House File 2295 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY TYMESON, CHAMBERS, WORTHAN, WINDSCHITL, BAUDLER, ALONS, D. TAYLOR, and GRANZOW Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act concerning the county grant program for veterans and 2 providing an effective date. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5961HH 82 5 ec/nh/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. 2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 218, section 4, 1 2 subsection 4, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 4. COUNTY GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS 1 4 For providing matching grants to counties to provide 1 5 improved services to veterans: 1 6 .................................................. $ 750,000 1 7 The department shall establish or continue a grant 1 8 application process and shall require each county applying for 1 9 a grant to submit a plan for utilizing the grant to improve 1 10 services for veterans. The maximum matching grant to be 1 11 awarded to a county shall be $10,000 and the amount awarded 1 12 shall be matched on a dollar=for=dollar basis by the county. 1 13 Each county receiving a grant shall submit a report to the 1 14 department identifying the impact of the grant on increasing 1 15 services to veterans as specified by the department. The 1 16 department shall submit a report to the general assembly by 1 17 October 1, 2008, concerning the impact of the grant program on 1 18 services to veterans. 1 19 A county that employs an executive director pursuant to 1 20 section 35B.6 may also apply for a grant on behalf of a 1 21 contiguous county that does not employ an executive director 1 22 for the purpose of either allowing that county to employ a 1 23 part=time executive director or, pursuant to an agreement 1 24 between the counties, to allow the county that employs an 1 25 executive director to provide veterans services to the county 1 26 that does not employ an executive director. A grant awarded 1 27 pursuant to this unnumbered paragraph shall be matched by the 1 28 contiguous county that does not employ an executive director. 1 29 Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this 1 30 subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 1 31 close of the fiscal year shall not revert to the fund from 1 32 which appropriated but shallbe credited to the veterans trust 1 33 fundremain available for expenditure for the purpose 1 34 designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year. 1 35 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of 2 1 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 2 2 EXPLANATION 2 3 This bill concerns the county grant program for veterans 2 4 established for the fiscal year 2007=2008. 2 5 The bill provides that a county with an executive director 2 6 of the county commission of veteran affairs may apply for a 2 7 grant on behalf of a contiguous county without an executive 2 8 director to either allow the county with a director to provide 2 9 services for the contiguous county or to allow the contiguous 2 10 county to employ a part=time executive director. The bill 2 11 provides that the contiguous county shall provide the matching 2 12 funds for the grant. 2 13 The bill also provides that moneys appropriated for this 2 14 purpose for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, that 2 15 remain unencumbered at the close of the fiscal year shall 2 16 remain available for expenditure under the county grant 2 17 program in the next fiscal year. Current law provides that 2 18 unencumbered moneys shall revert to the veterans trust fund at 2 19 the end of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007. 2 20 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 2 21 LSB 5961HH 82 2 22 ec/nh/8