Sec. 11. (a) The historical bureau shall establish the Indiana historical marker program for marking historical sites in Indiana. As a part of this program, the historical bureau shall fix a state format for historical markers. No person may erect an historical marker in the state format without the approval of the historical bureau. All historical markers in the state format shall be provided by the historical bureau using appropriated funds, local matching funds, donations, grants, or any other funds provided for that purpose according to the guidelines and rules of the historical marker program.

     (b) The board may appoint a historical marker advisory committee to serve without compensation. The committee may advise the board and the director concerning the following:

(1) Guidelines and rules for the historical marker program.

(2) Appropriate sites to be marked.

(3) Other matters concerning the historical marker program as requested by the board or the director.

     (c) Historical markers approved under this section, including state format markers installed after 1945 and markers installed by the Indiana Civil War centennial commission, are the property of the state. Maintenance of state historical markers is part of the historical marker program. The historical bureau may cooperate with individuals, local and state agencies, and private institutions and organizations for the maintenance of the historical markers. Funds made available to the historical marker program, as approved by the board, may be used for necessary maintenance.

     (d) No historical marker may be erected on a highway of the state highway system without the approval of the historical bureau as to its historical accuracy. This provision is in addition to any other requirement of law.

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.40, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.38-1989, SEC.1; P.L.31-1997, SEC.2; P.L.84-2012, SEC.14.