – Steps to ensure Deposit of American Recovery Plan Funds

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) into law. The $1.9 trillion package, based on President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, is intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including the public health and economic impacts. As part of the $362 billion in federal fiscal recovery aid for state and local governments, $65.1 billion is provided in direct aid to counties and an additional $1.5 billion for public land counties.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts is requiring each local unit that receives an allocation from the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund under Section 603 of the Social Security Act, as added by Section 9901 of the ARP, to establish by ordinance a separate local grant fund called the ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. The Directive Stated that for a county, the ARP grant fund must be established by ordinance of the County Commissioners. The ordinance should reference a plan that will provide the details for the use of these funds. Additionally, before money in the fund is disbursed, the fiscal body must appropriate the money in the fund for a use consistent with Section 603(c) as stated in the adopted ordinance and the plan. This will be very beneficial for Indiana Counties to show we can be very prudent with this funding and use it to make a difference in our communities as we recover from the effects of the COVID 19 public heath emergency.

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (SEC. 603. CORONAVIRUS LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUND begins on page 225)